Standard Railway Wagon Company (Reddish)

Another small piece of railway history currently vanishing into the dust. Although now long closed the former wagon works buildings alongside Reddish South Station have be used for other purposes since the last wagons departed around the late 1980s, however it appears time is finally up with demolition well underway these last few weeks. Apologies for the poor quality shots but the weather was rather dismal this morning, the first picture taken from the station platform in 1975 shows the newer of the two main sheds, in the second shot taken from a similar position this morning it is now already reduced to approximately a third of its former length, the third picture shows the now demolished original building behind it revealing the previously hidden but still extant trackwork contained within and between the two buildings, although rather difficult to make out on the shot due to the rather grainy image. One other building survives in use for now, although its difficult to say for its long term future.

That's interesting. Looks like there's quite a bit of surviving trackwork still?
It was a substantial building by the looks of things. It's strange when something that's been a backdrop to a familiar scene for so many years just disappears in a matter of days.

Absolutely Mr C, through the 70s up until the mid 80s it was a rather busy place, there was a delivery of vehicles tripped into the works most days of the week (Mon-Thurs) propelled along the former slow lines from Ash Bridge, and as I remember usually a 24/25/40 or 47 (9T22?) working with nearly always something refurbished or rebuilt to come out, anything from car transporters, tank wagons of all varieties inc. 100t bogie cars etc. The last loco I witnessed go in was a 47 I think during 1987 to bring out the last of the wagons. I think the mainline connection went the following year when the line between Ash Bridge and Denton was singled and the former up slow line connection was severed.

Ash Bridge said:

Absolutely Mr C, through the 70s up until the mid 80s it was a rather busy place, there was a delivery of vehicles tripped into the works most days of the week (Mon-Thurs) propelled along the former slow lines from Ash Bridge, and as I remember usually a 24/25/40 or 47 (9T22?) working with nearly always something refurbished or rebuilt to come out, anything from car transporters, tank wagons of all varieties inc. 100t bogie cars etc. The last loco I witnessed go in was a 47 I think during 1987 to bring out the last of the wagons. I think the mainline connection went the following year when the line between Ash Bridge and Denton was singled and the former up slow line connection was severed.

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There's a couple of great photos on Paul Bartletts site (I can't link it from the phone), one in particular showing a similar view to your third photo but taken in 1978/79. It looks impressive and busy.

Thanks for sharing the pictures. This was my Great Grandfather and his brothers’ company (The Bells).

I remember seeing a very long line of SWB open wagons parked up on the disused main lines, probably 1980's. Were these scrapped at the wagon works or there for modification? I may have viewed them from The European when it was routed that way or perhaps the Stockport-Stalybridge when it ran to a decent timetable. Also recall a small diesel works shunter there.At an earlier time, C1964 , Britannias, including 70000, on parcel trains using the Guide Bridge avoiding line, passed that way.Twas nice to see 70000 again at Denton earlier this year.

H2019 said:

Thanks for sharing the pictures. This was my Great Grandfather and his brothers’ company (The Bells).

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Hi, welcome to the forum. Glad you found the shots of interest; it's also really interesting to learn of your family connection with the company. Standard Railway Wagon Co. was where my now deceased father was employed during the 1950s, not fully sure of the exact years though. You may be glad to learn that all isn't quite lost; as some of the former buildings still remain in situ at least for the time being, although obviously used for other purposes. This is sadly not so for the former Heywood site which now appears to have been completely obliterated by new industrial development, with only the passing railway line from Castleton Junction to the East Lancs Heritage Railway remaining in place.

billh said:

I remember seeing a very long line of SWB open wagons parked up on the disused main lines, probably 1980's. Were these scrapped at the wagon works or there for modification? I may have viewed them from The European when it was routed that way or perhaps the Stockport-Stalybridge when it ran to a decent timetable. Also recall a small diesel works shunter there.At an earlier time, C1964 , Britannias, including 70000, on parcel trains using the Guide Bridge avoiding line, passed that way.Twas nice to see 70000 again at Denton earlier this year.

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I too remember those wagons. They were parked on what was the former Up Slow line and at a guess stretched for at least half a mile from Reddish South towards Denton, had a great view of them from the 2nd floor of the science block at Reddish Vale School from around late 1971-72. I think some were scrapped while others were there awaiting refurbishment for internal use on private systems e.g. NCB etc. I imagine the diesel shunter was from a time before I remember, as all the movement of individual wagons within the site seemed to be by heavy duty road tractors with very large buffing plates fitted although there was a (I think daily) trip or Target working (9T22)? That brought in wagons for attention/scrap and collected any new or refurbished vehicles, perhaps the mainline locomotive performed some shunting movements whilst there if required?