Immediately to the West of Rotherwood Exchange Sidings, and sandwiched between the two bridges, which carry Orgreave (Pit) Lane and Highfield Lane, there is a deep cutting, in which the Great Central Railway’s, short, but steeply graded Orgreave Colliery Branch connected with the main line.
Access to, and from the branch, which also provided connection with the United Coke and Chemicals Ltd, Orgreave Coke Ovens and By-products Works, was controlled by Orgreaves Colliery Signal Box, and was serviced by two series of sidings, which were located to the East, and to the West of the junction.
The three East Sidings were frequently used as a stabling point for locomotives awaiting their allocated train loads from the Colliery and the Coke Ovens and By-products Works, as seen here, where a total of six Class 31 locomotives, (No.31311, No.31301, No.31308, No.31233, No.31234 and one, unidentified, await their next turn of duty, on 15/04/1979. View West from Orgreave (Pit) Lane.
No.31311, Built by Brush Traction Ltd, Falcon Works, Loughborough, to Works No.381, in 1962, as Class 30/2, and was delivered new, to Sheffield Darnall M.P.D., (Shed No.41A), on 14/06/1962, as No.D5845. Re-designated as Class 31/1, in August 1965, and renumbered as No.31331, in January 1973. Withdrawn from service, on 07/02/1989, and believed scrapped, by M C Metals, Springburn, in December 1989.
No.31301, Built by Brush Traction Ltd, Falcon Works, Loughborough, to Works No.371, in 1962, as Class 30/2, and was delivered new, to Sheffield Darnall M.P.D., (Shed No.41A), on 01/03/1962, as No.D5834. Re-designated as Class 31/1, in October 1966, and renumbered as No.31301, in January 1973. It is believed to have been withdrawn from service, at Wigan Springs Branch T.M.D., in May 1995, and subsequently scrapped, by C.F. Booth Ltd, Rotherham, in February 2011.
No.31308, Built by Brush Traction Ltd, Falcon Works, Loughborough, to Works No.377, in 1962, as Class 30/2, and was delivered new, to Sheffield Darnall M.P.D., (Shed No.41A), on 17/05/1962, as No.D5841. Re-designated as Class 31/1, in March 1965, and renumbered as No.31308, in December 1973. It is believed to have been withdrawn from service, at Old Oak Common T.M.D., on 01/08/1999, and subsequently scrapped, by Harry Needle Railroad Company, Old Oak Common T.M.D., in December 2006.
No.31233, Built by Brush Traction Ltd, Falcon Works, Loughborough, to Works No.260, in 1960, as Class 30/2, and was delivered new, to March M.P.D., (Shed No.31B), on 20/10/1960, as No.D5660. Re-designated as Class 31/1, in February 1967, and renumbered as No.31233, in January 1973. It is believed to have been withdrawn from service, by Network Rail, in April 2017 and subsequently purchased for preservation by the Mangapps Railway Museum, near Burnham on Crouch.
No.31234, Built by Brush Traction Ltd, Falcon Works, Loughborough, to Works No.261, in 1960, as Class 30/2, and was delivered new, to March M.P.D., (Shed No.31B), on 27/10/1960, as No.D5661. Re-designated as Class 31/1, in December 1968, and renumbered as No.31234, in January 1973. It is believed to have been withdrawn from service, at Bescot T.M.D., in June 1993, and subsequently scrapped, by M C Metals, Springburn, in May 1994.
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