Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns Ltd (RSH) was a locomotive builder with works in North East England.
History
The company was formed in September 1937, when Darlington based Robert Stephenson and Company took over the locomotive building department of Hawthorn Leslie and Company, which was based in Newcastle upon Tyne. The goodwill of Leeds locomotive builders Kitson & Co. was obtained in 1938.
RSH locomotive numbering began at 6939, this being the first number following the sum total of locomotives built by Robert Stephenson & Co. and Hawthorn Leslie, (6938).
RSH became part of English Electric in 1955 and merged with GEC in 1968.
Locomotive building at the Newcastle upon Tyne works ended in 1961 and at Darlington in 1964.
Diesel locomotives RSH entered the diesel locomotive market in November 1937 with a "direct reversing" locomotive fitted with a Crossley two-stroke engine. There was no reversing gearbox and the diesel engine itself was reversible, as in marine practice. When starting, in either direction, power was supplied by compressed air until the engine fired.Industrial Railway Record no. 169, June 2002, pp 146-158, ISSN 0537-5347 One of these locomotives, Beryl (RSH 7697/1953), is preserved at the Tanfield Railway. After the 1955 modernisation plan of British Railways RSH responded by building the following class of diesel locomotives some of which are preserved (Including D306 & D318).
Class 04 Class 20 Class 37 Class 40
They also built the following for Australia.
Queensland Railways DL class WAGR Z class
Preservation Location CountryNameWorks NumberBuiltArrangementGaugePhoto and notesThe Norwegian State Railway Museum, Hamar, NorwayNONSB Class 2a No. 17 "Caroline"14071861 OperationalEgyptian National Railways Museum, Cairo, EgyptEGESR No. 9861866On display Kaya Railway, SL Plaza, Kaya County, Kyoto, Japan JP No. 2 2105 1873 Glenbrook Vintage Railway, Ferrymead Heritage Park, Glenbrook, NZ NZ No. F.233 2593 1885 Ulster Folk and Transport MuseumNI2 Kathleen26131887Static DisplayNew Jersey Museum of TransportationUSA3 Lady Edith26141887 Static DisplayUlster Folk and Transport MuseumNILP&HC no. 127381891Static DisplayRailway Museum (Western Australia)AUSWAGR No. 20128861898On displayValley Heights Rail MuseumAUSCommonwealth Portland Cement Co No. 229941899Operational, Nicknamed "Stevo"Bressingham Steam and GardensGBLT&SR No. 80 Thundersley33661909On display, on loan from the National Railway museum.Belen de Escobar, Argentina ARFCGM No. 90735121912On displayMid-Hants RailwayGBS&DJR No. 8838941925Out of ServiceNorth Norfolk RailwayGBS&DJR No. 8938951925OperationalMuseum of Science and IndustryUSARocket40721931Replica, on displayHopetown Darlington (loan from Darlington Railway Preservation Society)GBNo. 3969471938On displayBeamish Museum GB Roker70061940On static display awaiting overhaulTanfield Railway GB Hendon70071940Awaiting restorationEast Anglian Railway Museum GB Pen Green (now Thomas)70311941 (now with side tanks also)Operational, converted into a Thomas the Tank Engine replica in March 2008, boiler ticket expires in 2027Tanfield Railway GB Lysaghts70351940Awaiting restorationChatham Historic Dockyard GB Ajax70421941Operational, worked for the Ministry of DefenceGwili Railway GB Olwen70581942Undergoing overhaulFoxfield Light Railway GB Eustace Forth70631942Operational, boiler ticket expires in 2027Keighley and Worth Valley Railway GB Southwick70691942Undergoing overhaul, owned by the Bahamas Locomotive Society Yaxham GB Millfield70701942Static display.Tanfield Railway GB70781944Bo-BoBuilt for 500v DC overhead system at Kearsley Power StationEmbsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway GB Norman70861943Undergoing overhaul; built as Austerity WD 75050Strathspey Railway GB70971943Restoration started in 2019; built as Austerity WD 75061Tanfield Railway GBNCB No. 4970981943Operational (Returned to traffic July 2018, Boiler tickets expires 2028); built as Austerity WD 75062Peak Rail GBRoyal Pioneer71361944Undergoing overhaul, built as Austerity WD 75186Dean Forest Railway GBNo. 152 Rennes71391944Operational, painted in Longmoor Military Railway liveryAvon Valley Railway GB71511944Stored awaiting overhaul.Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway GB71515 Mechanical Navvy71691945TWithdrawn Sept. 2018; built as Austerity WD 71515Gwili Railway GB Welsh Guardsman71701944Operational following a return to service in 2014; built as Austerity WD 71516Midland Railway - Butterley GB George72141945Undergoing restorationColne Valley Railway GB Doug Tottman72841945Bo-BoBuilt for Kearsley Power Station, rebuilt as battery electric for Heysham Power StationTyseley Locomotive Works GBFred72891945Built as Austerity WD 71480. Returned to steam in 2024 following overhaul at Tyseley. National Coal Mining Museum GB Progress72981946Static displayElsecar Railway GB Birkenhead73861948Undergoing overhaulTanfield Railway GB Sir Cecil A. Cochrane74091948Operational Private site GBNorwood74121948Undergoing restoration off siteMuseum of Science and Industry (Manchester) GB Agecroft No. 174161948OperationalRibble Steam Railway GB Agecroft No. 274851947On static display awaiting overhaulMainline Steam Heritage Trust, Plimmerton, NZ NZ EW 1805 7491 1951 Bo-Bo-BoNew Zealand EW class electric Canterbury Railway Society, Ferrymead Heritage Park, Christchurch, NZ NZ EW 1806 7492 1951 Bo-Bo-BoNew Zealand EW class locomotiveSnibston Discovery Park GB Mars No. 274931948Awaiting restorationBattlefield Line Railway GB Richard III75371949Stored out of useLincolnshire Wolds Railway GB Zebedee75971949Undergoing overhaulEast Somerset Railway GB Meteor76091950Undergoing restorationDidcot Railway Centre GBBonnie Prince Charlie76441951On static display awaiting overhaul. Used in title sequence of 1980s children's series The Saturday Banana.Great Central Railway GB Nechells No. 476481951Undergoing overhaulEmbsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway GB Beano76611959Stored awaiting overhaulEpping Ongar Railway GB 5676671950Stored awaiting overhaulSpa Valley Railway GB Samson76681950Restoration on holdColne Valley Railway GB Jupiter76711951Built for the Corby Ironstone works. Undergoing overhaulSpa Valley Railway GB Ugly76731950OperationalFulstow Steam Centre GB Fulstow76801950Operational. Built for Leicester Power Station.Whitwell and Reepham Railway GB Agecroft No. 376811951Undergoing overhaulNorth Tyneside Steam Railway GB Meaford No.176831951Static display awaiting restorationTanfield Railway GB Beryl76971953Awaiting repairGarw Valley GB 770577051952Undergoing restorationLa Grange Railroad Museum, La Grange, Kentucky USA Meaford No. 2 (Flying Duchess)77451952Static displayTanfield Railway GBNCB No. 4477601953Awaiting restorationEpping Ongar Railway GB Corby77611954Stored awaiting overhaulTanfield Railway GBNCB No. 3877631954Awaiting overhaulWeardale Railway GBNCB No. 4077651954Undergoing overhaulTanfield Railway GBCEGB No. 2177971954Awaiting overhaulTanfield Railway GBNo. 47780019540-6-0STAwaiting restoration, ex Celynen South Power StationMidland Railway - Butterley GBCastle Donington Power Station No. 178171954Undergoing overhaulYaxham GBCastle Donington Power Station No. 278181954Awaiting overhaulTanfield Railway GBNCB No. 1679441957Awaiting restorationDales Countryside Museum GB6734578451955On display, built for CEGB Hams Hall Power StationFerryhill Railway Heritage Trust GB North Downs78461955Under restoration - Boiler rebuiltGwili Railway GB Moorbarrow78491955Undergoing overhaul
References
Industrial Railway Society : Various publications.