Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway No 2 Northern Chief - Davey Paxman & Co 15470 of 1925 4-6-2 Pacific - Departing New Romney for Dungeness, Kent England - Sept1977 - 09826xxn
Abridged from www.paxmanhistory.org.uk/paxsteam.htm - Capt J E P Howey and Count Louis Zborowski, both famous racing drivers in the early 1920s shared a passion for narrow gauge railways and each was sufficiently wealthy to be able to afford a 15" gauge railway on his estate.
They asked Henry Greenly to design a 15" gauge locomotive for them wanting the fastest, most impressive 15" locomotives ever built and planned to use them initially on Zborowski's private estate, Higham Park at Bridge, near Canterbury. Greenly drew up plans for a one third scale model based on Nigel Gresley's famous A1 4-6-2 Pacifics of the Great Northern/London & North Eastern Railway, and Zborowski ordered two from Paxman in 1924. But, before they were completed he was killed competing in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in October 1924. Howey then decided to take over the order and create a mainline in miniature as a memorial to his friend.
The locomotives were completed at Standard Works in 1925, however as Howey had no suitable track of his own, the first locomotive, Davey Paxman 15469, was despatched to the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway in June 1925 for a month of trials. After acquitting herself well in the trials the engine was returned to Davey Paxman at Colchester for minor rectification work and named 'Green Goddess'. The second locomotive, Davey Paxman 15470, was named 'Northern Chief'.
Howey and Greenly found a site on the Romney Marsh on the Kent coast and Greenly proceeded with the land purchase for what was to become the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. 'Green Goddess' and 'Northern Chief' were dispatched from Colchester and stored in the corner of a garage at New Romney until track could be laid. The engines were in use by 1926, with the line being formally opened on 16th July 1927.
Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway No 2 Northern Chief - Davey Paxman & Co 15470 of 1925 4-6-2 Pacific - Departing New Romney for Dungeness, Kent England - Sept1977 - 09826xxn
Abridged from www.paxmanhistory.org.uk/paxsteam.htm - Capt J E P Howey and Count Louis Zborowski, both famous racing drivers in the early 1920s shared a passion for narrow gauge railways and each was sufficiently wealthy to be able to afford a 15" gauge railway on his estate.
They asked Henry Greenly to design a 15" gauge locomotive for them wanting the fastest, most impressive 15" locomotives ever built and planned to use them initially on Zborowski's private estate, Higham Park at Bridge, near Canterbury. Greenly drew up plans for a one third scale model based on Nigel Gresley's famous A1 4-6-2 Pacifics of the Great Northern/London & North Eastern Railway, and Zborowski ordered two from Paxman in 1924. But, before they were completed he was killed competing in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in October 1924. Howey then decided to take over the order and create a mainline in miniature as a memorial to his friend.
The locomotives were completed at Standard Works in 1925, however as Howey had no suitable track of his own, the first locomotive, Davey Paxman 15469, was despatched to the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway in June 1925 for a month of trials. After acquitting herself well in the trials the engine was returned to Davey Paxman at Colchester for minor rectification work and named 'Green Goddess'. The second locomotive, Davey Paxman 15470, was named 'Northern Chief'.
Howey and Greenly found a site on the Romney Marsh on the Kent coast and Greenly proceeded with the land purchase for what was to become the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. 'Green Goddess' and 'Northern Chief' were dispatched from Colchester and stored in the corner of a garage at New Romney until track could be laid. The engines were in use by 1926, with the line being formally opened on 16th July 1927.