65243 Maude (NBR 673, LNER 9673, LNER 5243 & BR 65243)

65243 Mude at Stirling - September 1986.jpg

65243 was built by Neilson & Co at the Hyde Park Works in Glasgow in 1891.

In 1915 the engine was rebuilt at Cowlair works by Reid, Holmes successor, with a slightly larger boiler along with most of the engines of the J36 class.

In November 1917 it was loaned to the ROD for use in France during the First World War. It returned from France in June 1919 to return to service on the NBR where it gained the name Maude after Lieutenant General Sir Fredrick Stanley Maude, who had commanded the successful British forces in Mesopotamia until his death from cholera in 1917.

BR motive power depot allocations.

Date ArrivedDepot
1st January 1948Haymarket
September 1963Dalry Road
January 1964Bathgate

65243 was withdrawn from service in July 1966 by which time the locomotive was the target of an appeal by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) who bought it from BR for £1,250. The BR asking price had been £1,900.

Victorian goods trains travelled slowly and had no continuous brake, and so when built 673 was provided with only a handbrake and a steam brake which worked on the wheels of the locomotive. When additional braking power was needed, the driver might whistle for the guard, in the brake van at the far end of the train, to apply his handbrake. Lack of a continuous brake limited the engine to working goods trains. Some locomotives of the class were fitted with continuous brake equipment, and after SRPS bought the locomotive they acquired a full set of vacuum brake equipment from a classmate (65345) and fitted this to Maude to enable it to operate passenger trains.

In addition, a replacement front buffer beam (also from 65345) was fitted as the original had been damaged when the engine had been used on snow ploughing duties.

In 1980 the locomotive returned to the main line when it steamed to Liverpool and back, taking part in the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. The locomotive operated mainline railtours in the 1980s, including a series of very successful Santa Specials on the Edinburgh suburban line. Maude arrived at Bo’ness for a heavy overhaul in 1988, and resumed its role of workhorse, operating regularly on the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway.

The locomotive is currently on static display in the Museum of Scottish Railways in Bo’ness awaiting funds for a major overhaul having last steamed in 2002. The boiler is in good condition but will require re-tubing, but the cylinder and valve block requires replacement. It will also need new tyres, axle bearings, springs, as well as a new steam/vacuum brake valve

Home BaseCurrent StatusOwner
Bo’ness & Kinneil RailwayOn static displayScottish Railway Preservation Society
65243 at the gates of HMS Lochivar at Port Edgar – June 1960
65243 Maude inside Edinburgh Haymarket shed – June 1963
65243 Maude on Haymarket shed – September 1963
65243 at St Margarets shed in Edinburgh - August 1966.jpg
65243 at St Margarets shed in Edinburgh – August 1966
65243 Maude at St Margerets, Edinburgh - September 1966.jpg
65243 Maude at St Margerets, Edinburgh – September 1966
65243 Maude in store at St Margarets shed at Edinburgh – September 1966
65243 Maude at Falkirk - May 1980.jpg
65243 Maude at Falkirk – May 1980
65243 Maude near Lauriseton - May 1980.jpg
65243 Maude near Lauriseton – May 1980
65243 Maude heads south over Ais Gill on its way to Carnforth on route for Rainhill – May 1980
65243 climbing out of Blackburn on its trip from Kilmarnock to Manchester prior to running at Rainhill – May 1980
65243 Muade on a train to celebrate the re-opening of the Edinburgh to Bathgate line – March 1986
65243 Maude leaving Perth - September 1986.jpg
65243 Maude leaving Perth – September 1986
65243 Mude at Stirling - September 1986.jpg
65243 Maude at Stirling – September 1986
65243 Maude at Bo’ness 0n the Bo,ness & Kinneil Railway – 1996
65243 Maude at Birkhill on the Bo’ness an Kinneil Railway – August 2000
65243 Maude at Polmandie open day – September 2000
65243 in the NRM at York - June 2011.jpg
65243 Maude in the NRM at York – June 2011
65243 Maude in the Scottish Railways Museum at Bo’ness – September 2017

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