506 (30506) – LSWR Urie S15 Class

Notes

The S15’s were designed by Robert Urie for the London & South Western Railway purely as a Fast Freight engine, working the heavy night express goods trains between Exeter and Nine Elms, and from Southampton to Nine Elms.

Built at Eastleigh Works, 506 was completed in October 1920 and delivered to the Nine Elms shed in Battersea before a move to Strawberry Hill shed in 1922. In 1923, a new marshalling yard and shed were built at Feltham, and 506 was re-allocated to where she would spend the rest of her days.

The type was employed working both cross London goods trains between Feltham and Willesden, as well as the heavy goods train between London and the Docks at Southampton, and they proved to be very strong and capable locomotives.

The type was so successful that after Robert Urie’s retirement as the Chief Mechanical Engineer, his replacement Richard Maunsell modified the design and built a further batch of S15 locomotives in 1927, No.828 at Ropley being one of this type.

Nationalisation of Britain’s railways took place in January 1948, which saw the formation of British Railways, and 506 was renumbered to 30506. Though in fact, life for the engine was virtually unchanged.

Withdrawn in January 1964, 30506’s last duties were in June of that year, when she was rostered to tow several of her sisters to the scrap yards of South Wales. Fate stepped in when due to badly blowing superheater elements in the boiler, she failed with low steam and water at Staines, and was towed back to Feltham. Clearly, she wasn’t ready to go for scrap!

In October 1964, 30506 was herself towed to the Woodham Brothers Scrapyard in Barry Island, South Wales where she would remain until rescue came in the form of the Urie Locomotive Society who purchased her in March 1973. Moving to Alresford by road in 1976, restoration saw her back in steam in August 1987.

506 gave many years of service on the railway until 2001, when she was stopped for a heavy overhaul. Severe corrosion was found in the main frames behind the cylinders, which resulted in the front nine feet of the frames being cut off and replaced with new steel.

June 2019 saw the welcome return to service of this fine locomotive, and is a testament to the group of skilled engineers who have saved, repaired and looked after her.

Watch a short film about 499 and 506 here.

Watch a short film about the Urie Locomotive Society here.

For more information, please visit the Urie Locomotive Society website.