Spa Valley Railway, West Station, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY
Telephone: 01892 537715
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RSH Ugly Class No. 57 'Samson'

Works No. 7668
RSH 'Ugly' 0-6-0ST Built 1950,
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorne, England
Wheel Diameter - 4ft 0in
Cylinders - 18in x 26in
Inside Stephenson valve gear
Tractive Effort - 26,850lbs at 75% boiler pressure
Weight in working order - 53 tons
Boiler Pressure - 180 PSI

Built for steel firm Stewarts & Lloyds Ltd, Corby, Northamptonshire. The ‘Uglies’ were built to work heavy iron ore trains to the national network. These powerful engines were built to the pit’s requirements based around the aging, but successful Manning Wardle locomotives in use at Corby at the time. Known as ‘Uglies’ because of their short saddle tanks and larger, raised firebox, they are more powerful than the W.D. ‘Austerity’ saddle tanks. They were so successful that the original class of 7 was eventually increased to 9. During its' time at Corby No. 57 was named 'Samson' by Stewarts & Lloyds, a name which it has carried in preservation. Replaced by diesels at Corby after just 20 years work, No. 57 was preserved at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway in May 1969. Moved to a private site in Shropshire in the early 1990s, No.57 arrived at Tunbridge Wells West in November 2001.

Samson's restoration is currently on-hold following the arrival of sister 'Ugly'. Ugly will receive Samson's overhauled boiler to speed up this overhaul. Unfortunately it appears that Ugly's current boiler is beyond economical repair and so due to this and major repairs required on its frames, a return to steam for Samson could be a number of years away.

Above Left:- Samson in use at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway in September 1978 - Photo R. Dives
Above Right:- Samson prior to moving from Shropshire to Tunbridge Wells - Photo A. Cottenham

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Last Updated 22 January 2008. ©M. Dives