Woodhams' Scrapyard

Woodham Brothers Scrapyard was in Barry, Wales. During the 1960s nearly 300 withdrawn British Railways steam locomotives were sent there.

At the same time many thousands of short wheelbase wagons were being withdrawn and it was found that these were easier and quicker to cut up and reduce to scrap metal. The result was that Woodham's concentrated on the wagons, and the majority of the steam locomotives were left untouched.

While there was still a significant number of steam locomotives in the yard, railway preservationists began buying the better examples in order to restore them to working order. This often involved the use of parts (particularly tenders) from other locomotives.

For most of the time that locomotives were being 'rescued' from Barry, it was the practice for preservation groups to pay a deposit for a particular locomotive – which was then 'protected' until the group could pay for the locomotive in full and arrange transport.

During this time the yard was managed by Dai Woodham, but when he announced that he was going to retire a concerted effort was made to clear the remaining hulks. One result of this was ten locomotives, known as the 'Barry Ten', being taken by a South Wales local council and stored in 'scrapyard' condition. Two of these locomotives are now under restoration at different locations around the country. The remaining eight locomotives are still in Barry, only a few hundred yards away from where they were removed more than ten years ago. They are under the care of the Barry Island Railway inside Barry Shed.

A total of 213 locomotives were 'rescued' from Woodham's yard. Over 100 have been restored to working order, although many of these have since been withdrawn for overhaul and are out of use or awaiting further work.

Engines saved from Barry scrapyard

Below is a list of the engine types saved at Barry scrapyard. They are shown by class, indicating how many of each class were saved.

BR standard classes
*1 BR standard class 8 71000 Duke of Gloucester
*4 BR standard class 5
*4 BR standard class 4 4-6-0
*4 BR standard class 4 2-6-0
*7 BR standard class 9F 2-10-0
*14 BR standard class 4 tank
*4 BR standard class 2 2-6-0GWR classes
*6 GWR 2800 Class 2-8-0
*9 GWR 2884 Class 2-8-0
*6 GWR 5700 Class 0-6-0PT
*10 GWR 5101 Class 2-6-2T
*5 GWR 4200 Class 2-8-0T
*2 GWR 4500 Class 2-6-2T
*11 GWR 4575 Class 2-6-2T
*2 GWR 4300 Class 2-6-0
*8 GWR 5600 Class 0-6-2T
*3 GWR 7200 Class 2-8-2T
*1 GWR 9400 Class 0-6-0PT
*8 GWR 7800 Class Manor class
*11 GWR 4900 Class Hall class
*6 GWR 6959 Class Modified Hall class
*5 GWR 4073 Class Castle class
*2 GWR 6000 Class King classLMS classes
*6 LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 Black 5
*2 LMS Jubilee Class
*6 LMS Stanier Class 8F
*2 LMS Hughes Crab 2-6-0
*1 LMS Stanier Mogul 2-6-0
*2 S&DJR 7F 2-8-0
*7 LMS Fowler Class 3F Jinty 0-6-0T
*4 LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0
*3 LMS Fowler Class 4F 0-6-0
*2 LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2TLNER classes
*1 LNER Thompson Class B1SR classes
*10 SR Merchant Navy Class
*18 SR West Country and Battle of Britain Classes – of these ten are the rebuilt locos
*7 LSWR Class S15
*1 SR Class Q
*4 SR U Class
*1 SR N Class

Preserved locomotives

The following is a partial list of locomotives saved from Woodham's, which are now in preservation:
*BR standard class 8 71000 Duke of Gloucester
*BR standard class 9F 92212
*GWR 2800 Class 2807
*GWR 4073 Class 5029 Nunney Castle
*GWR 4073 Class 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe
*GWR 4073 Class 5051 Earl Bathurst
*GWR 4073 Class 5080 Defiant
*GWR 4900 Class 4930 Hagley Hall
*GWR 4900 Class 4936 Kinlet Hall
*GWR 4900 Class 4953 Pitchford Hall
*GWR 4900 Class 5900 Hinderton Hall
*GWR 4900 Class 5967 Bickmarsh Hall
*GWR 4900 Class 5972 Olton Hall
*GWR 6000 Class 6023 King Edward II
*GWR 6000 Class 6024 King Edward I
*GWR 6959 Class 6960 Raveningham Hall
*GWR 6959 Class 6984 Owsden Hall
*GWR 6959 Class 7903 Foremarke Hall
*GWR 7800 Class 7802 Bradley Manor
*GWR 7800 Class 7812 Erlestoke Manor
*GWR 7800 Class 7819 Hinton Manor
*GWR 7800 Class 7821 Ditcheat Manor
*GWR 7800 Class 7822 Foxcote Manor
*LMS Jubilee Class 5690 Leander
*LMS Jubilee Class 5699 Galatea
*SR Merchant Navy Class 35027 Port Line
*SR West Country Class 34007 Wadebridge

External links

* [http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/barry1.htm More information]
* [http://www.penmorfa.com/Barry/index.htm Photographs of Woodham's of Barry in May 1966 by Dave Sallery]