925 Cheltenham DVD: Southern Railway’s School Class

Description

‘925 Cheltenham’ Southern Maunsell 4-4-0 No.925 Cheltenham entered service on the Mid-Hants Railway in September 2012.

One of only three of the Southern Railway’s Schools’ class to survive into preservation, 925 was overhauled by volunteers of the Mid-Hants at Eastleigh railway works where it was construction in 1934.

After just under 30 years’ service with the Southern and British Rail, Cheltenham was withdrawn in 1962 and set to one side for the national collection.

Following storage at various locations, including at York’s National Railway Museum, No. 925 was put into temporary working order for exhibition at Rainhill for the Rocket 150 celebrations in 1980.

After a short period at Dinting, the locomotive was stored at York until 2010 when it was agreed for the Mid-Hants Railway to take over the locomotive and overhaul it to full working order again.

Footage of the locomotive in the works at Eastleigh, its first steamings there and its departure by road transport for the York Railfest.

This is the story of Cheltenham’s overhaul at Eastleigh and re-introduction to service.

Just three of the Southern Railway’s schools class survive today.

One of the class (No.926 Repton) was sent to the USA in 1966 and then Canada, but was repatriated in the late 1980s for use on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Another No. 928, Stowe, was saved for the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu and then sold to the Maunsell Locomotive Society for use on the Bluebell Railway.

This programme relates to the other Schools, No.925, Cheltenham, which is part of the National Collection.

No.925 was saved following withdrawal from its final depot at Basingstoke in December 1962.

After a variety of storage location around Britain, it was sent to the new National Railway Museum at York.

In 1980 it was steamed again briefly to appear alongside No.850 Lord Nelson at the Rocket 150 event at Rainhill.

After this occasion Cheltenham was sent back to York where it was put on display for many years.

In 2010 a deal was struck with the Mid-Hants Railway to restore the locomotive once again so that it could be used on the Hampshire line.

The engine was taken to Eastleigh Railway Works, where it was constructed in 1934, and overhauled in time to appear at the Railfest event in June 2012.

Cheltenham is now back in Hampshire and alongside Lord Nelson again operating trains and bringing back memories of these important express passenger locomotives which helped bring the Southern Railway into the modern age again in the 1930s.

Approx. 42 minutes.

This dvd is being sold on behalf of and with full permission of the copyright owner – Kingfisher Productions.