Locomotives \ No.6 Samson

Samson at New Romney, 20th April 2003. Click picture for a larger image.

Freelance outline two-cylinder 4-8-2 Mountain class locomotive
Designed by Henry Greenly
Built by Davey Paxman & Co., (16042) in 1927

Overall length: 25'
Weight in working order: 8 ton 5cwt.
Driving wheel diameter: 1' 7.5"
Bogie and trailing wheel diameter: 1'
Cylinders: 5.25" x 8.5"
Current Livery: Great Eastern Blue

Samson was delivered to the railway on 20th July 1927, the identical twin of Hercules. These two locomotives were designed — by Henry Greenly — and ordered to cope with the anticipated ballast traffic that the line hoped to transport. She fell victim to it's failure to materialise and her own in-ability to negotiate the points and crossings in use on the railway at the time.

Between the years 1931 and 1946 she remained un-used. Rusting away in the yard, she was raided for spares.

After the war, Samson was sent to Hove for a re-build and then in 1961 she received a superheated boiler.

In 1973, she was involved in a fatal accident with a stolen car at a level crossing at Dymchurch and sent to Leeds for repair, returning the following year. This accident led to the installation of flashing warning lights being installed at road crossings on the railway.

From 1955, Samson appeared in a lined black livery, but she received a red coat of paint whilst she was used at the 1984 Garden Festival in Liverpool. This livery remained until a 1989 repaint, when she emerged in a dark blue similar to that of the former Great Eastern Region. Her whistle is an American Crosby Chime.

Her last overhaul occured during 1994-1995 and she emerged retaining the handsome dark-blue livery but equipped with the smoke deflectors she wore briefly after the 1974 overhaul.

Along with Hercules, Samson uses an original Greenly-designed bogie tender.

In the early part of May 1996, Samson became the fifth Romney loco to travel up to the Ravengalss and Eskdale Railway for a few days work on that fine line.

The locomotive received an imtermediate overhaul at New Romney during winter 2004/2005 and returns to action for 2005.

Samson Picture Gallery

• Double-heading with Hercules at Dungeness, May 1997
• Departing from Dungeness with Hercules, May 1997
• With The Kent Coast Express at Hythe, May 1997
• On the turntable at Hythe
• Leaving the turntable at Hythe
• Side profile, with Old Lighthouse behind, at Dungeness
• Showing off her livery at Dungeness
• With Black Prince outside the engine shed at the end of the 75th Anniversary celelbrations, 14th July 2002
• Arriving at Dungeness, February 2003
• At New Romney Station following the end-of-Saturday parellel run for the 2003 Steam and Diesel Gala
• Waiting at Dymchurch, May 2003

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