Chatham Dockyard

Chatham Dockyard

October 2007

Hawthorn Leslie & Co Saddle Tank 0-4-0 ''Achilles'' is seen within the dockyard's slip sheds, backing

onto a four-wheel ventilated van. Hawthorn Leslie & Co was a specialist industrial locomotive builder,

and this particular engine emerged in 1912, subsequently being given the name ''Pony''. It has been

known as ''Achilles'' only since its move to the preserved dockyard. Dave Humphries

Also on site was a quite intriguing machine. In view is steam locomotive 0-4-0 ''Sydenham'', which was

built in Rochester in 1895 by contractors ''Aveling & Porter'', a company once renowned for its steam

rollers. Preserved in the early 1960s, the locomotive is, on paper, part of the Buckinghamshire Railway

Centre's fleet. Behind ''Sydenham'' is 0-4-0 saddle tank ''Ajax'', built by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorne.

Dave Humphries

In about July 2007, this Southern Railway ''covered carriage truck'' arrived at the dockyard. S1770 was

built at Eastleigh Works in 1938, and survived long enough into British Rail service to receive the ''modern

image'' all-over blue livery. It is this very scheme which the vehicle is still displaying here. The vehicle was

formerly based at Long Marston. Dave Humphries

Steady! Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 diesel shunter No. 42 is seen being hoisted by crane onto a low-loader

at the Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham. The locomotive is bound for Chatham Historic Dockyard,

where it will form part of a new display. No. 42 was one of a large class of standardised diesel shunters

constructed for the War Department during 1941, being dispatched to France as part of the D-Day

landings. The name ''Overlord'' is a recent addition, being added during 2000 as part of the 50th

Anniversary celebrations of the D-Day landings, for which it was again shipped over to France for

the event. For most of its operational post-war career, No. 42 was employed by the MOD as a

shunter at Long Marston, Warwickshire. Dave Humphries

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