European Railroad Discussion > An E class may rise like a phoenix

For the past five years or so I've been a financial contributor to the Bluebell Railway's Brighton Atlantic project, which is to build a working replica of the last London, Brighton & South Coast Railway Atlantic 32424 Beachy Head, which was withdrawn and broken up in 1958. With Beachy Head scheduled for completion in 2021 the project team has cast around for another locomotive to recreate and have decided on a South Eastern & Chatham E class 4-4-0. The Es were built in 1906, primarily for the boat trains from London to the Channel ports. They were an enlarged version of the SE&C's first express locomotive, the class D of 1901. Some were rebuilt into class E1 in the years after WW1, others remained un-rebuilt. The latter had all disappeared by 1956. But now, money and materials permitting a replica of a lost class will emerge, hopefully within five to seven years.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/20 10:07 by 86235.

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Hey Nick - I want to see someone build a new Leader!  What do you think the odds are?

Over here the T-1 Trust is slowly trying to build a new PRR T-1 duplex.   Working on the boiler, firebox and wheels (and they have a tender) but haven't seen any talk of how they will do the frame.  That seems like a big chore. 

The UK has a better record at this than we do - what with Tornado running, and isn't there also a project to build an LNER P2?

Duncan - yes there's Tornado, the P2's boiler is due to be delivered from DB Meiningen workshop next year, there's an LMS Patriot under construction and, of course, LB&SCR Beachy Head. In addition the Ffestiniog Railway has built four new steam locomotives in the preservation era, currently on its fifth and sixth. So there's plenty of expertise and, seemingly, funding. An SE&C E is an interesting choice, chosen mainly because it's a relatively simple, but robust design and which complements the Bluebell's raison d'etre. I shall be supporting them.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/20 23:42 by 86235.