RH&DR No. 2 Northern Chief

No.2 Northern Chief
No.2 Northern Chief in April of 2007 at New Romney Station.
Overview -
Propulsion:	Steam
Loco Type:	Tender Engine
Gauge:	15 in
History -
Name:	Northern Chief
Designer:	Henry Greenly
Livery:	Brunswick Green (British Railways)
Sibling Locomotives:	No.1 Green Goddess No.3 Southern Maid
Manufacturing Details:
Builder:	Davey Paxman & Co.
(b/n) Builder's No.	15470
Build Date:	1925
Re-Builder:	RH&DR
Service:
Operator:	Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway Co.
Railway:	Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR)
No.	2
Years in Operation:	1925 - Current
Disposition:	Out of service, awaiting overhaul.
Wheel Arrangement:
Whyte Notation:	4-6-2+T
Axle No.	6
Cylinders:
Cylinders (Bore & Stroke):	5.25 in x 8.5 in
Operation:
Total Weight:	8 Tons.
Dimensions:
Total Length:	8,585.2mm (27 ft. 7 in.)
Valves & Motion:
Valve Gear:	Walschaerts

Northern Chief is a green 4-6-2 tender steam locomotive.

History

Northern Chief was built in 1925 by Davey Paxman and company by order of Count. Louis Zborowski in 1924 at the cost of around 2000 pounds. Northern Chief was delivered to the RH&DR before it finished construction and so was stored at New Romney. On the 5th of August in 1926 it pulled the first train upon the visit of the Duke of York. In 1971 it visited the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway in Cumbria to assist in motive power trials being the second engine to visit the R&ER.

On the 2nd of September in 1935, Northern Chief was hit by a truck at the Bonnington (Now Eastbridge) Rd crossing with the locomotive falling on it's right side upon the Canal bridge while the truck was damaged beyond repair. In April 1970, Northern Chief was in a collision with an Austin 1100 car Botolph's Bridge level crossing, the driver Cyril Carter's quick reaction caused a lighter impact with nobody being injured and the car remaining repairable. This was Northern Chief's latest recorded accident. Northern Chief is no longer in service (as of September 2025), awaiting a full overhaul and used a Bulleid whistle.

Trivia

• Northern Chief has always carried a type of green livery apart from during world war two where it carried wartime black.
• Northern Chief is the locomotive who has gone the longest in service without overhaul

Gallery

2 in its 100th year at Hythe

Chief carrying 5s tender after being taken out of service awaiting overhaul (2025)