Last Updated on April 23, 2026
At its inception in 1923 the Southern Railway was the Cinderella of the ‘Big Four. But within seven years it had introduced an admirable trio of main-line passenger loco-motives, the ‘King Arthurs’, the ‘Lord Nelsons’ and the ‘Schools’. They were a major factor in the raising of the Southern’s reputation to a high level.
Stephen Townroe got to grips with his subject early in life when, as a young man in overalls, he helped to build some of the new
‘Schools’ engines. Subsequently he left the workshops for a career in the locomotive
running department during which he rode on
‘Arthurs’, ‘Nelsons’ and
‘Schools’
and, in
various capacities
at running sheds and at
headquarters, was responsible for maintaining them.
The book is not entirely devoted to locomotive technicalities. It includes many fascinating reminiscences of the Southern Railway in peace and wartime and details of some major mishaps. Many of the photographs have never been published before.
The author was trained as a locomotive engineer at the Vulcan Foundry of Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire. He joined the Southern Railway in 1932 as a member of R.E.L.
Maunsell’s staff. He compiled the Southern Railway’s official manual, Practical Hints for Footplate Men and was later a District
Motive Power Superintendent in the BR organisation, during which period he com-piled, with other regional representatives, the British
Railways
Handbook for Steam locomotive enginemen
This book was previously for sale at Margot’s Books. The shop is now closed — this post is kept as an archive record only.
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