Castle Works / W. G. Bagnall, Stafford - May 2013

[Yorrick]

W. G. Bagnall was a locomotive manufacturer from Stafford, England.

It was founded in 1875 by William Gordon Bagnall and ceased trading in 1962 when it was taken over by English Electric Co Ltd.

The company was located at the Castle Engine Works, in Castle Town, Stafford.

The majority of their products were small four- and six-coupled steam locomotives for industrial use, and many were narrow gauge.

They were noted for building steam and diesel locomotives in standard and narrow gauges.


I spent a couple of very pleasant hours here, near the end of a hot sunny day. Historically interesting and very quiet site, suprised it's not been covered more.

Offices

Quite a few of these, some with gantry cranes.

Composite girders. Reminded me of Cardington hangars.

This was a nice find.

Prior to Walker’s development work, few other companies had applied engineering science to the design and manufacture of gland packings.
Only a few decades earlier, oiled leather and greased hemp were the standard seals.
(In fact the word gasket derives from French garcette - a rope for securing a furled sail.
Worn out garcette ropes were shredded to make caulking for deck planks; hence gasket.)

Car workshop? with inspection pit

Canteen / social club with kitchen, bar and beer cellar.

 

[Oxygen Thief]

It's a amazing place, and an interesting history..

To think they manufactured locomotives like this...

...Florence Colliery No.2, running at Foxfield Colliery Railway. Looking at the Wikipedia page, there's 42 preserved locomotives, and one in operational service.