RSH 62 ‘Ugly’

History

This locomotive was built in 1950 by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn for Stewart & Lloyds steelworks at Corby in Northamptonshire.

Immediately after the Second World War, Stewarts & Lloyds began improving the ironstone branches serving the large iron and steel plant at Corby; one outlying ironstone pit at Harringworth was isolated from the main system, and ore from it had to be conveyed over a stretch of the LMSR. To obviate this, the company extended their own system of quarry lines to reach Harringworth, and for this long-haul traffic, it ordered seven powerful saddle tanks to its own detailed requirements. At the same time, the steelworks began replacing the ageing fleet of Manning Wardle locomotives, which were underpowered for the work required.

This locomotive was one of an initial batch of seven locomotives ordered from Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns, Newcastle (Works Nos. 7667-7673). The locomotives were delivered to Stewart & Lloyds and became S&L 56-62, this one becoming S&L No 62. Two further locomotives (Works Nos 7761 & 8050) were built in 1954 and in 1958, bringing the class total to nine engines.

The locomotives adopted some of the successful design features of the Manning Wardles, including the Haystack fireboxes. They became known as Uglies due to their short saddle tanks and these larger fireboxes. These give them a somewhat ungainly appearance, but they are a more powerful locomotive than the Hunslet Austerities

Three of the locomotives (Works Nos 7668, 7673 & 7761) were bought by Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Preservation Society members and arrived at Haworth in May (7761) and June (7668 & 7673) 1969. All three locomotives saw service on passenger trains on the Keighley Worth Valley Railway (KWVR) following considerable work on the bottom ends.

In 1981, No.7673 was sold to a member of the East Lancashire Railway Preservation Society after being on static display at Oxenhope awaiting boiler repairs. The locomotive later saw service on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in 1982 but was restricted to the shorter service trains due to distances between watering points and lengths of the standard size carriage rakes.

No.7673 then moved onto the Lavender Line at Isfield in Kent in 1983, hauling services over the 1 mile of track, where she was christened ‘Ugly’ as a pointer to the nickname the class had received during their working life. Following the sale, the locomotive moved on to the Bodmin and Wenford Railway, Cornwall, where, in 2000, she double-headed with GWR pannier 9862 on a Royal Train for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen was heard to comment on the locomotive’s unfortunate name!

Now out of traffic, the locomotive made yet another preservation move to the Vale of Glamorgan Railway (now the Barry Tourist Railway) at Barry Island in the early 2000s, where repairs were found to be more extensive than expected. Therefore, the loco was placed on display. Whilst there, it was used as a film prop in the Doctor Who episode ‘The Doctor Dances’ in 2005.

In 2008, Andy Cottenham, a volunteer driver at the Spa Valley Railway, purchased the locomotive, which joined his other engine, Samson. ‘Ugly’ moved from Barry Island to make a return to the South East at the Spa Valley Railway. An overhaul was commended utilising the boiler from ‘Samson’, which was in better condition than Ugly’s own. After completion of the overhaul, the loco was steamed in October 2010 and returned to service in December. Outshopped in its original Stewart and Lloyd’s livery, the locomotive has visited other railways, including a return to some industrial settings at the Foxfield Railway in July 2012, and Tanfield in June 2017, hauling appropriate industrial wagons. During her tour in 2017, the loco also appeared at the Mid Norfolk Railway, after which she returned to Tunbridge Wells West to resume normal operational duties.

The locomotive operated regularly at the Spa Valley Railway throughout 2018 and 2019. At this time, the mechanical condition of the locomotive began to show its age, and its operation was limited to pulling five-carriage trains on lesser days of steaming. Hired engines covered our other steam services.

In 2020, as the railway emerged from the infamous restrictions, ‘Ugly’ operated our first services post-restrictions in August, September, and October that year. The locomotive was withdrawn during the Winter period for some final work in anticipation of getting the engine to the final day of its boiler ticket in February 2021. Sadly, due to further restrictions, this was not to be and ‘Ugly’ last operated in 2020 and has been on static display in our engine shed ever since.

In memory of Andy Cottenham