Wigan Colliery Locomotive

I don’t know if anyone can help. I am after some information on a locomotive that was used at Garswood Hall, Lea Green and Cronton Collieries before ending up in the scrapyard at Chequerbent, Westhoughton. The loco was built by Avonside Engineering, works number 1600 and was named Robert, at least whilst at Garswood. I have only seen one colour photo of it that isn’t all-over rust and from the picture it looks to have been black or dark green with white or cream lining. Does anyone know what colour it was when in service?

Isn't it incredible, nay, comical ....... how a locomotive built in Bristol and having served at Garswood, Lea Green and Cronton collieries (all, I believe in the St Helens coalfield / area) and ended up lying in a Westhoughton scrapyard, becomes a "Wigan Colliery Locomotive" all of a sudden?

PS: probably black.

And I believe it’s now dismantled in a warehouse in Blackrod……… I always thought Garswood Hall came under Wigan but I may be wrong. I knew Cronton was St Helens. Poor knowledge on my part seeing as I come from a long line of miners from the Wigan area back to the 1700s, and my surname comes from German miners who came across even earlier with the name Leptroter. I built a model of this locomotive and don’t know what colour to paint it.

According to the Preserved British Steam Locomotive site 1600 was built in 1912 but not named the loco "Robert" was built in 1933 and was numbered 2068. Going back to 1600 loco this was at the Bryan Engineering Services at Bolton.

There was a steam loco called 'Robert' who used to work at Bold Colliery in the late 70's. Tha'sees!

PS: and he wasn't a 'Wigan' colliery locomotive either!

The loco which may still be in a dismantled condition at Bryn engineering (Avonside 1600) was definitely called Robert for at least part of its life. There is a photo of it in “The Industrial Railways of the Wigan Coalfield Part One” by C H A Townley, F D Smith and J A Peden. The nameplate is on the side of the cab. There are plenty of other references but I suspect the name plates were lost/stolen/acquired at Cronton before it went to the scrapyard at Chequerbent. The ‘other’ preserved Avonside Robert is as you say a much younger locomotive and bright red.
The trail of this locomotive seems to go cold after it was dismantled (at Blackrod?) as none of the information has been updated for some time. The other locomotive that Bryn Engineering bought with it from Chequerbent (Harry an austerity from Walkden/Eccles) was subsequently sold and is being restored elsewhere. I understand that Bryn Engineering own/owned a number of other locomotives as well.

Howfenyed, the Robert I refer to was green.

Tonker, was that the one at Bold? The red one (2068) was originally a Northants engine and is now displayed outside Stratford Station. The only in-person working colliery engines I can remember were at Bickershaw and Parsonage while my father was still employed by the NCB at the end of the 60s and I can just about remember visits to the sheds with green saddle tanks there. I know later there were a number of locos at Bickershaw in various colours up to the 1980s.

Here you go, Howfenyed, have a look through these!

Green Robert

Green Robert

Green Robert

Sutton Site (Lea Green / Bold etc, but no Robert)

Red Robert

Sir Robert Norramby (Earl of Sodar)

Thanks Tonker, The Robert from Bold is now preserved. The book I mentioned gives the Garswood Hall Locos as Hercules No 1 but no date, 1 Arthur possibly built at Garswood, scrapped in 1933. 2 Cymbeline ex Brecon and Merthyr Railway scrapped 1933, Kate disposed of 1899 to Frodingham, Irwell, to Ministry of Munitions 1917, Imogen, to NCB 1947, 4 Robert to NCB 1947, King to NCB 1947. Percy and Lincoln gone 1920 no further info on them. Garswood, scrapped 1939, Ashton scrapped 1933, Sefton scrapped early 1930s, No 5 to NCB 1947, No6 likewise, No7 to sir Lindsay Parkinson&Co ltd 1929and Wynnstay scrapped after 1938. There was also an in-named and un-numbered Austerity HE 3187. After the NCB was formed the locos moved around the coalfield as and when needed.