Standard Gauge Railway – Locomotive Register

Below is the register of all standard gauge locomotives present at Chatham Dockyard throughout its history as a Royal Dockyard of the Royal Navy.

Steam Locomotives

Steam Locomotives were generally named after ships of the Royal Navy, or some Naval connection. For details, click on the name.

For further details on the locomotive, please click on the builder’s number.

Name Wheel Arr. Builder Aquired Disposed
2-2-0TG AP129/1865 New [Note 1]
2-2-0TG AP182/1866 New [Note 1]
2-2-0TG AP218/1866 New [Note 1]
2-2-0TG AP718/1871 New [Note 1]
2-2-0TG AP719/1871 New [Note 1]
2-2-0TG AP1023/1874 New [Note 1]
Royal Engineer 0-4-0ST MW602/1876 Ex Lodge Hill & Upnor Railway Sold [Note 2]
Daisy 0-4-0ST HC308/1887 Ex Woolwich Arsenal Scrapped/Sold 1932
Vulcan 0-4-0ST SS3419/1888 Ex Woolwich Arsenal Sold 1932
Vulcan 0-4-0ST VF1399/1893 Ex Woolwich Arsenal Scrapped 6-1951
Shoeburyness 0-6-0T VF1436/1894 Ex W.D. Shoeburyness Scrapped/Sold
Newcastle 0-4-0ST HL2450/1899 New Sold [Note 3]
Express 0-4-0ST HL2564/1903 New Scrapped 10-1955
Hercules 0-4-0CT HL2771/1909 New Scrapped/Sold
Kent 0-4-0ST HL2807/1909 New Scrapped 10-1955
Sussex 0-4-0ST HL2876/1911 New Scrapped 10-1955
Devon 0-4-0ST AB1286/1914 New Sold [Note 4]
Cornwall 0-4-0ST AB1386/1914 New Sold [Note 4]
Chatham No.4 0-6-0T LB79/1880 Ex W.D. Catterick Scrapped 9-1932
RNCF No.4 0-6-0ST MW1620/1903 Ex Royal Cordite Factory Holton Heath Scrapped/Sold
Centaur 0-4-0ST HL3683/1927 New Scrapped/Sold
4wVBT S6994/1927 Ex Jersey Eastern Railway 1929 Sold [Note 5]
Atlas 0-4-0ST HL3803/1932 New Scrapped 3-1957
Titan 0-4-0ST HL3807/1934 New Sold 1957
Goliath 0-4-0ST HL3863/1935 New Scrapped 1963
Ajax 0-4-0ST RSH7042/1941 New Still in service
Victory 0-4-0ST AB2199/1945 New Sold [Note 6]
V.E.Day 0-4-0ST AB2198/1945 New Scrapped 7-1972
Invicta 0-4-0ST AB2220/1946 New Sold [Note 7]
Singapore 0-4-0ST HL3865/1936 Ex Singapore Dockyard 1953 Sold [Note 8]

Notes:

  • [1] – Transferred to the Chattenden & Upnor Railway.
  • [2] – To W. Rigby, Contractor Erith, Kent.
  • [3] – To Hollycombe Steam Collection, Liphook. 1957.
  • [4] – To Abelsons, locomotive dealers, Sheldon.
  • [5] – To George Cohen Sons & Co. Canning Town London. More Detail Here
  • [6] – To scrapyard in Swanley, Kent.
  • [7] – To Invicta Locomotive Preservation Society.
  • [8] – To South Eastern Steam Centre, Ashford, Kent.

Diesel Locomotives

Diesel Locomotives at Chatham were named after Castles in Kent.
Name Wheel Arr. Builder Aquired Disposed
Walmer Castle 4wDE AWD23/1933 New 1934 Scrapped 3/1966 [Note 1]
Rochester Castle 4wDM FH3738/1955 New Still in Service
Upnor Castle 4wDM FH3742/1955 New Scrapped 1984
Leeds Castle 4wDM FH3745/1955 New Scrapped 1984
Dover Castle 4wDM FH3770/1955 New Scrapped 1984
Cooling Castle 4wDM FH3771/1955 New Scrapped 1984
Deal Castle 4wDM FH3772/1955 New Scrapped 1984
Chilham Castle 4wDM HN2076/1940 Sheerness Dockyard 1959 Scrapped 1969
Allington Castle 4wDM HN6975/1968 New Sold [Note 2]
6wDE AWD57/1936 M.O.D. Long Marston Transferred [Note 3]

Notes:

  • [1] – Ex Gas Light & Coke Co., Becton By-Products Works, London
  • [2] – To British Nuclear Fuels site at Sellafield, Cumbria. Date unknown
  • [3] – Returned to M.O.D. Long Marston. Date unknown

Key to Builders

AB:Andrew Barclay, Sons & Co. Ltd.

AP:Aveling & Porter Ltd.

AW:Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. [ Engineers ] Ltd.

FH:F.C.Hibberd & Co.Ltd

HC:Hudswell, Clark & Co. Ltd.

HL:R. & W.Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. Ltd.

HN:Hunslet Engine Co. Ltd.

LB:London, Brighton & South Coast Railway.

MW:Manning, Wardle & Co.Ltd.

RSH:Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Ltd.

S:Sentinel Steam Wagon & Carriage Co. Ltd.

SS:Sharp, Stewart & Co. Ltd.

VF:Vulcan Foundry Ltd.

Locomotives Sent to Chatham for Disposal

Yorkshire Engine Co., 0-6-2T, Works No.711/1902 “KITCHENER”, worked on the 2ft 6in gauge Lodge Hill & Upnor Railway and was sent to Chatham Dockyard for scrapping in 1948. The locomotive was eventually scrapped in 1954.


Ruston & Hornsby, 4wD, Works 213838/1943, worked on the Lodge Hill & Upnor Railway and was sent to Chatham Dockyard for storage in 1960. No other information about this locos future is known.


Greenwood & Batley, ‘Rail Truck’, Works 3543/1946, also worked on the Lodge Hill & Upnor Railway and was sent to Chatham Dockyard for storage in May 1961. This was known by the makers as a ‘Rail Truck’, had a capacity of 3-4 tons and was fitted with a platform 8ft long by 4ft wide. No other information about this ‘trolley’, or its future is known.


2 locomotives from Hong Kong Dockyard arrived at Chatham Dockyard in 1955 for scrapping, these being;

  • Andrew Barclay, Sons & Co. Ltd.0-4-0ST, Works No.1776/1922, “HONG KONG YARD No.1”
  • R. & W.Hawthorns, Leslie & Co.Ltd.0-4-0ST, Works No.3161/1929, “HONG KONG YARD No.2”