RS&H 'Ugly' 0-6-0STs

If your looking for proper meaty industrial steam there are several contenders for most powerful
1 austerities 0-6-0 (hunslet, various)
2 maerdy monster0-6-0 (peckett)
3 f.c. Tingey 0-4-0 (peckett) and as powerful as a black 5
4 victor and vulcan 0-6-0 (bagnall) reputed to be most powerful
5 firefly, chislet and other rsh locos of same design 0-6-0 (yorkshire engine co and robert stephenson)
6 various 0-6-0's some rsh and some bagnall at the tanfield railway.

These could all lay claim to be the strongest industrial if they were all given a go in a test perhaps

 

What about Lambton tanks 5 & 29 - a cut above your average industrial!

 

I beleive it's because they had a raised firebox, but others more knowledgeable than me could probably confirm.

No thanks, yec2521. I'm sure they're lovely, but I have a huge soft spot for the RSH locos ;-)

 

yeah hadnt thought of LH&J tanks but still reckon ours would beat them. the yorkshires/rsh locos of the type 1 were a relatively modern design, rocking grate, fully welded box, electric lights were retro fitted, brick arch. disused branch you dont know what your missing! lol

 

As far as I know they were first called uglies when there were 3 (I think) of them at the Worth Valley.

Presumably by footplate crew miffed at not having their preferred ex-BR job

 

Having worked on them on the KWVR years ago, I believe it is due to the "haycock" firebox which is higher than the top of the boiler barrel. So you'd have to have a stepped tank to fit over it. They certainly had very tall gauge glasses which made for easy working with the sharp changes in grade on the KWVR.

 

Not claiming to be more knowledgeable but you've hit the nail on the head. To carry the saddletank over the raised firebox complicates things considerably. Manning, Wardle were very fond of the raised firebox and the Uglies, although built by RSH, were a direct descendent of MW designs. Most, but not all, MW locos with raised fireboxes had the tank stop short of the firebox. It is a similar situation with a Belpaire firebox. Belpaire boilered saddletanks did exist but were few and far between.

 

RSH Uglys

John - You are correct. I believe the story goes that the Pannier was selected for the Royal Train due to it being ex-mainline, but it was a visitor. The guys at Bodmin had such a soft spot that they wanted 'Ugly' to haul the train too as it was a home engine. I believe The Queen was heard to comment on Ugly's unfortunate name. The Bodmin guys may be able to comment more on that.

The engine was then sold to the Vale of Glamorgan Railway where it was found to need major firebox repairs shortly after arrival which could not be paid for, and so it sat in their shed until it was offered to a member of the Spa Valley Railway in late 2007. The gentleman concerned already owned No. 57 "Samson" which had a good boiler but poor bottom end. There is also a spare boiler!!! The engine was purchased and moved to Kent in early 2008. It should return to traffic in mid 2010 with Samson's boiler.

And so the engine has gone full circle and returned to the South East once again. Its the first engine I can every remember at the Lavender Line, Isfield in the late 80s/early 90s. I cannot wait to drive and fire her next year and hopefully I will be involved in the latter stages of the overhaul once my project is complete!!

As for No. 57, it is going to be placed into store and act as a source of spares for Ugly. Maybe one day her turn will come.

Check out the Loco Shed pages at www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk for further news on Ugly.

Matt

 

I think you're right about there being three at the KWVR. I certainly rode behind and photographed two of them, one red and one green, and I have memories of a blue one but I may be wrong. Had an excellent thrash behind the green one back in the early 70s. Superb sound recording but sadly got lost some time ago.

 

Indeed you're right Spamcan81.

The Green one was No. 62 "Ugly", the red one was No. 57 "Samson" (both now at the Spa Valley) and the blue one No. 63 "Corby" which is now at the GCR (N) awaiting an overhaul I believe.

Matt

 

0-4-0st Bagnall 15" Hawarden did a 800 ton solo run when we tok her back to Shelton. Full 2nd, both injectors on. Magic !.

After that we played with 600 tons all day !!.

 

think i've seen some video clips of it on youtube at the works or am i thinking of workington?

 

Electric light? Old news, mate - the Uglies had that!

I remember the dynamo whirring away on 56 at the K&ESR and, having never been in the presence of an electrickery fitted steam loco before, wondering what the hell the noise was!

 

yec locos would still beat them lol. only one way to settle this!

 

I think you've just described the best gala of all time!

 

As long as they weigh a fair few tons...!

Serious point though, if watered down a tad... Can anyone thing of a suitable location for this, and how much would people be prepared to pay for a gala which would probably not offer rides, but something of a spectacle?

I know Shackerstone attempted something similar with the 'Carry on clagging cup' as part of a recent diesel gala, however this was all run light engine, so would not be quite in the same league! It also seems to be done a fair bit in Europe - but it'd be far more spectacular with industrials! If a suitable location could be found, maybe something for the Saturday evening of a gala somewhere? Rather than a procession type cavalcade event, one loco at a time with a few rakes of stock coupled together? I know I'd pay a lot to see it happen!

Better still an all day event, but that would presumably be more costly to organise and bring in fewer passengers...

 

Mountsorrel branch with windcutters? ;-)

 

Would need a few more than the current 17 windcutters! ;-) Stick the rest of the GCR's wagon fleet behind it, and we might be getting somewhere!

 

Did Workington as well, looking forward to her restoration once Dubsy is finished ( tubes in but not expanded yet ).