Gertrude » History

Visit to Bilston + S&L Staff Meet

Nik — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:16:05 +0000

Between 1925 and 1959 Stewarts & Lloyds Ltd used a 1918-built narrow gauge steam locomotive, Gertrude, to transport red-hot ingots from the melting shop to the rolling mill of Bilston Steelworks. Retired off in 1959, Gertrude has now been fully restored and is regularly used on the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway in Porthmadog, but is set to return to the Midlands as one of the key exhibits at the Warley Model Railway Club’s National Model Railway Exhibition at the NEC this weekend, 19-20th November 2011.

There will be a photo-call to mark Gertrude’s homecoming to Bilston at noon on Thursday at Springvale Social Club, Millfields Road, Bilston, WV14 0PR. This is the former Stewarts & Lloyds Social club and is one of the last remaining buildings of the Bilston Steelworks. Lord Bilston, Dennis Turner, a former S&L employee, will be on hand to say a few words. Following this she will be making her way on to the NEC in Birmingham.

During the show at Warley, there will be a Stewarts & Lloyds display alongside Gertrude. We will also have a meeting point for former S&L staff, who we would really like to encourage to come along!

Gertrude to visit Warley 2011 at the NEC

Nik — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 13:51:59 +0000

We are pleased to announce that we will have a presence at the Warley MRC show at the NEC on November 19th & 20th. Gertrude will be on display as the centrepiece of a narrow gauge themed area at this year’s show.

This event will also involve The Oakwood Press who’s Andrew Kennedy has done extensive historical research on the engine, there will be a Stewarts & Lloyds display (owners of Bilston Steelworks where “Gertrude” spend most of her industrial working life) – including a former staff meeting area, and The Welsh Highland Heritage Railway (where the locomotive is currently based).

It will be the first ever chance for this ironstone industry engine to take the limelight in public in the Midlands, near its former home. All of her public appearances thus far since the end of her industrial working life, have been with Exmoor Transport in the south, and also at Porthmadog. Prior to her time with us she was always on industrial sites or at off-limits locations in preservation.

This will be an exciting opportunity for one of the centrepieces of the Warley exhibition to focus on the Midlands’ industrial heritage. You can find out more about this year’s Warley MRC Exhibition on their website. If you are thinking of visiting, please come over and see Gertrude and have a chat with the associated supporting groups. If you know of any former Stewarts & Lloyds staff, please spread the word to them too!

Gertrude Revisits Former Homes!

Tony — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:07:56 +0000

On Tuesday 8th Sept whilst on route to Toddington for the GWR NG gala, Gertrude stopped for a photo opportunity at the site of Sydenham quarry, near Adderbury, for which she was built (now an industrial estate) the first visit since 1925. The event was covered by the local newspaper – the Banbury Guardian – hopefully some more details of her work there and possibly a photograph or two might emerge from this brief visit. Also at Sydenham were representatives from the Adderbury Local History Group and Bloxham Museum, near Banbury.

We are attempting engage the local Banbury press and historical groups in trying to launch a ‘hunt for Gertrude’s relatives’ mission – not the locomotive this time but the living relatives of Gertrude, Doll and Winifred after whom the engines were named.
Then the low loader with Gertrude stopped at the garage at Chipping Norton which was owned by Neville Melhuish, the man who picked her up from Bilston, he died about 11 years ago but the business survives and the 1948 purchase he made was wheeled out alongside Gertrude – it was a 1908? Fowler Ploughing Engine – the pair looked fantastic together.

Gertrude was in the yard behind the garage between 1960 and at least late 1963 – then it went to an engineering base for the Welsh Highland Railway, at Kinnerley in Shropshire – where of course she passed to Peter Westmacott. Visit the history page for more details.

With thanks to Andrew Kennedy for the bulk of this content.