The Nabisco shunter Welwyn Garden City

[ajb200]

Firstly, many thanks to the group for much information regarding the Shredded Wheat loco and sidings. Does anybody remember or have information about the only time the loco strayed onto BR lines? I believe it was in the 1970's, the occasion being the retirement of a driver of the Fowler?

[Mickey]

As you possibly read I on this forum I was at Welwyn Garden City box as a 'box lad' from July 1972-March 1974 and I can't honestly say I recall either way if I remember seeing the Nabiscos shunter come out of the Shredded Wheat factory such a 'one off event' over 40 years ago would be hard for me to recall?.

I do remember occasionally seeing from the box the B.R. 350hp 0-6-0 diesel shunter 'the Welwyn pilot' as it was known going and returning with grain hopper wagons from the Nabiscos factory area that was fairly common. Usually back then the 1960s & 1970s the 'Welwyn pilot' would 'shunt the yard & the Up yard' most weekdays so much so that you would hardly take any notice of it unless it 'whistled up' for either one of the miniture signal arms (no.70 & no.72) on either of the tall concrete signal posts to be 'cleared' from either yard so it could shunt onto the Hertford branch under the Hunters Road overbridge.

Mickey

[ajb200]

Thanks Mickey, i'm not sure how authentic this story is. I'm working on a presentation about the Fowler Nabisco loco, during a conversation about the project I was told this story recently, apparently the Welwyn Times ran a piece with a picture. i'll keep looking.

[Mickey]

As previously posted by myself on another Nabisco's sidings thread on this forum i'm quite certain that the Nabisco's loco was changed sometime either around late 1967 or 1968 for another loco cos I remember thinking to myself one day when I was walking passed the Shredded Wheat factory (on Bridge Road East/Hunters Road bridge) and upon looking down at the Nabisco's sidings that the shunting loco I saw in the factory sidings wasn't the same loco that was there before?.

[ajb200]

Hi Mickey, I believe you are right about the shunter. I've looked into the sidings workings. I cannot find any mention in the local paper, yet, about the shunter leaving the sidings. The Fowler was stored probably from 1970 onwards, it is quite likely that BR shunted what remaining wheat traffic there was into and out of the road nearest the factory, using the WGC yard pilot.It appears that, that traffic had ceased by 1972, I suspect the two outer roads were used as holding sidings for other traffic.
The Shredded Wheat loco itself was not replaced, but a Hitchin based 08 carried out the work.

[Mickey]

Around the time I noticed that the shunter had been changed (late 1967 or 1968?) there appeared a small shed building big enough to hold a small loco over the factory siding road nearers the Sheddred Wheat factory (Hunters Road bridge end) and from memory it was painted a all over white'ish colour I assume it housed the Nabisco's shunter at nights and at weekends, on a visit to WGC around 2011/12 the 'shed' was still there even though the Shredded Wheat factory closed in 2008 I believe?.

From a slightly fading memory of events of over 40 yeras ago the Nabisco's shunter still shunted the factory siding roads when I was at WGC box from the summer of 1972 until early 1974 when I left the box because sometimes I would notice it shunting the grain hopper wagons from the box when I was looking over towards the Shredded Wheat factory.

[StevieG]

In case of interest to anyone, the following was posted by someone in Facebook this morning (in the closed group therein, entitled "34B 34C 34D Hornsey / Hatfield / Hitchin Loco") : -

"Hello, calling all railfans who may be interested in the fate of the Nabisco shunter..... there is a display running in Welwyn Garden City library until the 22nd Jan. The story of the Nabisco Shunter, plus an n-gauge representation of the sidings, worth a visit."

[thesignalman]

Here is a public picture:

Photo 26/11/74, copyright N L Cadge/John Hinson collection

John

[Hatfield Shed]

..."Hello, calling all railfans who may be interested in the fate of the Nabisco shunter..... there is a display running in Welwyn Garden City library until the 22nd Jan. The story of the Nabisco Shunter, plus an n-gauge representation of the sidings, worth a visit."

I popped in to have a look this morning. The available member of staff played the 'I know nozzing, I am from Barca lounger' defence. (I had already looked around all the publically accessible areas and gatecrashed a terribly earnest meeting in one of the rooms often used for displays, which those within had not thought to indicate was in use for a meeting, sloppy bunch. HLS is not what it was you know...)

For disambiguation purposes, the Campus West library, Welwyn Garden City, not the Woodhall branch.

[Mickey]

Was not relevant to this thread so it was deleted by myself.

[Mickey]

John your picture of the Nabisco's shunter is dated 26/11/74 did you also have a look in WGC box that day as well?. By November 1974 I had left the box the previous March of the same year.

Back in 1967/68 I believe the Nabisco's diesel shunter was a 0-6-0 loco before being replaced by the 0-4-0 around the that time (67/68).

Mickey

[thesignalman]

John your picture of the Nabisco's shunter is dated 26/11/74 did you also have a look in WGC box that day as well?. By November 1974 I had left the box the previous March of the same year.

Back in 1967/68 I believe the Nabisco's diesel shunter was a 0-6-0 loco before being replaced by the 0-4-0 around the that time (67/68).

Hi Mickey,

That picture is by the late Norman Cadge, who (without me knowing) left his pictures to me. It is possible he has pictures of the 0-6-0 somewhere too - I am still working through the collection which numbers about 80,000!

I think I visited Garden City around 1971/2 in some sort of official capacity although I can't remember what the errand was. I wasn't able to stop long and didn't have my camera with me. Norman may have photographed the box but I haven't found any yet.

John

[Mickey]

Ok John thanks.

[JeremyF]

I am researching the history of the Shredded Wheat Factory and its Shunters as part of a exhibition for the WGC 2020 Centenary. Is anyone aware of the current location of any of the Nabisco Shunters? I would also be fascinated to have a look at any photographs you have of the Shunter at work. Any help would be most appreciated.

[Eccentric]

Jeremy,

With regard to the WGC 2020 exhibition, you really need to make contact with ajb200.

I will ask him to log on and look at this thread, but it is possible that - like myself - he has not made enough posts to allow the private messaging facility to be activated - and maybe you will not be able to receive or reply to any PM!

In which case maybe a moderator can assist in putting the two of you together?