:Ashford Steam Centre

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}

{{Infobox museum

| name = Ashford Steam Centre

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| image = File:Black Five 45110 at Ashford Steam Centre (02).JPG

| imagesize =

| caption = Black Five 45110 at Ashford Steam Centre

| alt =

| map_type = Kent

| map_relief =

| map_size =

| map_caption = Ashford Steam Centre in Kent

| map_dot_label =

| coordinates = {{coord|51.138|0.888|region:GB|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| former_name =

| established = 1968

| dissolved = 1976

| location = Willesborough, Ashford, Kent
{{gbmappingsmall|TR 021 416}}

| type = Operational railway museum

| accreditation =

| key_holdings =

| collections =

| collection_size =

| visitors =

| founder = Esmond Lewis-Evans

| director =

| president =

| chairperson =

| curator =

| historian =

| owner = British Railways Board

| publictransit =

| car_park =

| parking =

| network =

| website =

| embedded =

}}

{{Ashford Steam Centre}}

Ashford Steam Centre was a short-lived railway museum at Willesborough, Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom. It was located at the former engine shed that was situated east of Ashford railway station. The museum opened in 1968 and closed in 1976.

History

Ashford Steam Centre was established by Esmond Lewis-Evans. It occupied the former engine shed that was located east of Ashford railway station. The shed, with its turntable, coaling stage and water tower had been built by the Southern Railway in 1931. It ceased to be used for the servicing of steam locomotives in June 1962, following which it was used to service diesel locomotives. The steam centre was established in 1968.{{cite web |url=http://www.steamsheds.co.uk/index.php?n=Sheds.ASHFORDSR |title=ASHFORD (SR) |publisher=Sheamsheds |access-date=3 April 2015}} On 11 April 1971, the Southern Electric Group organised the Man of Kent {{'}}71 railtour, which visited the steam centre. Class 71 locomotive E5005 and 4TC set 427 were used.{{cite web |url=http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/710411se.html |title=11th April 1971 Southern Electric Group Man of Kent '71 Rail Tour |publisher=Six Bells Junction |access-date=3 April 2015}}

In 1974, the centre was open once a month, on the second Sunday of the month. At the time, there were around a dozen locomotives on site.{{cite journal |url=http://sias.pastfinder.org.uk/news01-41/news03.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304103828/http://sias.pastfinder.org.uk/news01-41/news03.pdf |url-status=usurped |archive-date=4 March 2016 |title=Newsletter No. 3 |publisher=Sussex Industrial Archaeology Society |issue=June 1974 |access-date=3 April 2015}} Due to mounting debts, the steam centre was closed May 1976 and its rolling stock was dispersed. The engine shed and surrounding area were cleared in 1989, with the area being used for the storage of motor vehicles. Since 2005 most of the site has been sold for housing development.

Rolling stock

The following items of rolling stock were based at Ashford Steam Centre.

=Locomotives=

class="wikitable"
Origin

! Wheel
arrangement

! Class

! Notes

! Photograph

SECR

| 0-6-0

| C

| No 592. Moved to the Bluebell Railway post closure.

| 150px

SECR

| 0-4-4T

| H

| No. 263, running in plain green livery.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9U6_D5rYRo |title=Ashford Steam Centre, 1 of 3 |year=1969 |location=Ashford Steam Centre |publisher=Southern Railway Films |access-date=3 April 2015}} Following closure, the locomotive was transferred to the Bluebell Railway.{{cite web |url=http://localrags.co.uk/index.php/2014/10/26/a-small-boys-memories-of-a-little-railway-that-ran-through-bodiam-on-kent-and-sussex-border/ |title=Railways: A small boy's memories of a little railway that ran through Bodiam on Kent and Sussex border - Photos |first=Tim |last=Spafford |publisher=Hawkinge Gazette |date=26 October 2014 |access-date=3 April 2015}}

| 150px

SR

| 4-6-2

| MN

| No 35028 Clan Line, running in full British Railways lined green livery.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3bBL87t-6Q |title=Ashford Steam Centre, 3 of 3 |date=2 December 1973 |location=Ashford Steam Centre |publisher=Southern Railway Films |access-date=3 April 2015}}

| 150px

SR

| 4-6-0

| N15

| No 777 Sir Lamiel.{{cite web |url=http://www.5305la.org.uk/News/Article/293 |title=Happy New Year for 2011 |publisher=5305 Locomotive Association |date=1 January 2011 |access-date=3 April 2015}}

| 150px

SECR

| 0-6-0

| O1

| No. 65, running in plain green livery.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esQ0eNVjsGo |title=Ashford Steam Centre, 2 of 3 |year=1969 |location=Ashford Steam Centre |publisher=Southern Railway Films |access-date=3 April 2015}} Bought from British Railways by Lewis-Evans in 1968. Moved to a site in Kent post-closure, then to the Bluebell Railway in 1996.{{cite web |url=http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/~zhaa009/bb/locos/01_page/index.htm |title=Profile of O1 Class No.65 |publisher=Bluebell Railway |access-date=3 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304195107/http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/~zhaa009/bb/locos/01_page/index.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}

| 150px

LMS

| 4-6-0

| Black Five

| No. 45110, running in British Railways black livery.

| 150px

Hawthorn Leslie

| 0-4-0ST

|

| Acquired from Blue Circle, Swanscombe by the Gravesend Railway Enthusiast's Society. Moved to Colne Valley Railway in May 1976.

| 150px

Hawthorn Leslie

| 0-4-0ST

| Munition

| Singapore, Ex-HMNB Chatham. Moved to Rutland Railway Museum post-closure.{{cite journal |title=Japanese POW repainted to mark Second World War's end |journal=Heritage Railway |issue=201 |page=24 |publisher=Morton's Media Ltd |location=Horncastle |issn=1466-3562}}

| 150px

CF du Nord

| 4-6-0

| 3.513

| De Glehn compound No 3.628. Built in 1908 for the CF du Nord, which became part of SNCF on nationalisation. Imported from France in the early 1970s. To Nene Valley Railway post-closure, where it worked the inaugural train. Sold to the Science Museum, London but later sold to a private owner. The locomotive was returned to France for restoration at Longueville, Seine-et-Marne by AJECTA.{{cite journal |url=http://ajectathefrenchsteam.unblog.fr/nord-3628-3628-sncf-230-d-116-french-ten-wheels/ |title=Brief History of Nord Compound 3.628 |journal=SNCF Society Journal |issue=109 |date=March 2003 |access-date=3 April 2015}}

| 150px

NSB

| 2-6-0

| NSB Class 21c

| No. 376 King Haakon VII.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

| 150px

|

| Fireless locomotive

| Scrapped in 1984 in lieu of rent owed.

|

Hudswell Clarke

| 0-6-0

|

| D810 Enterprise, diesel-mechanical prototype of the Paxman Hi-Dyne engine

Scrapped 1992

| 150px

=Multiple units=

class="wikitable"
Origin

! Class

! Notes

! Photograph

SR

| 4RES

| DMBTO No.11161. Returned to service in 2012 as part of 4COR unit 3402 on the East Kent Railway.{{Cite web |url=http://w2ww.southernelectric.org.uk/preservation/3142/4cor-gallery-ashford-steam-centre.html |title=4COR GALLERY - ASHFORD STEAM CENTRE |publisher=Southern Electric Group |access-date=3 April 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/preservation/3142/ |title=4COR UNIT 3142 INTRODUCTION |publisher=Southern Electric Group |access-date=3 April 2015}}

|

SR

| 4DD

| Unit No. 4902, British Rail blue livery. Three vehicles of a four-car unit, both driving vehicles and a trailer. The trailer was scrapped in 1984, in lieu of rent owed.{{cite journal |title='O1' saviour Esmond Lewis-Evans dies |first=Thomas |last=Bright |journal=Steam Railway |issue=457 |page=18 |publisher=Bauer Consumer Media |location=Peterborough |date=3 November 2017 |issn=0143-7232}}

| 150px

SR

| 5BEL

| Pullman Kitchen First No S280S Audrey. British Rail blue and grey livery.{{cite web |url=http://www.cambrianmodels.co.uk/photoarksg1.html#ashf |title=Ashford Steam Centre/Works, Image 1 of 3 |publisher=Cambrian Models |access-date=3 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085304/http://www.cambrianmodels.co.uk/photoarksg1.html#ashf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }} To East Somerset Railway in May 1978. Sold in 1980 for use in the Venice-Simplon Orient Express.{{cite web |url=http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/stock.php?num=S280S |title=SR/Pullman TPFK no.S280S 'Audrey' |publisher=East Somerset Railway |access-date=3 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092949/http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/stock.php?num=S280S |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}

| 150px

=Carriages=

class="wikitable"
Origin

! Number

! Type

! Notes

! Photograph

SECR

| 950

| Birdcage brake

| Built for the South Eastern & Chatham Railway's boat trains, with the introduction of the new corridor boat train in the early years of the Southern Railway, it was then kept as a spare, downgraded to third class. It subsequently found use in one of the Eastern Section's 'long' sets until converted into a mess van on withdrawal.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}} Moved to a farm near Ashford in 1983, then to the Bluebell Railway in September 1998. It is stored unserviceable on the Bluebell Railway.{{cite web |url=http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=336 |title=SECR 950 'Birdcage' Semi Saloon Lavatory Brake Second built 1907 |publisher=Vintage Carriages Trust |access-date=15 February 2016}}

|

Pullman

| No 243 Lucille

| Parlour First

| Built in 1928 by Metro Cammell for the LNER Queen of the Scots service. Transferred in 1963 to the Southern Region of British Railways for use on the Bournemouth Belle. Withdrawn in 1967 and arrived at Ashford the following year. Following closure, Lucille remained on site until she was sold in May 1985 for use on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express.{{cite web |url=http://www.kentrail.org.uk/Lucille_Pullman.htm |title=Lucille |publisher=Kentrail |access-date=3 April 2015}}{{cite magazine |url=https://sremg.org.uk/coach/coupe/coupe027.pdf |magazine=Coupé News |issue= 27 |date=May 1985 |title=Look Back at Pullman |publisher=SEMG |access-date=3 April 2015}}

| 150px

Pullman

| No 306 Orion

|

| Built in 1951 for use on the Golden Arrow. Withdrawn on 1 October 1972 and arrived at Ashford later that month. Moved to Peco Modelrama, Beer, Devon post-closure.{{cite web |url=http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/carriages/content.htm?id=carriages/pullman301-310 |title=Golden Arrow Pullman Cars |publisher=RCTS |access-date=3 April 2015}}

| 150px

Pullman

| No 238 Phyllis

| Parlour First

| Built for the LNER in 1928. Arrived at Ashford in 1968. Moved to Molash, Kent in 1983 and subsequently to Shottenden. Stored at the Bluebell Railway in 1997. Sold to the Venice-Simplon Orient Express in 2000.{{cite web|url=http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=2238 |title=Pullman LNER 238 Phyllis Pullman Kitchen First built 1928 |publisher=Vintage Carriages Trust |access-date=3 April 2015}}

|

Pullman

| No 43 Sapphire

|

| Built for the SECR in 1910, rebuilt in 1937. To Lavender Line in 1984. Sold in 1988 to a private owner and used in a restaurant at Seaburn, Tyne and Wear.{{cite web |url=http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=2207 |title=Pullman SECR 43 Sapphire Parlour First built 1910 |publisher=Vintage Carriages Trust |access-date=3 April 2015}}

|

NSB

| 1001

| Four-wheel brake

| Moved to the Great Central Railway post-closure. Later moved to Bressingham, Norfolk.{{cite web |url=http://www.brc-stockbook.co.uk/norwegian.htm |title=Norwegian Coach - NSB 1001 |publisher=Buckinghamshire Railway Centre |access-date=3 April 2015}}

|

=Other items of rolling stock=

class="wikitable"
Origin

! Number

! Type

! Notes

! Photograph

Grafton

|

| Self-propelled crane.

|

|

|

| Six-wheeled van

|

|

Smith's, Rodley

|

| Steam crane.

| {{cite web|url=http://www.gres.org.uk/page4.html |title=History of the Gravesend Railway Enthusiast's Society |publisher=The Gravesend Railway Enthusiasts Society |first=Geoff |last=Miall |access-date=3 April 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407204408/http://www.gres.org.uk/page4.html |archive-date=7 April 2015 }}

|

References