The Appleby Frodingham Railway - Scunthorpe (AFR-S) is based at Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire. The society owns locomotives and rolling stock but not the railway it runs on. The name comes from the Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company, now known as British Steel Limited Scunthorpe after the companies buyout by Greybull Capital in 2016, and after going into compulsory liquidation in 2019, Jingye Group. The railway operates entirely within the Steelworks limits over tracks normally used for moving molten iron, steel and raw materials. Trains travel between , all within the steelworks.
Occasional excursion trains were run around the Scunthorpe Steel Works site (such as in 1986) using the works' own locomotives.
In 1990, British Steel PLC celebrated their 100 years ofÃÂ steelmaking at their plant in Scunthorpe. The works asked every department to join in with the celebrations. Keith Norris, rail traffic manager at the time, spoke with the worksÃÂ loco drivers andÃÂ itÃÂ was decided the Rail Traffic Department would borrowÃÂ a steam engine andÃÂ a coach to takeÃÂ aÃÂ group of invited dignitariesÃÂ around the site. After the first tour, over 100 trips wereÃÂ run for schoolÃÂ children and members ofÃÂ theÃÂ public TheÃÂ lastÃÂ trip ran in September, but requests for tours around the work kept coming in.
At the end of 1990, someÃÂ ofÃÂ the works driversÃÂ met British Steel PLC managementÃÂ andÃÂ askedÃÂ ifÃÂ theyÃÂ could run theÃÂ tours againÃÂ in 1991. With this, and with management in full agreement, theÃÂ idea of aÃÂ railway preservation group wasÃÂ born.
"Bellerophon" was borrowed from the Vintage Carriage Trust at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. British Rail donatedÃÂ 2ÃÂ ex-Class 108 DMU carriages to be used on rail tours. These toursÃÂ wereÃÂ run throughout 1991,ÃÂ andÃÂ donationsÃÂ collectedÃÂ wereÃÂ put towards theÃÂ maintenanceÃÂ ofÃÂ theÃÂ coaches and rolling stock.
1992ÃÂ sawÃÂ the arrival of "ArnoldÃÂ Machin", an 0-6-0 diesel-electric shunter from (the then) East Coast Slag Co. It wasÃÂ overhauled andÃÂ returned toÃÂ working order, whilst steam traction was provided byÃÂ "Sir Berkley". This locomotive was also on loan from theÃÂ VintageÃÂ CarriagesÃÂ Trust. Towards theÃÂ endÃÂ ofÃÂ 1992, a member saw an advert in theÃÂ Railway Press for a Polish steam locomotive being sold by a Polish steelworks. With these locos being idealÃÂ for operations around the work, two membersÃÂ decided to visit the plant in Poland andÃÂ "Hutnik" (Polish for "iron worker") wasÃÂ purchased and broughtÃÂ back toÃÂ Scunthorpe.
In 1993, "Hutnik"ÃÂ took chargeÃÂ ofÃÂ herÃÂ first train, becoming the staple motive powerÃÂ forÃÂ theÃÂ nextÃÂ 12 years.
In 1995, after a members' purchase, a Pecket 0-4-0ÃÂ saddleÃÂ tank wasÃÂ brought to Scunthorpe, andÃÂ after receiving a full overhaul, joinedÃÂ "Hutnik" hauling passengers.
Since then, the society has been home to many privately owned locomotives and rolling stock, including a Bagnal 0-4-0 Diesel-hydraulic bought by a members' consortium, and a steam locomotive owned by a group of volunteers at the Derwent Valley Light Railway.
On occasions, internal steelworks (radio controlled) locomotives have also been used on passenger trains to the delight of visitors, and with many thanks to British Steel.
Irregular special events are organised such as 'Diesel Days' where Corus and other visiting locomotives operated a series of trains through the day. For example, in 2003 one of each type of internal steelworks locomotive: a Yorkshire Engine Company Janus, a Hunslet Anchor Locomotive and a 'High Line locomotive', together with an EWS Class 08 were used on the Gala trains, each making one round trip of around using the societies Brake Vans and Class 108 DMU Carriages.
It is not unusual for the passenger trains to be stopped to allow steelworks trains to pass. It is sometimes possible to see trains carrying molten iron from the "Queens" - Blast Furnaces.