{"product_id":"bespoke-weathered-926004-usatc-s160-2-8-0-sr-wartime-light-grey-with-transportation-corps-u-s-a-on-tender-no-2356-steam-locomotive","title":"Bespoke Weathered 926004 USATC S160 2-8-0 SR Wartime Light Grey with Transportation Corps U.S.A on Tender No.2356 Steam Locomotive - Deluxe Weathered","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0225\/2858\/9896\/files\/Rails_BESPOKE_Logo_RGB.png?v=1784547617\" width=\"301\" height=\"110\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Southern Railway had the smallest contingent of S160 allocations, with only 6 locomotives sent on loan. This was due to the SR electrification scheme, meaning that the railway had a healthy surplus of steam locomotives available for wartime traffic, allowing other regions to take more S160 locomotives. They arrived on the SR relatively late, just ready for the preparations for the D-Day landings. Many S160 locomotives were commissioned in SR works and allowed to run-in on SR metals before being dispatched to other regions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo.2356 was transferred to Germany in September 1944 and worked from the Mainz-Bischofsheim shed before moving to Austria as OBB 956.123.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTooling variations\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStandard lamp irons\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStraight strap smokebox door\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWestinghouse air pump\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePipework mounted in front of chimney\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStraight running boards\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRight hand drive with pole reverser and original pattern firehole door\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStandard wartime tender\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoiler-mounted ejector pipe fitted\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeatures\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo factory-fitted speakers, one in the loco and another in the tender.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDual LED firebox glow with dynamic fire draw effect.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwin flywheel motor.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDetachable loco-to-tender connection.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePickups fitted on both the loco and tender.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e21-pin DCC Decoder socket fitted.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLivery \u003c\/strong\u003e- Light grey (matt) with Transportation Corps U.S.A. on tender.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eManufacturer \u003c\/strong\u003e- Baldwin Locomotive Works – Philadelphia - 1943\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShed allocation and region \u003c\/strong\u003e- Exmouth Junction (EXJ) - SR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate of model\u003c\/strong\u003e - December 1943\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHistory:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“In the days to come the British and American peoples will for their own safety, and for the good of all, walk together side by side in majesty, injustice, and in peace.” -Winston Churchill addressing a joint session of the US Congress, 26 December 1941.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe year is 1942, the world is at war and the United Kingdom has limited resources to combat the enemy, let alone launch an invasion of the European mainland. What is available is becoming stretched far too thinly, including the nation's railways. Due to years of consistent bombing, the railways were struggling to cope with the increased traffic and locomotives and rolling stock were in short supply. Thankfully our American Allies stepped up, aiding us in our hour of need. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite having joined the fray themselves in late 1941, and needing resources to pursue their own goals, they managed to reinforce the UK with a multitude of supplies, including a fleet of one of the most iconic locos to run on Britain’s Railways, the S160, a spectacular 2-8-0 powerhouse!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned by Major J. W. Marsh from the Railway Branch of the Corps of Engineers, this all-American loco had to fit the more restrictive loading gauge of the UK. They had to be easy to build, quick to repair and reliable. Taking inspiration from its predecessor the S200, and the British WD Austerity 2-8-0, the S160 lacked the finesse of many of the British locomotives it would work alongside, but other than a few teething problems and operational challenges it met its brief perfectly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConstructed in the United States in multiple batches from 1942 to 1945, they were split between the ALCO, Baldwin, and Lima Locomotive Works. Collectively, almost 800 locomotives were shipped to the UK. Landing mainly in Newport, South Wales, as well as Birkenhead, Glasgow and London, the locomotives passed through major workshops before being sent on to the respective railway company. The first 396 were assigned to the 4 railway regions of the era and under the guise of them being run in, 174 were issued to the Great Western Railway, 168 to the London \u0026amp; North Eastern Railway, 50 to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and a much more modest 6 to the Southern Railway. The final 400 UK-issued locos were also stored in South Wales, where they were kept as part of the D-Day preparations. With the invasion on the horizon, June 1944 saw the stored engines sent for servicing and processing, all leaving by early September 1944. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBetween 1942 and 1945 a whopping 2120 S160s were built by our American friends, these remaining locomotives along with those stored and gathered locos in the UK, were shipped to mainland Europe and further afield to facilitate wartime supply trains, aiding our European neighbours who had also had their railways ravaged by 6 years of conflict, and ensuring the Allied war effort prevailed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntil the days of preservation, the only S160 retained in the UK post-war was WD 93257 (later No.700) Major General Carl R Gray Jr, used to train military personnel in driving and caring for steam locos at the Longmoor Military Railway.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing WW2 the S160s were scattered across the globe, from China to Hungary. Whilst in the ownership of a plethora of different railways they were often refitted to accommodate their owners' needs. As time went on the original shape and details of many of the locos would evolve, which was in part, due to the interchangeable nature of their original design. Eight locos have been repatriated to the UK in preservation and all of them are different from their counterparts, some more subtly than others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite all having key visual differences, several of the preserved versions have been returned to running order, with no less than three examples currently in operation with a number of others under restoration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Rapido Trains UK","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58805921841536,"sku":"RAP-926004W","price":284.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0225\/2858\/9896\/files\/RAP-926004W_1.jpg?v=1788006436","url":"https:\/\/railsofsheffield.com\/products\/bespoke-weathered-926004-usatc-s160-2-8-0-sr-wartime-light-grey-with-transportation-corps-u-s-a-on-tender-no-2356-steam-locomotive","provider":"Rails of Sheffield","version":"1.0","type":"link"}