ENGINES

We believe that the South Downs Light Railway has one of the largest fleets of standard & narrow gauge 10.25" locomotives in the UK.

PHOTOGRAPHS, COURTESY OF C. J. ENGLISH ©
© S. KING
"Peggy is an 0-4-2 freelance narrow gauge locomotive from the Exmoor Steam Railway stable. She is painted in the livery of the Great Eastern Railway which was carried by the station pilot at Liverpool Street Station in the 1950/60s. Peggy is named after the late Margaret Moore, mother-in-law extraordinary, and is owned by a partnership of SDLRS members Working pressure is 120 psi. A driver's air brake valve and gauge with all necessary pipework have been fitted to facilitate continuous train braking." Two of the group photographs were taken late evening on the day of Peggy’s arrival at the SDLRS
© B. BIRD

British Railways Royal Scot class 4-6-0 express passenger locomotive number 46100 "Royal Scot", Initially built in 1952 in New Zealand this loco was imported into the UK by Society Chairman Barry Metcalf in 1995 as a "kit of parts" . On arrival in two huge crates, an initial examination found that little major work was required and after several years of effort by Barry Metcalf and the "tuesday night gang" Royal Scot became the first locomotive to arrive and be steamed on the new South Downs Light Railway. Now with a fully certified boiler, all that remains are a few minor embellishments and adjustments before Royal Scot takes her proud place at the head of a train on our railway.

LMS Black Five 4-6-0 passenger & express goods locomotive 5156 "Ayrshire Yeomanry". this loco was built in 1950 by Trevor Guest and ran in Lowestoft as "Sonia" for a number of years before being acquired in 1969 by Lionel Creed for his extensive railway in Malvern. In 1978 "5156" was bought by Mike Oliver who took her north to Scotland, initially at Locgilphead and then at Arbroath where she ran intermittently at the famous Kerr's miniature line until 1996 when she was acquired by Chris English. After an extensive overhaul and repaint at the British Engineerium in Brighton & Hove in non authentic LMS Crimson Lake (Black Five's were always black although four of the class were named, including one as 45156 "Ayrshire Yeomanry")

Southern Railway King Arthur class 4-6-0 express passenger locomotive number 771 "Sir Sagramore". This scale model is the twin of number 772 "Sir Percival" which was built in the 1970's by Richards Engineering for the then new, but now defunct line at Oakhill Manor near Bath. However although 771 was started by Richards alongside her sister the loco was never finished and remained a "box of bits" for many years until completed by the late Peter Howard in 1993 for his Downsells Railway in Kent. Sadly Peter Howard died in 1998 shortly after entrusting the care of the locomotive into a new owner, initially at the Manor Railway, Ingfield and now at the South Downs Light Railway at Pulborough where it was formerly part of the Chris English collection, but now owned by Chris Haynes.
LMS Mogul class 2-6-0 heavy goods loco number 13245. The two cylinder class 5F/4P was the first class of locomotive designed by the great engineer Sir Willian Stanier after he became CME of the LMS in 1932. Only 40 of the class were built and were soon to be seen hard at work on Fast Freight, Parcels & Local Passenger trains all around the Midland Region. This model was built by the late Peter Howard in 1987 for his Downsells Railway in Kent. Prior to the builder's premature death in 1998 the locomotive was acquired by Peter Taylor, initially for the Manor Railway, Ingfield and subsequently on the South Downs Light Railway, Pulborough.

Alice 0 - 4 - 2 Bagnal Industrial Locomotive.   Although the South Downs Light Railway Society's members locomotives are generally 1/5th scale models of the full size main line originals, "Alice" is the charming exception being instead a 1/2 size replica of the Bagnal type that was built in Britain for use in industrial & mining locations all around the world. Although "Alice" was completed in 2001, the story of how she came to be goes back a very long way, in fact to 1976 when the very young brothers Giles & Aiden Favell found themselves in a welsh valley where their father had become the vicar in a typical welsh mining village where steam was still in use, albeit only just. Initial power for the perhaps inevitable garden railway was a petrol railcar, however this soon germinated into an idea for a real steam loco. It was however to be many years later that the brothers mother, herself called Alice, named the loco on a bright sunny day at the South Downs Light Railway to fulfil that dream.

Hymek diesel number D7054. The model, which was completed in 2000, is a replica of one of the earliest of the British Rail diesel locomotives that in the 1960's were to sweep the steam locomotives from the rails of the UK for all time, or at least that was the plan then ! Hymek, which was built by Aiden & Giles Favell, owes much of its existence to an original petrol driven railcar that was built for a railway in the garden of a vicarage in a welsh mining village, but that's another story. The loco, which on many occasions has proved a life saver for the South Downs Light Railway, is powered by a diesel hydraulic unit driving one of the two bogies. The loco is easy to drive and provides ideal training facilities for new drivers.

Chris Peter’s ‘ARCTIC PRINCE’             © S. KING
ARCTIC PRINCE, CONSTRUCTED BY MARDYKE IN 1982 AS A PETROL-HYDRAULIC LOCO, IT WAS A SPECULATIVE EXERCISE IN 10¹/₄” GAUGE – MOST OF THEIR LOCOMOTIVES BEING BUILT IN 7¹/₄” GAUGE.   MODELLED ON THE BRITISH RAILWAY’S ‘HYMEC’ LOCOS OF THE 1960’s & 70’s WESTERN REGION, IT IS NOW A TRUE DIESEL- HYDRAULIC, AS IT’S PREVIOUS OWNER A KUBOTA ONE CYLINDER ENGINE, DRIVING THE ORIGINAL HYDRAULIC TRANSMISSION TO ALL FOUR AXLES.   THE LOCOMOTIVE IS OWNED BY CHRIS PETERS AND JAYNE LORD, AND IS AT PRESENT VISITING THE ‘EASTLEIGH LAKESIDE RAILWAY’.
LNER “Flying Scotsman” 4-6-2 express passenger locomotive was built to 10.5” gauge in Australia in 1934, it was imported into the UK in the 1950’s by Bob Hamblin and had until recently spent 20 years in a garage in Uppingham. The loco was restored and re-gauged to 10.25”, for the previous owners Colin, Vicki and Nick Pidgley, at the British Engineerium, where Chief Engineer Peter Fagg supervised the contract and carried out most of the engineering work. The repainting and lining was done by Alan Roberts & John McQuillan. The loco is now owned by Alan Jackson & Paul Cowlin.
© S. KING                                                             © A. JACKSON
Exmoor 0-4-2 No. 319 ‘PULBOROUGH’
Built especially for the tight curves and steep gradients of the SDLRS in 2004 by the Exmoor Steam Railway. This much loved and very hardworking locomotive is owned jointly by a group of shareholding members and the Society. The main photograph was taken at the Grand Opening of the new extension.
Caledonian 4-4-0, DUNALASTAIR, owned by Paul Cowlin, who, between all his other responsibilities, is rebuilding this loco. It is believed that originally it was built by apprentices at the St. Rollox loco works, (known locally as the ‘Caley’), circa 1890. Unfortunately at some time or other it was cannibalised by the removal of the majority of it’s motive power which he is rectifying together with completing the Tender.
OTHER ENGINES
From time to time we will feature Locomotives of interest.
Occasionally we have had guest engines as well as hosting others that have later gone on to new sites, or may have even been sold for various reasons.
Here are a few from our archives, all of which we would be happy to see again.
“WINNIE”, appeared at our 2005 Steam-Gala. She belongs to the Chichester Society.    Photo by Roy Harwood

British Railways Standard Class 4 number 75080 4-6-0 express goods & passenger locomotive. This accurate model, which is complete with rocking grate and steam brakes was built in 1992 by Dave Wiseman for use on his fathers Medford & Willow End railway at the Polytechnic Sports Ground in Chiswick South West London. That line sadly closed in 1997/8 following the proposed redevelopment of the Sports Ground (which was still to take place years later) and the locomotive fleet placed in storage. Luckily for the South Downs Light Railway, owner Dave Wiseman decided that the collection was better off being used rather than being stored and 75080 became a stalwart and much appreciated part of our fleet at that time.

0-6-0 ST “ARTHUR” Built in 1982 by Jack Hudell, and ran in the Southampton area until purchased in 1991 by Brian Merrifield for use at Poole Park Miniature Railway. Julian & Jerry Chivers acquired Arthur in 1998 and ran it at Ingfield before the South Downs Light Railway’s formation. The original driver’s truck had to be rebuild completely to accommodate the driver as it had been a sit astride version. The loco is based on a 0-6-0 Saddle Tank that was in use at the National Coal Board, and with it’s large cylinders and small wheels this tiny Loco has a huge pulling power.    Currently being renovated.

LNER A4 Class 4-6-2 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ number 4498
Built in 1964 by Bill Kirkland for his Railway at Thoresby Hall, in Nottinghamshire, which had to close in 1987 because of mining subsidence. 1996 saw 4498 being refurbished, a new boiler added, and being run at Lord Gretton’s Stapleford Railway. The Locomotive was acquired by John Young and Chris English in July 2001, and, after further refurbishment at the British Engineerium, was sold on.
Britannia 4-6-2, ‘ROB ROY’ 70055, built by Roy Pullen using the chassis and boiler from a loco previously built in 1948. Now residing at Eastleigh Lakeside Railway.
Visiting our 2008 GALA, from Eastleigh Lakeside Railway, Jesse Moody’s LORD NELSON
LMS Princess Coronation Class 4 - 6 - 0 number 46258 City of Westminster
The LMS introduced the Princess Coronation (Duchess) class in 1937, initially as streamliners to rival the LNER's A4's which were introduced two years earlier for the crack London to Scotland Express services.
However, unlike the LNER, who retained the A4's streamlined casing until the end of steam, the LMS converted the whole of the "Duchess" class to standard steam outline.
The model was built by the Dave Wiseman father & son team for the Medford & Willow End Railway which sadly closed in 1997. After a period in store and at the Eastleigh Lakeside Railway, the "Duchess" came to the South Downs Light Railway for a time.
GNR ATLANTIC 251, which has visited us several times.
Another DUNALASTAIR, and owned by Drummond Randall, last seen here for our 2002 ‘Thomas’ event. This photo, (reproduced with thanks), was taken at Drummond’s privately owned Birchley Railway.
Brian Gent’s   FLYING SCOTSMAN 4472. A 1950’s built Carland version, substantially rebuilt by Brian Passey in Scotland. It ran for a short time at Lochgilpead.
‘JOHN TERRANCE’, 3292, owned by Chris Knibbs, and shown here on the turntable at the private Birchley Railway. This loco, unusually, is fitted with gravity enabled vacuum relief valves.