S&DJR Class 7F 53809

Locomotive Background

The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway class 7F was built in 1925 as part of the second and last batch of five such locomotives, the first batch (six locomotives) being built in 1914 by Robert Stephenson & Co. of Darlington.

The locomotives were withdrawn between 1959 and 1964, and there are two in preservation. Number 53808 currently resides at the Watercress Line.

The Somerset & Dorset Joint was owned by the Midland Railway and the London & South Western Railway, with the Midland in charge of locomotive policy and realised that a larger engine was required to cope with the steep gradients on the Mendip Hills.

The locomotives were 2-8-0 tender engines built for freight: heavy coal and goods trains, though latterly they were also used for holiday traffic; notice the driving wheels: relatively small to transfer higher torque (but at low speed) and numerous to increase the adhesive area - they provided a tractive effort of 35,295 lbf, a little more than the WD 2-10-0 90775. Designed by Henry Fowler, they are two cylinder engines featuring Walschearts valve gear with superheated boilers & Belpaire fireboxes originally from the Midland Compounds. 

The locomotives were provided with three steam brake cylinders, a reflection of the heavy loads they were expected to haul.

The first batch of locomotives was right hand drive, the second batch was left hand drive. The locomotives had fittings for a tablet catcher - just a hole and a hand rail either side of the tender. It was envisaged that since the locos were relatively large and initially would not fit on SD&J turntables, they would spend much of their time running tender first.

S&DJR 89, LMS 9679, LMS 13809 & BR 53809

The locomotive that was to become 53809 was completed in July 1925 and spent it's whole life at Bath(Green Park) shed. The whole class were taken into LMS stock in 1930, and 53809 received the number 9679, renumbered to 13809 in 1932. After nationalisation, the locomotive became 53809.

53809 received a replacement Midland G9AS from the Midland Class 990 locomotives in 1930, operating at 190 psi. The packing piece used to adapt the smokebox saddle to the new smaller boiler is clearly visible; 53808 received a similar replacement boiler in 1953.

Privately owned, 53809 appears in BR Black unlined livery at the North Norfolk Railway.