The Monarch was designed and built in 1932 by H. C. S. Bullock (the first of his large 10¼ inch gauge 4-6-2 locomotives) in Farnborough, Hampshire, UK for Captain Holder of "Keepings", Beaulieu, Hampshire. Capt. Holder renamed the engine "Audrey" and converted it to a 4-6-4. During World War II he loaned the engine to the War Department to demonstrate to commando troops how and where to most effectively place explosives in order to destroy enemy locomotives!
In 1952 "Audrey" was sold to Mr. Dudley Alexander of Meadow End, Brockenhurst, Hampshire who changed her name to "Bubbles" after a favourite pony. "Bubbles" ran over 1300 miles earning some £2000 for local charities.
In 1964 the engine was sold to John Fowles of the Stonecot Hill Railway in Surrey and at this point the history of the engine becomes a little vague. We learnt from H.C.S. Bullock's late son, Ken, that the locomotive went to Hayling Island and onto Guildford. Then it was purchased by Brian Hollingsworth, the late well known railway author, for use on his private 7.¼" inch gauge railway near Porthmadog in Wales. Brian had 1001 re-gauged from 10¼" to 7.¼", converted back to a 4-6-2 and re-named and re-numbered 8032 "White Fire".
Eastleigh Lakeside Railway bought her in September 1994 and, after a few runs, we moved it to our workshops and began an extensive overhaul and rebuild. Finally we painted the engine in the colours of "Gordon" from the "Thomas the Tank Engine" stories and reinstated the original name and number "The Monarch" No 1001. It seems particularly appropriate that this engine should come back to Hampshire so near to where it all began in 1932. In October 2001 we converted
her back to 10¼".
No 1001 is a powerful engine which is a joy to drive and fire. By way of experiment we have placed sixteen loaded carriages behind the engine and she coped admirably, emitting a tremendous exhaust beat as she hauled this heavy load up our steepest gradient.
Built by HCS Bullock in 1933 at his new workshop at The Olives, Prospect Avenue, Farnborough.
Sold to Mr Cookson for his private railway at Billingshurst Sussex.
Returned to Bullock in 1935 when 2005 Silver Jubilee was built for Cookson.
Operated for a time on Bullock’s Fox Hill line before being re-gauged from ten and a quarter inches to nine and a half when sold to Vere Burgoyne for his Spring Lanes Railway.
Altered by Burgoyne to a South African appearance and paired with the tender form WL Jennings Lake Shore.
On Burgoyne’s death during WW11 sold to Ron Hammett who ran the loco in Danson Park in connection with the government’s Holidays at Home scheme during WW11.
Sold to M.E.Locomotives Ltd and operated in Harrow Lodge Park Hornchurch.
Rebuilt by Jack Lambert to British outline and transferred to Barking Park circa 1950.
Ran in Barking Park until 1962 when worn out and replaced by a petrol loco.
Sold to Jim Hutchens form Ferndown Dorset to run at a new steam museum there.
The project was abandoned and the loco was taken to Goold Brothers works in Camerton near Bath.
Loco stripped down for complete overhaul and returning to ten and a quarter inch gauge.
The parts of The Empress remained in store at Camerton until 1990.
Rebuild re-started for Jim Hutchens who passed away shortly after the first steam test in 1991.
Purchased by R.C. Bullock in 1991, the rebuild eventually completed by John Goold and the owner in 1993.
Returned to steam at the 1993 Spring Heywood Society meeting at Watford Park.
Put into store until going on permanent loan to Eastleigh Lakeside Railway and eventually purchased by Eastleigh to join Bullock’s 1001 The Monarch.
1003 Western Queen was built by HCS Bullock in 1933 and was virtually identical to 1002 The Empress. She had piston valve cylinders and 12” driving wheels like the other 1000 series Bullock locomotives. The Empress was sold to Mr. Cookson for his private railway but Western Queen was hired out to a new miniature line built at Burnham-on-Sea which opened in 1934. After two seasons she was returned to Bullock after he discovered that she was not being looked after properly and then ran on his new private railway at Fox Hill, Farnborough.
Alexander Kinloch went into partnership with Bullock and Western Queen pulled the first trains on their public line at Fox Hill, The Farnborough Miniature Railway. Kinloch had some alterations made to Western Queen, the GWR fittings were removed and coal rails fitted to the tender. The locomotive returned to Fox Hill painted black and lettered LNER.
1003 was transferred to the new Surrey Border and Camberley Railway and was paired with the bogie tender from Edward VIII. She ran there until the SBCR closed upon the outbreak of WW11 and after the war was sold to Charles Lane, ran briefly at Hilsea and was later sold to Archie Dingle in Cornwall who ran her at Lowestoft and Plymouth. In Dingle’s ownership she was renamed Tamar Queen and then rebuilt by George Woodcock, fitted with new slide valve cylinders and sold to Maurice Densham for his private line at North Tawton, Devon.
In the late 1950’s Densham sold Tamar Queen along with Princess Elizabeth (previously Bullock’s EdwardV111) to a private owner who had a line around his house in St. Austell and she was then moved to the owner’s farm where a very impressive line was built deep in the country.
Tamar Queen was stored for many years alongside Princess Elizabeth before being sold to Eastleigh Lakeside Railway in 2016 where the locomotive joins the four Bullock Pacifics already on the roster there.
This magnificent coal fired, live-steam pacific type loco was one of seven built by the famous builder, H.C.S.Bullock of Farnborough between 1931 and 1937.
2005 was built in 1935 by Herbert Bullock for a Mr. Cookson. It was the first example of his second design of Pacific, being larger and heavier than the previous type. Whilst under construction it briefly carried nameplates "Princess Marina", but prior to leaving the workshop these were replaced by new ones for "Silver Jubilee" to mark the concurrent royal celebrations.
Mr Cookson ran it on his line at Billingshurst, before short spells on the railway at Bramber Castle and later at the Shoreham Miniature Railway. Around 1937 it was acquired by the wealthy city businessman Alexander Kinloch, who had it tested on Bullock's Foxhill Miniature Railway prior to it entering service on the Surrey Border & Camberley Railway in 1938, where it operated alongside four of its 'sisters'. This ill-conceived scheme only ran for the 1938 and 1939 seasons, in the process running up a significant deficit. In November 1939, after closure, it was placed in the hands of the Receivers by Barclays Bank who held a mortgage on the line.
The locomotives and stock were disposed of by the Receivers over the next few years, but No. 2005 was still available in 1942, when, partly on the advice of W.L. Jennings, Matthew Kerr Snr selected it for purchase. The big Pacific was a freelance design, intended by Bullock as a workhorse rather than a copy of a full-size locomotive, but could be described as something the Great Western might have designed had they opted for a 4-6-2 rather than a ''King'' 4-6-0, apart perhaps for the outside Walschaerts valve gear.
2005 worked all heavy traffic at K.M.R. from 1946 until 1960, when Matthew Kerr Snr decided that the line could be more easily operated by non-steam locomotives. Accordingly, in July 1960 the Pacific was sold to W. Hammond, a garage and haulage proprietor of Stourport, Worcs. Mr Hammond displayed the locomotive in steam at the Worcester Show in 1960 and again in 1962, but the following year all his railway equipment was auctioned off. No. 2005 was sold to a Mr Feeney who was planning a private line at his property at Barrow Hill, near Melton Mowbray, but sadly he suffered a stroke whilst helping to construct the line and the Pacific was dumped in a barn with only chickens for company. Here it stood for several years until it was sold via dealers Cherry's to John Fowles, who in September 1970 took the engine to the Stonecot Hill Railway, a private line at Carshalton, Surrey; here it joined another Bullock Pacific, No. 1001, but was not used, as the boiler failed an inspection. Instead it was cosmetically restored before being moved by Mr. Fowles to Hayling Island in 1971.
Matthew Kerr Jnr, the second generation of the Kerr family, had to wait 32 years for the opportunity to re-purchase it - for a five figure sum! It had not run for almost thirty years and so was completely stripped over a four year period and given a new boiler at a cost of £8,000. When she started running again after being given her new boiler, she was sometimes very rarely used and at times not looked after properly, however, in October 2001 she visited two of her sisters at E.L.R where she was able to run ‘properly’ once again. Now she is in no fit state at all, so owner John Kerr thought it best that she was given a chance to stretch her wheels again down at Eastleigh.
No. 2005 is now once again with her sisters on long term loan to Eastleigh Lakeside Railway where she is with “The Empress”, her old stablemate at Billingshurst.
On loan to Eastleigh Lakeside Railway.
Edward VIII was Bullocks sixth 10¼ inch locomotive (his favourite) built in 1936 first ran at Fox Hill then transferred to the Surrey Border and Camberley railway in 1938. After the line closed at the end of 1939 she was laid up until 1943 moving to Dunley Hall near Stourport renaming her Princess Elizabeth again changing hands twice near Stourport. In 1969 she was sold to North Tawton miniature Railway in Devon changing hands again in the 1970s were she has been laid up for many years. Eastleigh Lakeside Railway purchased her in March 2007.
The first picture shows her as purchased the second picture was taken 2nd February 2008 restored by Jesse Moody.
It was just prior to the Second World War that Bulleid began to design and build steam locomotives for the Southern Railway. This followed a period in which scant regard was paid to the development of steam traction on a system undergoing electrification.
Oliver Vaughan Snell Bullied was appointed CME to the Southern Railway in June 1937 and was encouraged by Robert Holland-Martin, the Chairman of the Southern to spend time and money on the much neglected steam locomotive. His design was specifically for an express passenger locomotive, but as the prospect of war seemed ever closer he modified his description and called his new ideas mixed traffic engines.
The first of what was to be called Merchant Navy Class locomotives was built at Eastleigh works as order 1068 and it incorporated many new and novel features including, chain driven valve gear, American Boxpok type wheels and a boiler designed to operate at 280lbs/sq.in.,with super heat temperatures in the region of 400°C. Its outer casing was a design first although modifications and improvements were made throughout its life. It must be stated that many of the ideas were unproven since Eastleigh, along with other railway works at this time, was engaged in war work, manufacturing equipment for the armed forces in the fight against Germany. So the production of the first ten locomotives went ahead without a prototype being constructed and described as useful fast freight locomotives.
‘Channel Packet’ rolled off the production line in the early part of 1941 and its first mainline test run was to Winchester on 18th February 1941 and then to Bournemouth the following day. The Minister of Transport of the time, Rt.Hon. J.T.C. Moore-Brabazon named the locomotive, on the 10th March 1941, in the yard at Eastleigh Works. Throughout the 1940s, in order to eliminate problems with combustion gases, modifications were made to the streamlining – removal of the ‘widow’s peak’, the fitting of smoke deflectors and the inverted horseshoe plate was replaced by a standard circular type.
Before construction of the ‘Channel Packet’ that you see before you took place, extensive research was carried out to make the locomotive as accurate as seemingly possible, and it was decided that the engine would be built in its 1945 guise, and to a scale of 2¼″ to 1ft.
Work began, at Jesse Moody’s, workshop on 11th February 2010 with no specific finishing date in mind so it is not surprising that Jesse completed other jobs, the construction of new first class carriages for Lakeside and modifications to Chris English’s ‘Black Five’, whilst manufacturing components for 21C1.
A major departure from the original was the design for the inside valve gear. Moving away completely from the Bulleid’s chain drive, a valve gear based on an American Southern Marshall type was designed by Barry Eden who, to make certain that his ideas would work, designed and built a full sized replica before helping with the construction of the one fitted to this locomotive. Although this engine has three cylinders as per the original, the valve gear to the middle cylinder is unique, and is not to be found on any other Merchant Navy locomotive. In just over a year from the start of construction, ‘Channel Packet’ was, on 5th May 2011, run on compressed air, and a further four months on, on 20th September 2011 she underwent a steam test for the boiler certificate which she passed with flying colours, a testament to the engineering skill of Jesse Moody. It is doubtful whether another 10¼″ gauge locomotive could have been built to such a demanding timescale as this.
Quite clearly, it must be stated that Jesse Moody, along with Barry Eden and Barry Friend, as well as many more, has worked tirelessly on this locomotive to get it to this stage. Not only has Jesse’s life revolved around ‘Channel Packet’, but also his wife Carol who became, for much of the last few months, door keeper, cake maker, tea maker and engineering widow. Perhaps now she can have her husband back, for awhile at least!
Built in 2016 by Jesse Moody, assisted by Barry Eden to a scale 2¼” to 1 foot (about 1:5.33) for 10¼” track gauge. This is the rebuilt or modified version of the railway’s 21C1 “Channel Packet” also built by Jesse Moody/Barry Eden in 2012.
First just brief details of full size one. Built here at Eastleigh Locomotive Works in October 1941 emerging as 21C4 and allocated to Exmouth Junction shed. It was not named until 1942 at Charing Cross station. Although primarily a passenger loco, being wartime much of its duties were on goods trains, and whilst heading one near Whimple, it received the attentions of enemy plane fortunately without casualties although the leading wagons where not so lucky! In October 1946 Cunard resumed its Trans-Atlantic service to New York with “RMS Queen Elizabeth” on its first passenger voyage, and fittingly 21C4 headed the all Pullman “Ocean Liner Express” from Waterloo to Southampton Docks. With the formation of British railways in 1948 21C4 became 35004. Although in their original condition the Merchant Navies could easily hold their own against their contemporaries, maintenance and fuel costs were higher and therefore during the fifties they were all modified to the condition you see now. Actually 35004 emerged from Eastleigh Works in its new guise in July 1958 having run some ¾ million miles in original condition. With the rapid elimination of steam 35004 only survived until October 1965 before being cut-up in Eastleigh shed, having ‘clocked up’ another ¾ million miles.
Comparing the miniature 21C1 and 35004 the most obvious difference is the lack of ‘streamline’ or “air smoothed” casing; however, this is largely cosmetic. The main difference is the use of three sets of Walschaerts valve gear in place of the original Bulleid valve gear, although on the model of 21C1 a different valve gear was used but still with all three sets between the frames. On the full size MN the outside cylinder castings were reused suitably modified, likewise on our miniature. The inside cylinder in full size was replaced completely on rebuilding however on our version the same casting could be used. The boiler and general frame assembly are largely unaltered and retain the distinctive BFB (Bullied Firth Brown) wheels although balance weights needed to be added. There are differences in the tenders but there were several versions built or modified in full size.
The Main Dimensions.
Full Size Model
Cylinders (3) 18” bore x 24” stroke 3” x 5”
Piston valves Piston valves
Bogie wheels 3’ 1” dia. 7” dia.
Coupled wheels 6’ 3” 14” dia.
Trailing wheels 3’ 7” 8” dia.
Boiler Pressure 250p.s.i* 150p.s.i.
Loco weight 96 Tons 18cwt 1 Ton (approx)
Max speed 90+ but ???? 8 mph (Railway speed limit)
*Note: Original boiler pressure was 280 p.s.i. but this was reduced on rebuilding. Bulleid’s smaller West Country/Battle of Britain class were also originally 280 p.s.i. but this was reduced to 250 across the class rebuilt or not.
Messrs. Moody’s and Eden’s hard work cumulated in the naming of 35004 ‘Cunard White Star’ by Paul Atterbury of ‘Antiques Road Show’ fame on 3rd. December 2016 at Eastleigh Parkway.
Sandy River is a modified version of the late Don Young's "Maxi Lucky Seven" 2-4-2 design. Representing a locomotive from the now defunct 2 foot gauge Sandy River and Rangely Lakes Railroad, Maine, USA, the engine and tender weigh approximately 1.75 tonnes. Built in 1982 for operation on the Lowther Park Miniature Railway in Cumbria and
named "Big Emm", No 7 was purchased in 1991, ran at Moors Valley Railway for a short time and was then extensively rebuilt; removing the side water tanks and making a new tender to hold the water (the previous one was originally built to accommodate a gas cylinder). She was subsequently transferred to Eastleigh Lakeside Railway along with William Baker at the opening of the Railway in 1992.
During our busy times, No 7 has comfortably pulled 14 plus coach trains (giving a train weight without the engine and tender of approximately 9000 lbs or 4080 kg) around our tight curves, some of which slope up at an average 1 in 55 gradient.
The tender holds a maximum of one hundred gallons of water and holds about 1cwt 50 kg of coal.
Rob Roy is a Britannia Class 4-6-2 locomotive and was built by Roy Pullen using the chassis and boiler from a previous loco built in 1948 named Cleethorps Flyer.
This locomotive is on permanent loan to Eastleigh Lakeside Railway.
Lord Nelson 850 was built in 2007 by Jesse Moody for Eastleigh Lakeside Railway. He has spent a lot of time fully detailing the locomotive copying from the full size Lord Nelson.
Sir Nigel Gresley was built by William Kirkland in 1964 (It took him 12 years to build)
He ran her at Thoresby Hall Nottinghamshire from 1966 to 1988. During the1990s Sir Nigel was based at Stapleford Park Leicestershire. After Bills death in 2001 the engine was sold by auction at Bonhams to two members of The South Downs Light Railway from where Eastleigh Lakeside Railway purchased her in August 2003 Since then we have taken over 5 years rebuilding and converting to 3 cylinders. Put back into service April 2009.
Built by Ken Williamson in 1994, Sir Arthur Heywood is a half scale replica of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway's "Northern Rock". The wheel arrangement is 2-6-2 and, in working order, the locomotive and tender weigh over one ton. The late Sir Arthur Heywood was a pioneer of minimum gauge railways and firmly believed that the so-called miniature gauges around 15" could be used economically and cost effectively. The prototype on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway was originally to be called "Sir Arthur Heywood" in his memory but was subsequently named "Northern Rock" after the building society of that name contributed towards the cost of building the engine.
William Baker is a freelance standard gauge Atlantic (4-4-2) named after her builder. The locomotive was bought in 1991 just prior to the initial construction of Eastleigh Lakeside Railway. Her number 4789 comes from the year she was built, 1947, and the year she was first steamed, 1989. She is diminutive alongside our larger engines but nonetheless will pull three full coaches without complaint. She is a free steaming, well proportioned engine of pleasing appearance. Occasionally prone to wheel slip, she requires a gentle hand on the regulator.
No. 3 is a freelance 4-8-4 of USA outline, built in 1959 by Trevor Guest and the apprentices of F. H. Lloyd and Co. for operation on the Hilton Valley Railway. Rebuilt by A. J. Glaze in 1970 No 3 was purchased in 1990 from Weston Park Railway (having being transferred there after Hilton Valley Railway closed down). The locomotive has undergone a full restoration and considerable modification in our workshop.
Formally Sir A. Montgomery 4-4-2 was built in 1937 by G&S Engineering It ran at Dudley Zoo before the war ending up at Weymouth. In 1990 it was sold and left in store until 2000 when it changed hands again and brought to Eastleigh Lakeside Railway. Eastleigh Lakeside Railway purchased the engine in February 2002 since then it has been totally rebuilt and renamed in October 2005.
It has now been re painted to represent London Brighton & South Coast Railway atlantic Locomotive.
D1994 Eastleigh 10.25" diesel hydraulic B-B built in 1994. Originally Eastleigh had a Lister/Petter 2.2 litre air cooled diesel with a Linde 20HP variable swash plate pump and two Linde 10hp motors one on each bogie but was found this to be somewhat overpowered so the engine had been replaced with a smaller water cooled diesel. Eastleigh is used mainly as standby engine in case of a failure of one of the steam locomotives or to cater for sudden fluctuations in the number of passengers.
Florence was built in 1999 by us and is powered by a Kubota two cylinder water cooled diesel hydraulic drive. Note the blue wheels as we change her body Thomas for our Day out with Thomas events. Florence is named in memory of a lady who died at the age of 92 and left a legacy to the railway. In 2021 Florence was redisgned and completely re-built by Dan Radcliffe. It now has brand new bogies and is electricly powered.
The electric propulsion system was designed and built by three master's degree students at Southampton University as a project sponsored by various companies, including Eastleigh Lakeside Railway.
David Curwen was built by David Curwen for Dobwells Railway in the early days but was not used in later years as it was not powerful enough, after being sold a couple of years ago one of our volunteers bought her in January 2007.
David Curwen is Privately Owned.
Taw was built in 1999 by J. Horsfield to the Manning Wardle 2-6-2T design for the famous Lynton and Barnstaple 2 foot railway. She first ran at a garden centre in Cheshire then at Oldown until it closed in 2004.
In the summer of 2005 Taw was moved to the Langford and Beeleigh Railway in Essex where the present owner ran her until moving her to Eastleigh Lakeside Railway Christmas 2005.
Taw is privately owned.
Sanjo is based on the well known Romulus design.
Built by her late owner was regularly in steam two or three times a month
on a Saturday pulling 3 of our large coaches.
Sanjo is privately owned.
Idris is a classic Romulus design locomotive and can be seen running for our steam gala's and on other selected days during the year.
Idris is privately owned.
Iron Duke was built in 1956 by DSE Gudgin for use on his private railway. She is based on the "Maid of Kent" design which was developed by Henry Greenly and Alex Schwab. Henry Greenly is renowned for designing many of the locomotives that run today on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway. Iron Duke is privately owned and operated at Eastleigh Lakeside Railway.
Spud is a Maxitrack Planet 2 electric locomotive and was built at Eastleigh Lakeside Railway by owner, Matt Parr and engineers in the workshop. Spud is powered by two 12 volt car batteries and is mainly used for light passenger service and driver for 50p experience along the platform at Eastleigh Parkway.