Lyme Billy patiently waiting...
04th July 2025
Adams Radial tank no. 30583 looking good but going nowhere…yet.
During a recent visit to the Bluebell Railway there was one locomotive that I was definitely looking forward to see, the sole surviving Adams Radial tank, once used on the Lyme Regis branch. The year 2025 marks 60 years since the line closed.
The former LSWR 4-4-2T Adams Radial tank engines were synonymous with the Axminster to Lyme Regis branch line that operated between 1903 and 1965. The Radial tanks were considered ideal locomotives for the tortuous twists and turns that defined this attractive route, crossing the border between Devon and Dorset. The term “radial” was used to acknowledge the radial truck that was required to support the longer coal bunker at the rear of the engine. It was only their age and the need for overhaul that caused their demise and withdrawal in 1961. A sad outcome but it was remarkable that these Victorian locomotives were able to survive for so long, way beyond their expected life span.
The 0415 class of 71 locomotives were constructed by four separate builders between 1882 and 1885, but just three engines survived after the majority were taken out of service between 1921 and 1929. Two were retained for the Lyme branch (nos. 0125/3125/30582 and 0520/3520/30584) but by 1946 it was decided necessary for another “Radial” tank to join the two to help with the workload, especially with the heavy summer traffic when two engines were required on some trains. Fortunately one other engine survived: no. 0488 had been sold to Colonel Stephens for use on his East Kent Railway and when that was considered surplus to requirements (it apparently was only used once a month on this line) the Southern Railway were able to buy it back, overhaul it, and put it back into service as their no. 3488, later BR 30583. Thereafter the three "Radials" took care of all services on the branch line for 15 years, until time caught up with them and the need to replace them was nigh. They were taken out of service by 1961 and no. 30583 was bought by the Bluebell Railway, the world's oldest preserved standard gauge railway, beginning operations in 1960. No. 30583 was driven to its new home and renumbered back to no. 488. It served the line well for many years but in 1990 it was withdrawn from service needing a lot of maintenance, including potentially a new boiler and possibly new wheels. I was very fortunate to see no. 488 in steam just a few months before it was taken out of service, and one of my two photos is below, the loco shunting a few wagons at Horstead Keynes on 6th June 1990.
Bringing no. 488/30583 back to life sounds like a very expensive job but happily the Bluebell Railway are committed to returning it to service. The Atlantic House group, the people behind the building of the LB&SCR 4-4-2 "Beachy Head", are presently restoring B4 tank "Normandy" but afterwards then their attention will focus on the Radial.
It may be a few years yet before she moves again under her own steam. In the meantime, the loco resides under cover and safe from deterioration inside the Atlantic House at Sheffield Park. On my visit I was fortunate enough to be able to see inside and take these photos and it was pleasing to see how good she looked, on the outside at least! For more information follow this link and support the efforts to restore the loco: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/heritage-locomotives/lswr-adams-radial-tank-no-30583/
During a recent visit to the Bluebell Railway there was one locomotive that I was definitely looking forward to see, the sole surviving Adams Radial tank, once used on the Lyme Regis branch. The year 2025 marks 60 years since the line closed.
The former LSWR 4-4-2T Adams Radial tank engines were synonymous with the Axminster to Lyme Regis branch line that operated between 1903 and 1965. The Radial tanks were considered ideal locomotives for the tortuous twists and turns that defined this attractive route, crossing the border between Devon and Dorset. The term “radial” was used to acknowledge the radial truck that was required to support the longer coal bunker at the rear of the engine. It was only their age and the need for overhaul that caused their demise and withdrawal in 1961. A sad outcome but it was remarkable that these Victorian locomotives were able to survive for so long, way beyond their expected life span.
The 0415 class of 71 locomotives were constructed by four separate builders between 1882 and 1885, but just three engines survived after the majority were taken out of service between 1921 and 1929. Two were retained for the Lyme branch (nos. 0125/3125/30582 and 0520/3520/30584) but by 1946 it was decided necessary for another “Radial” tank to join the two to help with the workload, especially with the heavy summer traffic when two engines were required on some trains. Fortunately one other engine survived: no. 0488 had been sold to Colonel Stephens for use on his East Kent Railway and when that was considered surplus to requirements (it apparently was only used once a month on this line) the Southern Railway were able to buy it back, overhaul it, and put it back into service as their no. 3488, later BR 30583. Thereafter the three "Radials" took care of all services on the branch line for 15 years, until time caught up with them and the need to replace them was nigh. They were taken out of service by 1961 and no. 30583 was bought by the Bluebell Railway, the world's oldest preserved standard gauge railway, beginning operations in 1960. No. 30583 was driven to its new home and renumbered back to no. 488. It served the line well for many years but in 1990 it was withdrawn from service needing a lot of maintenance, including potentially a new boiler and possibly new wheels. I was very fortunate to see no. 488 in steam just a few months before it was taken out of service, and one of my two photos is below, the loco shunting a few wagons at Horstead Keynes on 6th June 1990.
Bringing no. 488/30583 back to life sounds like a very expensive job but happily the Bluebell Railway are committed to returning it to service. The Atlantic House group, the people behind the building of the LB&SCR 4-4-2 "Beachy Head", are presently restoring B4 tank "Normandy" but afterwards then their attention will focus on the Radial.
It may be a few years yet before she moves again under her own steam. In the meantime, the loco resides under cover and safe from deterioration inside the Atlantic House at Sheffield Park. On my visit I was fortunate enough to be able to see inside and take these photos and it was pleasing to see how good she looked, on the outside at least! For more information follow this link and support the efforts to restore the loco: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/heritage-locomotives/lswr-adams-radial-tank-no-30583/