Date uploaded: 2011-04-29 22:13:17 by tyson4578

In 1942 it was foreseen that when the Allies liberated Europe the railways would need a heavy freight locomotive with easy maintenance and maximum route availability. Two basic designs were produced: the Riddles Austerities and the American S160s.

The S160 was designed by a committee of engineers from the ‘big three’ American firms, to a specification set by the Ministry of Supply. The first engines arrived in the UK in 1942 and production continued until 1947. Of more than 2100 built, over 800 were landed in Britain, the rest being shipped directly to continental Europe.

2253 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Company and completed in May 1943. Like all the S160s used here, it first went to one of the British works (maybe Darlington) to be checked and modified for British working, including the fitting of vacuum brakes. One of 168 of the class allocated to the LNER, 2253 was assigned to Neville Hill shed, Leeds, and it is thus possible that it worked over the Malton-Whitby line.

The locomotive was shipped to France in September 1944 for service on the liberated but war-devastated railways, being sold in 1941 under the Marshall plan to PKP (Polish State Railways), taking number Tr 203.208. It was worked until 1985 when it was withdrawn and stored at Olesnica, near Wroclaw.

There it rested until the NYMR learned of its existence. Following a visit by NYMR staff, Peter Best agreed to purchase the locomotive and to provide the funds for its restoration. After completion of its overhaul it was loaded on to a road trailer sent from England, brought across the North Sea from Gdynia to Teesport and thence by road to New Bridge, Pickering, where it arrived on 29 October, 1992, in time to be used on freight trains during the Wartime Weekend.

In store awaiting a decision on its future. A possible overhaul of the locomotive has been costed
By Martin Tyson