58 Hudswell Clarke D558 of 1930

The loco was completed in 1930; the first 3 years of its life, it is believed that it was used as a demonstrator and for contracting work. In 1933 it was delivered to Beswick’s Lime Works, Hindlow, near Buxton. It was fitted with works-plates that were re-dated for 1933 (which it still carries). It was rescued for preservation from a scrap yard at Dove Holes on 17/12/1971 and moved to the Cadeby Light Railway. This loco was moved to Apedale on 22/4/2006. It is the second Hudswell Clarke diesel loco built (and the first for the UK market). Built originally with a McLaren diesel, it was rebuilt in 1955 with the current 4 cylinder Dorman unit. In the summer of 2013 restoration work started, this includes fitting a ring gear for a starter motor, repairing the clutch, and a general overhaul and repaint. By the end of 2013 the work was complete.

This loco was built by Hudswell Clarke at the Railway Foundry works in Leeds. Its place in history is assured by it being the first Hudswell diesel for the UK market The loco seems to have actually been built in 1929, and a photo exists which shows it fitted with a worksplate dated for that year. The photo has a note, probably copied from a works document, stating that the worksplate was to be re-dated to 1930. The works records show that the engine (the original McLaren 3 cylinder unit ) was discussed in July 1929, and the gearbox entry is dated 23 July 1929. The gearbox was ordered for another loco (D560), but actually used in D558. The clutch entry, however, is dated 31/1/30, along with a comment about altering the plates from 1929 to 1930. It seems probable, then, that the loco was expected complete in 1929, but was actually completed in 1930. The early life of the loco (from build to 1933) is something of a mystery – it may have been a demonstrator, or ir may be that Hudswell built it speculatively and then could not find a customer.

In 1933, the loco was delivered to Beswick’s Limeworks, near Buston. Beswick’s had previously ordered the “twin” of D558 – number D564 – which was ex-works in October 1930 (D564 was also preserved, and is currently in Aberystwyth). In the August 15 1933 issue of The Locomotive Magazine, Hudswell Clarke “have received an order from Beswick’s Limeworks for another 36hp diesel loco; this is the 4th diesel loco they have obtained from this builder”. This 4th loco was, ironically, actually the oldest – D558.

The worksplates were re-dated (for a second time!) for 1933, and those plates are still carried. Exactly why this was done is unknown. The loco seems to have had a settled existence at Beswick’s. In 1957 the McLaren engine was replaced by a 4-cylinder Dorman. We don’t know exactly why this was done, but given that both D558 and D564 were converted, it is probable that life-expiry rather than catastrophic failure was the reason. The work was presumably done by Beswicks themselves, and is not characterised by precision engineering. The horizontal bedplate (around which the loco is built) has been flame-cut to accommodate the larger engine. It seems probable that the gearbox was not moved during the re-power, presumably to avoid problems with drive chains and the like; the ‘box stands on curious mounting blocks lifting it above the bedplate. A reasonable guess is that the McLaren engine sat directly onto the bedplate, and the gearbox was mounted to accommodate this. Consequently, the Dorman engine is sat on various shims to align to the gearbox.

The loco was rescued for preservation from a scrapyard at Dove Holes (north of Buxton) by the late John Lucas. It moved to the Cadeby Light Railway on 17 December 1971, and John restored the loco to operating condition. On April 22 2006, the loco moved from Cadeby to Apedale. A major restoration project commenced on this locomotive in 2013 and completed in 2014. A significant amount of work was done on the bodywork, which had detiorated bady during years of outdoor storage at Cadeby. A persistent gearbox fault was cured and the engine was fitted with electric start – a great relief to anyone involved in hand-starting the large Dorman engine previously – a three-man job! In October 2017 the loco, along with nos. 60 and 84, paid a visit to the Amerton Railway.