John Cashmore Ltd

John Cashmore Ltd (also known as J Cashmore, or simply as Cashmore's or other derivations) was a company operating largely in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales. It became best known for ship breaking and scrapping redundant British railway locomotives.^[1]

British Rail Riddles Standard Class 5MT 73116, being scrapped in 1967

History

The company was founded in 1872 by a member of the Cashmore family in Horseley Heath, Staffordshire.^[2] While eventually the large part of the business was in Newport, with a business address at the Old Town Dock, the headquarters was in Great Bridge, Tipton.^[3][4] Scrapping of steam locomotives from the LMR, ER and WR, also took place at Gold's Hill, Great Bridge.^[2]

The shipbreaking business was closed in October 1976, and the remaining business was incorporated into the Gynwed Group.^[3]

Ship breaking

It ran a ship breaking business on the banks of the River Usk, which had a very high tide enabling large vessels to be moved upstream.^[3] It scrapped many ex-Royal Navy ships including the following:^[5]

• HMS Bruizer (Destroyer - 1914)
• HMS Lurcher (Destroyer - 1922)
• HMS E27 (Submarine - 1922)
• HMS E33 (Submarine - 1922)
• HMS G5 (Submarine - 1922)
• HMS Nautilus (Submarine - 1922)
• HMS Inconstant (Light cruiser - 1922)
• HMS Undaunted (Light cruiser - 1923)
• HMS Gibraltar (1923)
• HMS Cordelia (Light Cruiser -1923)
• HMS Collingwood (Dreadnought battleship - 1923)
• HMS H21 (Submarine - 1926)
• HMS K2 (Submarine - 1926)
• HMS K6 (Submarine - 1926)
• HMS Cheltenham (1927)
• HMS Tower (Destroyer - 1928)
• HMS E48 (Submarine - 1928)
• HMS G4 (Submarine - 1928)
• HMS H30 (Submarine - 1935)
• HMS Caterham (Minesweeper - 1935)
• HMS Bryony (Sloop - 1938)
• HMS Unswerving (Submarine - 1946)
• HMS Trident (Submarine - 1946)
• HMS Enterprise (Light Cruiser - 1946)
• HMS Convolvulus (1947)
• HMS Cyclops (1947)
• HMS Colombo (1948)
• HMS Lookout (1948)
• HMS Delhi (1948)
• HMS Frobisher (1949)
• HMS Ajax (1949)
• HMS Arethusa (1950)
• HMS Leamington (1951)
• HMS Devonshire (1954)
• HMS Magicienne (1956)
• HMS Start Bay (1958)
• HMS Cleopatra (1958)
• HMS Zebra (1959)
• HMS Cockade (1964)
• HMS Orwell (1965)
• HMS Undine (1965)
• HMS Ursa (1967)
• HMS Carysfort (1970)
• HMS Troubridge (1970)
• HMS Acheron (Submarine - 1971).
• HMS Verulam (1972).

Civilian vessels

• MV Reina del Pacifico (1958)
• PS Cardiff Queen (1968)

Contributions to railway preservation

Thousands of vehicles were sent for scrapping with no chance of being rescued for preservation. Their fates were sealed the moment they arrived.^[6][7] However, a few were able to escape scrapping for preservation; GWR 6400 Class No. 6430, which is now owned by the Dartmouth Steam Railway, being one of the most famous examples.^[8][9] BR Standard Class 8 No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester, which was the only member of its class built and was eventually preserved years later, was towed to this area in 1967 and due to be scrapped here. However, a man named Maurice Sheppard, who was a former fireman for British Railways, realised that this locomotive was delivered to the wrong scrapyard. It was supposed to go to Woodham Brothers in South Wales instead. In October 1967, No. 71000 was moved out of Cashmore's and into Barry Scrapyard where it was exposed to the elements until it was rescued in 1974.^[10][11][12] BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0 No. 75014 was also sent to Cashmore's scrapyard along with No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester before being sent to Barry, No. 75014 remained at Barry scrapyard until 1981.^[13]