Rapido 926009 USATC S160 2-8-0 No.95820 ‘Big Jim’ BR Black Early Crest

Rapido 926009 USATC S160 2-8-0 No.95820 ‘Big Jim’ BR Black Early Crest

The year is 1942, the world is at war and the United Kingdom has limited resources to combat the enemy, let alone launch an invasion of the European mainland. What is available is becoming stretched far too thinly, including the nation’s railways. Due to years of consistent bombing, the railways were struggling to cope with the increased traffic and locomotives and rolling stock were in short supply. Thankfully our American Allies stepped up, aiding us in our hour of need.

Designed by Major J. W. Marsh from the Railway Branch of the Corps of Engineers, the S160 had to fit the more restrictive loading gauge of the UK. They had to be easy to build, quick to repair and reliable. Constructed in the United States in multiple batches from 1942 to 1945, they were split between the ALCO, Baldwin, and Lima Locomotive Works. Collectively, almost 800 locomotives were shipped to the UK. Landing mainly in Newport, South Wales, as well as Birkenhead, Glasgow and London, the locomotives passed through major workshops before being sent on to the respective railway company. The first 396 were assigned to the 4 railway regions of the era and under the guise of them being run in, 174 were issued to the Great Western Railway, 168 to the London & North Eastern Railway, 50 to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and a much more modest 6 to the Southern Railway. The final 400 UK-issued locos were also stored in South Wales, where they were kept as part of the D-Day preparations. With the invasion on the horizon, June 1944 saw the stored engines sent for servicing and processing, all leaving by early September 1944.

Eight locos have been repatriated to the UK in preservation and all of them are different from their counterparts, some more subtly than others. Despite all having key visual differences, several of the preserved versions have been returned to running order, with no less than three examples currently in operation with a number of others under restoration.

Specifications:

• Livery- Black (satin) with early BR emblem
• Manufacturer- Lima Locomotive Works – Ohio – 1945
• Repatriation date- November 1977
• Current location- Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
• Date of model- February 2014 to Easter 2014
• Standard lamp iron
• Straight strap smokebox doo
• PKP air pump with short smokebox handrai
• Stepped running board on right hand sid
• Right hand drive with screw reverser and original pattern firehole doo
• Cab rear shutters fitte
• Tender with lockers and coal space storag
• Ejector fitted to right hand side of smokebo
• Boiler-mounted ejector pipe fitte
• Alternate piston valve covers fitted
• Two factory-fitted speakers (one in the loco and another in the tender).
• Dual LED firebox glow with dynamic fire draw effect.
• Large motor with twin flywheels.
• Pickups on driving wheels and tender.
• 21-pin DCC decoder socket mounted in the tender.