The SR USA Class are ex-United States Army Transportation Corps S100 Class 0-6-0 tank engine steam locomotives purchased and adapted by the Southern Railway (SR) after the end of the Second World War to replace the aging LSWR B4 class. 14 of them were acquired to act as shunters in Southampton Docks. No. 30064 was one of these engines.
Operational History[]
Starting out life as USA Class No. 1959, this locomotive was built in 1943 by Vulcan Iron Works. It sat in storage as war surplus until 1947 when it was acquired by the SR who had renumbered it to 64. Upon nationalization of the railways in 1948, it was renumbered once again and became British Railways (BR) No. 30064.
No. 30064 first served as a shunter at Southampton Docks until 1962 once Class 07 diesel shunters started working at Southampton. It was then transferred to work as a shunter at Eastleigh Works but its service would eventually come to an end when it was withdrawn in July 1967.
Preservation[]
Upon its withdrawal, No. 30064 was sold to the Southern Loco Preservation Co. Ltd. It was placed into storage until 1971 when it was brought to the Bluebell Railway.
It ran for several years in operation on the Bluebell Railway until 1984 when it was taken out of service for an extensive overhaul. It sat in the yards for decades waiting for its time in the repair shops but that never came.
In 2022, the Bluebell Railway revealed that the locomotive had been sold to a private buyer. It was moved offsite to an undisclosed location following the sale. Its new owner intends to restore the locomotive to working order within the next five to six years and have it return to run on the Bluebell Railway at times.
Trivia[]
- No. 30064 is one of four surviving examples of the SR USA Class left in preservation.
- It has the distinction of being the last active steam locomotive in service in British Rails Western Region.
