One of the three 16 inch Hunslet 0-6-0s which worked the system until 1959, with a load of coal boxes crossing Fletcher Road. This is a Facebook online image without any credit, which I would gladly acknowledge if the owner came forward.   

Whilst the railway connection was initially from the Hollybank colliery, a more modern pit was established nearby at Hilton Main and this was where output was achieved after Hollybank ceased drawing coal in the 1930s.

In the early days of the Hollybank colliery railway system there were several 0-6-0 tank locos.  In fact practically every single locomotive operating from the colliery both steam and diesel was an 0-6-0, apart from the final diesel sent to lift and demolish the route which was a Ruston 88DS.  Although there were apparently several steam locos dating from around the start of mining, it is probably easiest to start with Holly Bank No 1 was  inside cylinder Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 353 / 1893 which was apparently scrapped in 1934.  Holly Bank No 2  -  was also a Hudswell Clarke locomotive No 568 /1900 but few records are known neither  is its scrapping fate. 

Hilton Main No 10 was a R W Hawthorne 0-6-0 saddle tank 1665/1876 which was acquired from Hartley Main colliery in 1934, and sold to Moira colliery in 1942. History states this was NER No 1358.

History records now confuse, but it seems the fairly standard industrial railways practice of reusing numbers seems to have take place and there are records of Hilton Main No 1 which was Hudswell Clarke 352/1891 this time a rather attractive 0-6-0 side tank loco with a large Swindon style brass safety valve bonnet. Records suggest this was acquired from Hartley Main in 1935, was previously Barry Railway 53 then Great Western Railway 785, and was still active at Hollybank in 1957.

The colliery purchased three Hunslet 16 inch saddle tanks individually, and these became Holly Bank No 3, Robert Nelson No 4, and Carol Ann No 5.  Holly Bank No 3 was built by Hunslet in 1924 as HE1451/24.   It's "Brother" Robert Nelson No 4 was delivered in 1936 as HE1800/36, and "sister" Carol Ann No 5 was also delivered in 1936 as HE1821.  After the new diesels arrived steam haulage ceased in 1959 and these three Hunslets were transferred just the handful of miles as the crow flies to Littleton colliery but at least Holly Bank No 3 also spent time at Granville colliery in Shropshire. 

Holly Bank No 3 and Carol Ann (renumbered No 1 at Littleton) were both withdrawn and scrapped, Robert Nelson No 4 escaped the cutters torch and currently resides in Ireland having initially enjoyed preservation at the Main Line Steam Trust at Loughborough.

 We next need to mention the larger brothers of the 16" Hunslets - the "Austerity" or 18 inch Hunslet design, of which at least three called Hollybank their home for a while.   according to the IRS handbook in which I trust, there were three "Austerity" 0-6-0s listed as based at Hollybank, the first being Hudswell Clarke 1752 / 1943.  This saddle tank  was apparently demobbed as WD75091 in October 1950 and became No 2 on the Hollybank line, transferring to Littleton colliery in January.1959. 

The replacement No 2 was Hunslet 3772 / 1952 which arrived from Chasetown Central workshops in 1962, and left a few months later for Littleton.

The next built Austerity from Hunslet 3773 / 1952 arrived from Baggeridge colliery and became No 8 on the Hollybank system.  This engine stayed until 24th August 1968 then left for tyre turning at the British Rail MPD at Tyseley.  following attention No 8 was transferred to Granville colliery in Shropshire.

The final two NCB era steam locos of mention were "Nuttall" and "Hanbury". 

The IRS handbook advises that Nuttall moved from Chasetown Central Workshops to Hollybank on 26th October 1962. This loco however, also flirted to and from Rawnsley shed and Littletons before it's final move to LeaHall colliery 1st October 1964. Nuttall was an outside cylindered 0-6-0 saddle tank HE 1685 / 1931 so had some kinship with the 16" Hunslets which had previously lived at Hollybank and Hilton Main, but which had left just three years previously.  After 36 years of graft Nuttall was scrapped at Lea Hall in January 1966.

Hanbury was a considerably older inside cylindered Peckett 0-6-0 saddle tank 567 / 1894 which arrived from Central Workshops on 3rd April 1964. By the end of September 1964 she passed to West Cannock colliery  and it would be interesting to know whether she did much work that summer - considering Holly Bank's "own" Hunslets had left five years previously.  

Moving on to the diesels on the Hollybank system, records show there were seven different diesel locos based on the system between 1956 and closure in 1969. 

NCB Western Area had ordered a small number of diesel mechanical 0-6-0s from William Bagnall in Stafford. Their concept was similar to the 204hp Drewry locomotive designed for British railways.  All except two of these were very similar in configuration to the British Railway class 03s, with a diesel engine driving a mechanical gearbox to a jackshaft under the cab transferring the traction to the six coupled wheels at a 9 foot wheelbase. The Bagnall locos were built with diesel engines from National Gas & Oil.

I have tried to base the history of the Hollybank loco fleet in chronological order but the locos have moved from one location to another on the Cannock Chase coalfield sometimes making it difficult. The references I have extensively used are Allan C Baker's various writings in association with the IRS handbooks

WB3122

The first diesel loco delivered new to Hollybank was WB3122 which was one of the pair of larger Bagnall "Drewrys" (my term).  These two locos (3122 and 3123) were on a 10 foot wheelbase chassis with a larger 7 cylinder diesel engine. WB3122 was ex works on 4th November 1957 , but transferred from the Hollybank system to Lea Hall colliery in August 1965 or 1966. The next move saw the loco transferred to Norton colliery in September 1971.  finally moving to Hem Heath in late 1972. This loco acquired the NCB Western Area serial 63/000/357 as well as No 4, and was scrapped on site at Hem Heath in 1978.

WB3123

Was delivered new to Littleton colliery, ex works 6th December 1957 and became Littleton colliery No 5, replacing the steam loco No 5 at the shed. In September 1958 WB3123 was sent as a temporary loan to British Railways Bank Foot MPD for demonstration trials, returning to Littleton in October 1958. Reallocation saw 3123 transfer to Hollybank on 3rd April 1959.but a short loan period between February and April 1959 saw the loco help out at  West Cannock No 5 colliery. With operations winding down at Hollybank. WB3123 once again made the short journey to West Cannock No 5 in the Spring of 1969 for an eight years spell. The final allocation was to Wolstanton colliery in Stoke in July 1977.  Gaining the NCB Western Area serial 63/000/325 the loco was out of use by 1980 and scrapped in August 1984.  

WB3117

This loco and other similar examples were built to the 9 foot wheelbase similar to the BR designed "Drewrys".  The shorter design was facilitated by the use of the shorter 5 cylinder National power unit. 3117 was delivered ex works 27th May 1957 to West Cannock Nos 1-3 as No 1, and was transferred to Hollybank on 8th January 1959. On the move again  3117 was transferred to Lea Hall colliery 22 April 1960. Not known when the loco ceased use but it was despatched to Marple & Gillott  for scrap on 20th December 1983.

WB3118 

This loco was delivered ex works 15th July 1957 and followed sister 3117, becoming No 2.    IRS records suggest 3118 moved several times between Littleton,  Hollybank and Lea Hall collieries in the period between 1958 and 1961.  The loco had been scrapped on site at Lea Hall by July 1979.     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  YE2748

Built by Yorkshire Engine Co as a 400hp twin-engined diesel electric loco and designated Janus by the company, 2748 was ex works on the 11th September 1959 and delivered to Hollybank as No6. This loco was transferred to Littleton colliery 8th July 1966. After a working life at Littleton the loco was sold to preservation, and moved to Peak Rail at Buxton on 14th July 1988. Several lives later, having returned to industrial use twice, 2748 has retired to the Foxfield railway in Stafforshire. 

YE2749

Sister loco to 2748, this loco was ex works 14th September 1959 and followed sister to Hollybank, becoming No 7.    

2749 moved to Littleton colliery sometime between February and April 1969,  then moved to Walkden Central workshops in May 1978 prior to a move to Bold Colliery 

RH338413

From IRS records this loco was a Ruston & Hornsby 88DS released on 28th April 1953 for the National Coal Board.  This loco appears to have been quite nomadic, but it is my opinion that it was given the role of winding up operations at several facilities, tracklifting and disposal of assets etc. The loco is recorded as delivered new to East Cannock colliery as the sole NCB locomotive there.  The locomotive presence was short lived though because the pit ceased production in May 1957 and the R&H was transferred to Central Workshops on 20th March 1957.  In May 1958 the loco was transferred to Mid Cannock colliery, thence to Baggeridge colliery for a short period before moving to Hilton Main in February 1969.  The loco is next recorded as transferring from Hilton Main colliery by 15th April 1970 to Stafford wagon shops - presuming it played a part of tracklifting etc.  The final move apparently occured

in February 1982 when it was transferred to Hem Heath colliery, but never used and scrapped on site shortly after.