If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Sgt Murphy book

Discussion in 'Narrow Gauge Railways' started by Mrcow, Nov 30, 2021.

  1. Mrcow

    Mrcow Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2019
    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    543
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Sheffield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    At some point in the dim and distant past I found a book in my local library detailing the purchase and restoration of Sgt. Murphy, but for some reason I know cannot find it anywhere on the Internet. I assume Gordon Rushden was the author? Does anyone have a copy to prove I wasn't imagining it?
     
  2. Llwyngwern

    Llwyngwern Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2020
    Messages:
    217
    Likes Received:
    589
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Taunton
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I can't advise about a specific book dedicated to the subject but Gordon Rushden writes at some length about the loco at the FR in I Tried To Run A Little Railway.
     
  3. Mrcow

    Mrcow Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2019
    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    543
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Sheffield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I recently bought a copy of that and it's what reminded me of it. It's just so strange that I can't find any record of it. Presumably it was commercially available. Whoever did the purchasing for our libraries when I was little had a particular penchant for narrow gauge railways, I think it left something of a mark :Shamefullyembarrased:
     
  4. gwilialan

    gwilialan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2012
    Messages:
    1,658
    Likes Received:
    3,891
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Out there somewhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Just on the off chance @Elizabeth Perry might know or know someone who does. (Or am I thinking of the wrong Sgt. Murphy?)
     
  5. Penrhynfan

    Penrhynfan New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    116
    Likes Received:
    96
    Gender:
    Male
    I assume that refers to the purchase from the railway museum at Betws-y-Coed?
    As I recall, the sequence of ownership and location is:
    Ministry of Supply, Beachley, 1917.
    Amalgamated Slate Association, 1920 to 1922.
    Penrhyn Quarry, 1922. Fatal accident c1932, subsequent modifications.
    Penrhyn Quarry, withdrawn 1947, in Felin Fawr scrap line.
    Penrhyn Quarry, sold to J.R. Burdett then Colin Pealling.
    Stored beside Mr Pealling's house.
    Transferred to Cadeby LR, open storage and partly dismantled
    Betwys-y-Coed railway Museum and painted black & green.
    Ffestiniog Railway, rebuilt with new platework.
    For sale, possibly to Japanese buyers.
    Bought by Teifi Valley Railway, funds from the National Lottery c1995.

    Please feel free to add details or correct errors!
     
  6. Mrcow

    Mrcow Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2019
    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    543
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Sheffield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Indeed, it's the same engine. Maybe one of the people at Teifi has a copy?
     
  7. Penrhynfan

    Penrhynfan New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    116
    Likes Received:
    96
    Gender:
    Male
    Having an idea of how dim and distant would help trace the book. Gordon Rushden's book is sub-titled "MANAGING THE FFESTINIOG 91-96" and copies found on the internet state that it was published in 2017.
    It sounds as if your "dim and distant" book was long before this? Am I making correct assumptions?
     
  8. Mrcow

    Mrcow Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2019
    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    543
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Sheffield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I'd guess it was written just after restoration was completed, so maybe some time in the mid 90s?
     
  9. Penrhynfan

    Penrhynfan New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    116
    Likes Received:
    96
    Gender:
    Male
    Could the "book" have been a magazine article? In "Railway World", June 1995 issue, there was a 5 page article by Gordon Rushton entitled: "Sgt Murphy - a British Decauville".
     
  10. Mrcow

    Mrcow Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2019
    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    543
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Sheffield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I'm as sure as I can be it was a book, I have a distinct memory of borrowing it from the library here in Sheffield but I also can't find a single bit of proof that it ever existed.
     
  11. kscanes

    kscanes Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2008
    Messages:
    8,401
    Likes Received:
    3,922
    I have Sgt Murphy at Winson Engineering,Penrhyndeudreth, where it was converted to 0-6-2, 15/12/1991 to some time in the second half of 1992. Not sure if it went there direct from Betwys-y-Coed or via FR.
     
  12. Penrhynfan

    Penrhynfan New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    116
    Likes Received:
    96
    Gender:
    Male
    On page 35 of Gordon Rushton's RW article he states that Colin Pealling's collection was sold to Mike Hart in 1991 and that included "Sgt Murphy" when at Betws-y-Coed. In the summer of 1991, GR acquired Sgt M and it went to Winson Engineering,
     
    kscanes likes this.

Share This Page