Midland Railway, Northern Counties Committee

NCC monogram. Source: SRA398

History: Summary

The BNCR was absorbed by the Midland Railway of England on 1/7/1903. The MRNCC became the LMSNCC on 1/1/1923 as a result of the Railways Act of 1921.

Rolling stock: Inherited BNCR stock mostly Beyer Peacock and Sharp Stewart. Subsequent locos built Derby (4 1905, 2 1908, 2 1914, 5 1923).

Works: York Rd. Belfast

Livery: Locos very deep olive green (invisible green) with yellow lining, initials MRNCC on tender and tank sides. Carriages green until 1924. [EFC 1906 Engines were dark invisible green lined out in yellow, blue and vermilion. There were brass beadings to spashers on 4-4-0s. Underframes were chocolate and buffer beams red. Safety valve casings were of polished brass as were nameplates and engines nos. with vermilion background. Coaches were varnished teak. 1907 Wagons were lead grey and coaches lake. 1914 Engines invisible green. They were lined out in yellow, blue and vermilion.][WS: When the Midland Railway took over, the engines were painted 'invisible green' - almost black - once again lined in crimson, blue and yellow. Black smokeboxes and red buffer beams completed the engines. In the early Midland days, BNCR practice was continued by having the Midland crest on the cabside and the letter 'NCC' spaced out on the tender. A change was made about 1904-05 in that the crest was moved to the leading splasher. After the first World War the livery changed. The crest was back on the cab, and the tender now bore the letters 'MR' in gold capitals, with 'NCC' in scroll between the M and R. With the new locomotives built in 1922-3 there was a return to the pre-war syle with 'NCC' on the tender and the crest on the spasher. NCC used rectanular brass number plates with radiused corners, and ornates corners, and ornates figures. These were given to even diesel shunters! The major peculiarity was the casting of the number '7' which resembled an inverted '2'.]

Staff: Bowman Malcolm, who was locomotive engineer at the BNCR, assumed the post with the title of 'engineer' up to August 1922 when he was replaced by W.K.Wallace. W.R.Gill remained Secretary until 1/1/1905. Subsequently James Cowie, the manager, assumed responsibility also until August 1922. He was replaced by J.Pepper. Managers were J.Cowie 1903-22 and J.Pepper 1922-31.

Signalling: Tablet system (already generalised, see BNCR) extended to the Derry City line by 1906. Crossing loop authorised in 1906 at Ballyboyland to split Ballymoney-Dunboy, but never opened. Coleraine South was modernised in 1906 and Limavady Jct. resignalled. A loop was laid at Ballymena narrow gauge yard in 1911 to facilitate shunting. In 1916 a further loop at Magheramorne between Ballycarry-Larne. An ATC system developed by a Belfast engineer in 1916 was installed on one engine in 1919. In 1920 the tablet system was extended to further sections of the Ballymena-Larne line. Ballyrobert Halt closed in 1920 and Knockanally renamed Martinstown. In 1921 track circuiting was installed at Greenisland.

Other: A no. of iron maintenance covers on the platforms at York Rd. bore the legend MRNCC.

Further reading: J.R.L.Currie The Northern Counties Railway Vol.2 1903-1972, R.M.Arnold NCC Saga.

Coat of Arms

Another NCC monogram. Source: SRA1295
A third NCC monogram. Source: TRA203
NCC coach monogram. Source: SRA309. full image 24K

Rolling Stock railwayana

Locomotive nameplates:
NCC nameplate. Source: SRA1295

Another NCC nameplate + number. Source: SRA1296

Works & tenderplates:

MRNCC loco worksplate. Source: GWR1115. (full image 188K).

Wagon plates:
NCC wagonplate
More NCC wagonplates
Another
MRNCC wagonplate. Source: RAG7 (full image 9K)
MRNCC wagon plate. Source: TRA305
MRNCC wagonplate. Source: M.A.McMahon. (full image 65K)
MRNCC wagonplate. Source:ebay1114. (full image 65K)
MRNCC wagonplate '1006'. Source: TRA315. full image 66K.

Lineside and station railwayana

Boundary marker:

MRNCC stone boundary marker (BMMR301) (full image 38.6K)

Footbridge:

Bridge Restriction:

Billposters:

NCC Billposters. Source: SRA1299
MRNCC 'Billposting'. Source: SRA311 (with mods to right of image)
NCC Billposters. Source: GCR1006
MRNCC bill poster enamel. Source: GCR(FUR)616. (full image 68K).

Bridge Numbers:

Trespass and gate:
MRNCC Accommodation gate.
Another accomodation gate. Source: TRA803
MRNCC Accomodation gate notice. Source: TRA1115. (full image 112K).
MRNCC trespass (full image 58K)
MRNCC gate. Source: Glouchester Railwayana 1104. Click for larger image or rear.
MRNCC gate. Source: Stafford406 (full image 43K)
MRNCC gate. Source: GCR1006
MRNCC gate. Source: GCR109. (full image 12K)
MRNCC gate. Source: GCR1211. (full image 30K)
MRNCC gate sign. Source: SRA1207
MRNCC trespass. Source: TRA506 (full image 10K)
MRNCC trespass. Source: KRA107

Station:

Mileposts:

Railchair:

Signalling:
NCC Lineside instrument. Source: SRA1298

For the record, E. Calvert-Harrison comments: "I recollect the "NCC Lineside instrument. Source SRA 1298" at the bottom of JRL Currie's garden in Station Road, Larne. It is actually an Occupation Key Instrument and was part of one of three sets of three instruments that the NCC owned.... Incidently, the installation shown in the photograph never saw railway service as such, being assembled by Currie from separate cabinet, instrument and phone."

MRNCC miniature lower quadrant distant signal arm. Source: TRA0314 full image 69K

Cutlery, china, ashtrays etc.:

MRNCC button. Source: TRA504

MRNCC button. Source: TRA716. full image 20K

MRNCC uniform button. Source: SRA1215

Miscellaneous:
Midland Belfast label. Source: TRA105

MRNCC stamp. Source: ebay509 (full image 41K).

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Page posted 27/7/1997. Revised 29/10/16