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41-542: The West Lancashire Light Railway (WLLR) is a 2 ft ( 610 mm ) narrow gauge railway that operates at Hesketh Bank , situated between Preston and Southport in North West England . The distance between the stations on the railway is 430 yards (393 m), though track extends eastwards beyond Delph station on ledge above the old clay pit which is too narrow to contain a run round loop. An extension of up to 435 metres (1,427 ft), running along

82-687: A constituent of the FTSE 100 Index . Established in 1826 as the St Helens Crown Glass Company , the company gradually grew to become the largest employer in St Helens, where it was originally based. It was renamed Pilkington Brothers in 1845 following the ending of the partnership with the Greenall family, the business continued to expand, becoming Pilkington Brothers Limited after its incorporation in 1894. In 1903, it became

123-448: A controlling interest, also became a major world supplier of toughened and laminated safety glass to the automotive, aerospace and building industries. A Monopolies Commission report in 1967, concluded that Pilkington and Triplex operations were efficient and entrepreneurial and, despite their high share of the UK glass trade, operated in a manner suited to consumers' best interests. At

164-491: A large British-based conglomerate group, which valued the company at $ 1.64 billion. Pilington's management rejected the offer and fought a successful defensive campaign in which various politicians took sides in the matter, thus BTR was compelled to withdraw its offer in February 1987. Pilkington aggressively protected its patents and trade secrets through a network of licensing agreements with glass manufacturers around

205-675: A major world supplier of toughened and laminated safety glass via its controlling interest in Triplex Safety Glass . During 1970, Pilkington was floated as a public company on the London Stock Exchange ; prior to this, the firm had been owned by a combination of descendants of the Pilkington family and several employee trusts . In late 1985, Pilkington was the subject of a hostile takeover bid from BTR Industries which it successfully warded off. During

246-478: A relatively strong position in the conflict's aftermath. During the 1950s, Pilkington employees Alastair Pilkington (no family relation) and Kenneth Bickerstaff invented the float glass process; the firm leveraged licensing agreements for many other manufacturers to use this new process in exchange for royalty payments . Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Pilkington invested heavily into its manufacturing sites and acquired numerous overseas competitors. It also became

287-489: A station known as Asland, which is no longer the far terminus of the line. The line in its present form runs from Becconsall to Delph, with the original track to Asland running on from Delph but not suitable for running engines. In 2015, the WLLR hosted a gala to celebrate the 100th. anniversary of its Joffre class Kerr Stuart locomotive. A second Joffre class locomotive, No. 3014, attended from Apedale Valley Light Railway . This

328-690: A steam engine. Bookings can also be taken for birthday parties (and other types of celebration) and for visits by schools, colleges, clubs and societies. The WLLR and its members own a variety of goods wagons obtained from several UK industrial narrow gauge railways, including tipper sand wagons from Pilkington Brothers sandfields in the Rainford and Bickerstaffe areas. 53°42′01″N 2°50′19″W  /  53.7003°N 2.8387°W  / 53.7003; -2.8387 2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways Most of these lines are tourist lines, which are often heritage railways or industrial lines, such as

369-699: A strong focus on exports and international developments throughout the British Empire and South America . The company also invested heavily into its manufacturing capabilities, such as a new plate glass works outside Doncaster in 1922, and introduced new production techniques. After the First World War , Pilkington was one of only two large glass manufacturers remaining in Britain, the other being Chance Brothers , which mostly produced cast glass. The two companies formed various agreements during

410-535: The 1 ft  11 + 3 ⁄ 4  in ( 603 mm ) gauge Brecon Mountain Railway . Pilkington Brothers Pilkington is a glass-manufacturing company which is based in Lathom , Lancashire , England. It includes several legal entities in the UK, and is a subsidiary of Japanese company Nippon Sheet Glass (NSG). It was formerly an independent company listed on the London Stock Exchange and

451-562: The European Commission imposed a fine of €357 million on Pilkington, along with three other glass manufacturers, for its part in a five-year price-fixing scheme used in car windscreens. In 1988, Pilkington plc formed a new subsidiary, Pilkington Optronics, in order to group together the company's optronics businesses: Pilkington PE located in North Wales (formed in 1966), and Barr and Stroud (acquired in 1977) which

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492-764: The Ffestiniog Railway in Wales and the Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado . World War I trench railways produced the greatest concentration of 600 mm ( 1 ft  11 + 5 ⁄ 8  in ) gauge railways to date. In preparation for World War II , the French Maginot Line and Alpine Line also used 600 mm ( 1 ft  11 + 5 ⁄ 8  in ) gauge railways for supply routes to

533-656: The South African Class NG15 2-8-2 locomotives started their career on the 600 mm ( 1 ft  11 + 5 ⁄ 8  in ) gauge. The Otavi Mining and Railway Company in South West Africa (now Namibia ) were transferred to the 2 ft gauge railways in South Africa and currently some surviving locomotives reside in Wales on the 1 ft  11 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 597 mm ) gauge Welsh Highland Railway and

574-625: The United States Department of Justice filed suit on the grounds that Pilkington had created a cartel by exercising control over the markets in which its licensees could sell float glass and construct float-glass manufacturing plants, and over the customers within each market to which each licensee could serve. It was claimed this was a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act , because Pilkington's patents had expired and any trade secrets which it might have had in

615-441: The float glass process, a revolutionary method of high-quality flat glass production by floating molten glass over a bath of molten tin , avoiding the costly need to grind and polish plate glass to make it clear. Pilkington allowed the float process to be used under licence by numerous manufacturers around the world. Amongst other benefits, these licensing arrangements often helped the company to further its interests, including

656-587: The interwar period to share the domestic market and to not undercut each other; furthermore, Pilkington agreed to purchase any shares in the firm that Chance's owners wished to sell, thus it gradually built up a sizable stake in the firm. In 1951, Chance became wholly owned by Pilkington. Pilkington found itself in a relatively strong position in the aftermath of the Second World War , having exclusively fulfilled Britain's wartime requirements and even managing to expand its export activities. While there

697-450: The 1990s, amid allegations that Pilkington had organised a cartel due to its hold on the float glass market, the US government and Pilkington filed a proposed consent decree that released other businesses from several licensing terms. In late 2005, the company received an initial takeover bid from NSG; a second and more generous bid was accepted by Pilkington's key shareholders. The acquisition

738-481: The closure of its manufacturing facility in Taunton , Somerset, with the loss of 180 jobs. In June 2007, Thales sold the beryllium mirrors and structures business of Thales Optronics Limited to GSI Group Inc. for an undisclosed amount. In late 2005, the company received a takeover bid from a bigger Japanese company, NSG , which had previously built up a 20 percent stake in the business by 2002. The initial bid and

779-459: The dominant producer of sheet glass. Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the company struck a series of market agreements with various domestic and European glass manufacturers of varying effectiveness. European competitors, particularly those based in Belgium , had applied considerable competitive pressure to Britain's glass making industry; Pilkington was less susceptible due to

820-416: The early 1980s, Pilkington had licensed their use, and required the licensees to keep the details of the float glass process secret. Guardian Industries had tried to challenge Pilkington's dominance but had made a secret agreement to prevent new entrants into the market, with Guardian taking the lead to enable Pilkington, a British company, to reduce its exposure to United States antitrust law. In May 1994,

861-406: The equipment in this workshop allows most of the work on restoring a steam locomotive to be undertaken, excluding boiler construction. Facilities for visitors have also been built at Becconsall. The WLLR is open to the public on Sundays and Bank Holidays from Easter to the end of October, also on some other days during school holidays. Passengers can ride in semi-open coaches which have been built by

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902-659: The expansion of its presence in the European market and even gaining stakes in other manufacturers. During the 1960s and 1970s, Pilkington used the flow of float royalty payments to finance its investments in float glass plants across several countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada and Sweden, and also to acquire major existing flat and safety glass producers and plants in the United States ( Libbey Owens Ford ), Germany and France. Pilkington, with its subsidiary Triplex Safety Glass , in which it gradually acquired

943-463: The firm's world headquarters, and completed in 1964, still dominates the town's skyline. Following the departure from the partnership of the last Greenall in 1845, the firm was renamed as Pilkington Brothers . During 1894, the business was incorporated under the Companies Act 1862 as Pilkington Brothers Limited . In 1903, it became the sole British manufacturer of plate glass as well as

984-472: The first revised bid were not accepted, however, on 16 February 2006, NSG increased its offer for the 80 percent it did not already own to 165 pence per share (£1.8 billion or $ 3.14 billion in total) and this was accepted by Pilkington's major institutional shareholders, enabling NSG to compulsorily acquire by scheme of arrangement the smaller holdings of other shareholders, many of them being existing and retired employees, who had not wished to support

1025-536: The fixed border defenses. Australia has over 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi) of 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge sugar cane railway networks in the coastal areas of Queensland , which carry more than 30 million tonnes of sugar cane a year. Many 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge and 600 mm ( 1 ft  11 + 5 ⁄ 8  in ) gauge railways are used in amusement parks and theme parks worldwide. The interchange of rolling stock between these similar track gauges occasionally occurred; for example,

1066-459: The narrow gauge railway equipment which was disappearing from local industries. They leased a strip of land above the clay pits at Alty's Brickworks and started laying track using rails from the former clay tramways and rough timbers as sleepers. Two Ruston and Hornsby diesel locomotives were acquired from Burscough Brick & Tile Co. one with a 13 hp engine, the other a 20 hp model, they were respectively named Clwyd and Tawd . Clwyd

1107-475: The north bank of the fishing lake has been proposed. The railway has seven steam locomotives, three of which are in operating condition; two are currently being rebuilt and another is on static display. There are also two electric locomotives and many IC locomotives. The West Lancashire Light Railway was started in 1967, by six railway enthusiast schoolboys from the Hesketh Bank area. They wanted to save

1148-474: The process used by the licensees had long since become publicly known. On the same day, the US government and Pilkington filed a proposed consent decree , which enjoined Pilkington from enforcing these restrictions against its US licensees, or against US non-licensees, or against non-US licensees wishing to export either technology or glass products to the United States. The agreement came into force on 22 December 1994, and expired ten years later. During 2008,

1189-530: The railway's volunteers. Gala weekends are also organised, when visiting steam locomotives can be seen in operation. Other events include Easter Egg Hunt, Teddy Bears' Day, Friendly Engines Day, Strawberries and Steam, Halloween, Princess and Pirates Day, Pumpkin Express, Volunteers Day, Children in Need, and Santa Specials. 'Drive an Engine' days can be arranged for individuals or small groups to learn how to operate

1230-495: The remainder in 2000 to make it a wholly owned subsidiary. In 2000, Thomson-CSF was renamed Thales and Pilkington Optronics Ltd. became Thales Optronics Ltd . Soon afterward, Thomson-CSF acquired W Vinten Ltd , a British reconnaissance equipment manufacturer, including the Joint Reconnaissance Pod , who now operate as Thales Optronics (Bury St Edmunds) Ltd. In November 2006, Thales Optronics Limited announced

1271-590: The result that strike leaders were blacklisted . Anti-union legislation was introduced by central government. These events were recreated in Ken Loach 's film The Rank and File , although the BBC insisted on a change in the name and location of the company, so that the film is set at a Wilkinsons in the West Midlands. In late 1985, Pilkington was the subject of a hostile takeover bid from BTR Industries ,

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1312-475: The sole British manufacturer of plate glass as well as the dominant producer of sheet glass. After the First World War , Pilkington was one of only two large glass manufacturers remaining in Britain, the other being Chance Brothers ; the firm gradually expanded its stake in Chance, fully acquired it in 1951. The company performed strongly during the Second World War , fulfilling all wartime demands and emerged in

1353-485: The takeover. The combined company would compete for global leadership in the glass industry with the leading Japanese glassmaker Asahi Glass , which had around a quarter of the global market at the time of the deal. Pilkington had 19% and NSG around half that. The acquisition was completed in June 2006, after the European Commission stated that it would not be opposed. At the time of the merger, Pilkington and NSG had been

1394-555: The time, the majority of the company's shareholding was largely in the hands of various descendants of the original owners or employee trusts . During 1970, Pilkington was floated as a public company on the London Stock Exchange . A rank-and-file strike during 1970, sparked off by an error in wage packets, brought 8,000 workers out for nearly two months. The General and Municipal Workers Union and Trades Union Congress leadership failed to provide any support, as they were too closely bound to management and government circles, with

1435-410: The world. The modern "float" technique (pouring the molten glass on a layer of very pure molten tin) became commercially widespread when Alastair Pilkington developed a practical version, patented in the late 1950s and early 1960s. As Pilkington plc owned all but one of the manufacturing plants around the world employing the float process, Pilkington had a monopoly . Although the patents had expired by

1476-467: Was a boiler. Members of the WLLR retrieved the remains of Quarry Hunslet Alice from one of the upper levels of Dinorwic. Alice's boiler was retained at the WLLR and the rest sold to the Bala Lake Railway . Over the next decade the railway re-assembled Irish Mail and the locomotive was steamed for the first time in 1980. The running line slowly grew in length until it ran from Becconsall to

1517-518: Was based in Glasgow . Pilkington PE later became Thales Optics Ltd., which was divested from Thales in December 2005 as Qioptiq Ltd. Thomson-CSF acquired 50% of Pilkington Optronics in 1991. In 1995, Pilkington Optronics acquired Thorn EMI Electro Optics which was renamed Pilkington Thorn Optronics. Three years later, Thomson-CSF purchased another 40% of Pilkington Optronics from Pilkington and

1558-515: Was completed during June 2006; the combined company has since competed for global leadership of the glass industry. The company was founded in 1826 as a partnership between members of the Pilkington and Greenall families, based in St Helens, Lancashire, England. The venture used the trading name of St Helens Crown Glass Company . The company grew to become the biggest employer in St Helens. The distinctive blue-glass head office tower block on Alexandra Business Park, off Prescot Road, originally used as

1599-569: Was no reintroduction of the pre-war quota arrangements and its historic undertakings with individual merchants were abandoned during 1950, the company still entered an export agreement with its competitors in the European mainland. Further reforms to its business practices were made in response to the enactment of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1956 . Between 1953 and 1957, Pilkington employees Alastair Pilkington (no family relation) and Kenneth Bickerstaff invented

1640-470: Was the first locomotive to run on the railway in 1969. These two locos were soon joined by more industrial diesels and the first home-built items of rolling stock. At first, trains were operated on a "travel at your own risk" basis. The first formal timetable was issued in 1971. In 1970, the railway acquired an incomplete set of parts of 1903 Quarry Hunslet steam locomotive Irish Mail , from Dinorwic slate quarry in North Wales. The major missing component

1681-509: Was the first time that two WWI -era Joffre locomotives had been in steam together in preservation. The railway is twinned with the Chemin de Fer de Rillé  [ fr ] in France. The railway's sheds and workshops are situated at Becconsall station. The first shed was built by the members using cast-off bricks from Alty's. This original workshop has been much added to over the years and

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