“King George” and D2120 storm up the grade!

On a gloriously sunny May 18^th 2025 an invited party of 14 members and 6 wives visited Fawley, the home of the late Sir William McAlpine since the 1960s. The estate comprises a museum which houses the usual array of small artefacts plus various model railway layouts ranging in gauge from 00 to 2½ inches. The main attraction however is the railway line which is alleged to be the steepest non-adhesion standard gauge line in the world with a gradient of 1 in 13!  

On the day, ex-BR Class 03 No. D2120 was providing the early motive power until it was joined in tandem by visiting steam loco “King George” No. 2409, constructed by Hunslet in 1942 and on loan from Didcot, the little engine not being powerful enough to pull two wagons up the challenging grade by itself. No. 2409 was substituting for the normally resident Hudswell Clark-built 0-6-0 No.31 which is currently under repair at Didcot.

Our Chairman, Ron Saunders, had updated the Society Headboard to include our 50^th anniversary and it was a fitting climax to a great day out to see “King George” huffing and puffing up the hill on the last train of the day with its smokebox door adorned with our headboard! Thanks are due to John Maine for arranging the trip.

Photo and report by Peter Heath