Appleby Frodingham Railway

The Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society is based at Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire. The society owns locomotives and rolling stock but not the railway it runs on. The name comes from the Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company, now known as British Steel Limited Scunthorpe after the companies buyout by Greybull Capital in 2016, and after going into compulsory liquidation in 2019, Jingye Group. The railway operates entirely within the Steelworks limits over tracks normally used for moving molten iron, steel and raw materials. Trains travel between 7 and 15 miles (11 and 24 km), all within the steelworks.

Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society (AFRPS)
1912 Peckett locomotive with a train at Frodingham platform
LocaleScunthorpe, North Lincolnshire
Commercial operations
NameBritish Steel Limited Scunthorpe
Original gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Operated byAppleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society
Preserved gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Peckett locomotive standing beside a cooling tower at Appleby loco shed

History

Occasional excursion trains were run around the Scunthorpe Steel Works site (such as in 1986) using the works' own locomotives. Then in 1990, steam-hauled passenger trains were run as part of a works anniversary celebration, using a locomotive borrowed from the Rutland Railway Museum. This was popular enough for further events to be planned using locomotive and carriages borrowed from the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. The society now owns (or is responsible for) several steam and diesel locomotives. On occasions the internal steelworks (radio controlled) locomotives have been used on passenger trains.

Locomotives
Number Class Name Current Livery Year built Status
No.1 (Works Number: 2877) Yorkshire Engine Company 0-6-0ST Janus - Appleby Frodingham Steel Company (Apple Green) 1963 Operational
Works Number: 3138 0-6-0T steam locomotive built by Fabryka Lokomotyw im. Feliksa Dzierzynskiego, Chrzanów, Poland Hutnik AFRPS Maroon 1954 Currently awaiting restoration
No.1 (Works Number: 1438) Peckett 0-4-0ST steam locomotive (Nechells No.1) Nechells Power Station Green 1916 Awaiting overhaul (Boiler Ticket expired: April 2018)
Works Number: 2661 0-6-0DE diesel electric Half Janus locomotive built by the Yorkshire Engine Company Arnold Machin Eccles Slag Company, Scunthorpe (Grey) 1958 Under restoration
Works Number: 8368 0-4-0DH diesel hydraulic W. G. Bagnall locomotive built by RSH in 1962 Horsa CEGB Goldington (Bedford) 1962 Under restoration
No.22 (Works Number: 3844) 0-6-0ST Hunslet Austerity steam locomotive - United Steel Company Maroon 1956 Operational (Returned to steam in April 2021)
No.3 (Works Number: 1919) 0-6-0ST Avonside Engine Company steam locomotive Cranford (Avonside No.3) Staveley Coal and Iron Company (Unlined Green) 1924 Operational (Returned to steam in April 2016)
No.8 (Works Number: 2369) 0-4-0ST 16" Andrew Barclay steam locomotive - NCB East Ayr Area 1955 Under overhaul
Class 144 017 BR Class 144 'Pacer' 3-Car DMU (DMS 55817 - MS 55853 - DMSL 55840) - Northern Rail unbranded 1986 Operational

Rolling Stock
Class / Type Number(s) Current Livery Owner Status
BR Class 108 DTCL 56207 Carmine & Cream AFRPS Awaiting Restoration
BR Class 108 TBSL 59245 Carmine & Cream AFRPS Awaiting Restoration
Operating Department

Instruction Saloon

 395280 (M30106M) Loadhaul Orange and Black AFRPS Under Restoration
BR 20T Shark Ballast Plough Brake Van DB993829 Departmental Grey AFRPS Operational
BR Standard 20T Brake Van 7605 BR Marroon AFRPS Operational
BR Standard 20T Brake Van B955160 BR Grey AFRPS Operational
BR Standard 20T Brake Van - BR Railfreight AFRPS Stored
BR Standard 20T Brake Van (Chassis Only) DB953867 (4702) - AFRPS Operational / Used for Storage
LMS 20t Goods Brake Van - LMS Light Grey Mike Sugden Operational
MK1 Tourist Second Open Coach

(Converted to a Lounge Car)

 E4668 BR / GWR Chocolate & Cream AFRPS Operational
GWR Toad 20T Goods Brake Van BW68494 - Privately owned Under Restoration
ex-Internal LUMB Mill Roller Wagon - Internal Grey AFRPS / BSC On Display
"MELD" ex-Internal Iron Ore Hopper Wagon 197 - AFRPS On Display
ex-Orgreave UCC Tar Tank Wagon 33 Orgreave Grey AFRPS Under Restoration
BR 27t Steel Mineral Wagon 8552 or 8553 Plain Grey AFRPS Operational / Used for Storage
ex-Internal 4w Bolster Wagon 4023 - AFRPS Operational / Stored
ex-BR Frodingham / Internal Plate Layers Van

(converted 12t Fish Van)

 975329 (Internal: 6005) BR Frodingham Red AFRPS / BSC Used for Storage
ex-Internal Short Flat Wagon 4311 - AFRPS Used for Storage
BR Mk3 Trailer Guards Standard 44059 First Great Western Scunthorpe Industrial Heritage Railway Ltd Stored Awaiting Restoration
BR Mk3 Trailer Standard 42504 First Great Western Scunthorpe Industrial Heritage Railway Ltd Stored Awaiting Restoration
BR Mk3 Trailer Standard 42511 First Great Western Scunthorpe Industrial Heritage Railway Ltd Stored Awaiting Restoration

Special Events

Irregular special events are organised such as 'Diesel Days' where Corus and other visiting locomotives operated a series of trains through the day. For example, in 2003 one of each type of internal steelworks locomotive: a Yorkshire Engine Company Janus, a Hunslet Anchor Locomotive and a 'High Line locomotive', together with an EWS Class 08 were used on the Gala trains, each making one round trip of around 6+3⁄4 miles (10.9 km) using the societies Brake Vans and Class 108 DMU Carriages.

It is not unusual for the passenger trains to be stopped to allow steelworks trains to pass. It is sometimes possible to see trains carrying molten iron from the "Queens" - Blast Furnaces.

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