Hunslet Engine Company

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Irish Mail is typical of many small engines built for use in quarries

Much rebuilt Hunslet Blanche is always popular on the Ffestiniog Railway

Hunslet build several hundred 0-6-0STs for the War Department and National Coal Board

A typical Hunslet diesel mechanical shunter from the 1950s

A typical Hunslet diesel hydraulic shunter from the 1960s

The last steam locomotive built by Hunslet in 1971

Four special Hunslet diesels work on the Snowdon Mountain Railway

The Hunslet Engine Company is a British locomotive-building company founded in 1864 at Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds by John Towlerton Leather. They built numerous steam and diesel locomotives for use in Britain and across the world. Famous examples include the narrow gauge Russell for the Welsh Highland Railway and Charles, Blanche and Linda built for the Penrhyn Railway in Wales.

Hunslet acquired the rights of many other builders including Kerr Stuart, Avonside Engine Co. and Hudswell Clarke as well as the entirety of other companies including Andrew Barclay. The Leeds works was closed in 1995, the last order being a batch of narrow gauge locomotives for tunnelling on the Jubilee Line Extension of the London Underground.

The Hunslet Engine Company is still in business with the works situated on Statfold Barn Farm near Tamworth, UK. The owner has recently constructed a new 'Quarry Hunslet', named 'Statfold' similar in appearance to 'Irish Mail' pictured on the right.

Complete History

Preservation

Hunslet Engine Co locomotives can been seen operating on railways across Britain including:

Appleby Frodingham Railway (Corus Diesels can usually be seen from the train)
Bala Lake Railway (Steam)
Corris Railway (Diesel)
Festiniog Railway (Steam and Diesel)
Kent and East Sussex Railway (Steam)
Launceston Steam Railway (Steam)
Llanberis Lake Railway (Steam)
Middleton Railway Leeds
Peak Rail (Steam and Diesel)
Rutland Railway Museum (Steam and Diesel)
Snowdon Mountain Railway (Diesel Rack Locomotives)
Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog) (Steam and Diesel)
Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway (Steam and Diesel)
West Lancashire Light Railway (Steam)

External links

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