Lady Bulkeley

 
Lady Bulkeley (Kitson 3184/1889) was purchased new and delivered 15th February 1889.
Photo much reconstructed from severely damaged original © David Kitching 2002

The arrival of this locomotive was intended to allow the increasing output of the Lawrance Pit to be handled on the newly modified railway system which had just had the cable operated inclines altered for locomotive working. Unfortunately the changeover was met with initial disaster as described by G.C.Greenwell jnr in the report to Lord Vernon on the collieries for 1889.

"A new locomotive had been ordered from Messrs Kitson + Co of Leeds and ought to have come on that day, but did not arrive till the 15th. It came in charge of a man from Messrs Kitson + Co and was tried on Tuesday the 19th by him. On the first journey however from Park Pits he ran it too quickly on to the Prince Incline which passes the offices and was unable to stop it to allow of the wagon brakes being put on. It ran away down the incline with 10 loaded wagons and smashed into some empty wagons at the bottom. Fortunately no one was injured but 12 wagons were more or less damaged and the engine was also a good deal damaged. Messrs Kitson + Co decline any responsibility though the engine was worked by their man and had never been taken over from him so I have placed the matter in Mr White's hands and referred them to him"

"Messrs Kitson + Co have done nothing yet in the way of repairing the engine but their man is just commencing to get it ready to send to Leeds so I suppose they wil now repair it at once. We are working the traffic from both pits with one locomotive and as the Park Pit coal for the Macclesfield Committee line has to be taken down to Poynton Village and then up the incline past Anson Pit there is a considerable difficulty in keeping the pits fully at work. We are therefore unable at present to increase the quantity from the Lawrance Pit until either the new locomotive comes back ready for work or we get the second section of the railway finished. We are going on with this now and I think should finish it by May or June."

The locomotive was finally despatched to Leeds during March and returned on 13th April 1889.

It appears that the sunsequent career of the Lady Bulkeley at Poynton was unremarkable and there is little known of its use. Subsequent disposal is unknown and it appears to have disappeared from Poynton during the 1920's.


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© David Kitching 2003

Last updated 9.11.03