Fawley Museum
Our Locomotives
This page provides information about the locomotives that can usually be found at Fawley. At the present time, our resident steam locomotive, No 31, has just finished a major overhaul in the workshops at the Didcot Railway Centre. Progress is going well, as can be seen from the photos below, and we look forward seeing her running in at Didcot in the next few weeks prior to her return to Fawley.
No 31 - Progress Report 7; February 2026
No 31 complete and looking resplendent in her new paintwork. GWS staff and Fawley volunteers have done a magnificent job.
Our Class 03, D2120, is just about to be sent away to have the tyres turned. This can't be done with the connecting rods in situ so they have been removed for transporting.
No 31 - Progress Report 6; late-January 2026
Finally, the hydraulic and steam tests are complete and the boiler has been re-united with the underframe. The next stage is to carry out the reinstallation of the pipes and fittings, the lagging of the boiler and the cab front. This will be followed by the refitting of the saddle tank.
Before and after. A nice illustration of shading on loco lettering
Photo: Ali Matthews
With the cab interior repainted, it is time to reinstall the pipework and fittings. Note that the regulator handle is still missing as the paint was still wet. The nameplates will be fitted in the next couple of weeks and running in will begin soon after.
Hudswell Clarke & Co 0-6-0ST 'No 31'
No 31 is the resident steam locomotive at Fawley. Ordered by the Ministry of Fuel and Power, it was built in 1913 and delivered new to Robert McAlpine & Sons, Cuffley. It was painted in Caledonian Blue, a colour that it retained throughout its working life.
It worked on a number of building contracts including Wembley Stadium (1923-1924), RAF Boscombe Down (1944) and Llanwern Steelworks (1960-1961). The locomotive was rebuilt by Hudswell Clark & Co in 1938.
No 31 went into storage at McAlpine’s yard at Hayes in 1961 and remained there until it was identified for scrapping in1965. At this point, Sir William decided to give No 31 a new life in retirement and purchased the locomotive. No 31 arrived at Fawley in September 1965 and was subsequently repainted in GWR Brunswick green livery. Above the smokebox door is carried loco shed plate 81M – a code unique to Fawley (81 refers to Western Region; M stands for McAlpine).
No 31 has now reached the end of her boiler certificate and is currently at Didcot undergoing an extensive overhaul. She is expected to return to Fawley during the 2025 season
Technical Data
Weight 26 Tons
Inside cylinders: 15" diameter, 20" stroke.
Wheels: 3' 7".
Tractive Effort (85%): 14,232 lbs.
Ex-BR 0-6-0 Class 03 Diesel D2120
A total of 230 Class 03 diesel shunter locomotives of were constructed by BR at Swindon and Doncaster, and brought into service between 1957 and 1962.
Our example, D2120, was built at Swindon and entered service in October 1959. It was first allocated to Danygraig Depot and spent its entire career in the Swansea area of South Wales.
In March 1972 whilst on overhaul, D2120 was converted to Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley (BPGV) Railway loading gauge, one of 11 Class 03’s so converted over the years. The BPGV line had a severe height restriction and this conversion involved reducing the cab height by 4½ inches.
During the mid 1970’s BR adopted its TOPS computer numbering system and D2120 was renumbered 03120 in March 1974. As the 03 Class was being reduced in number, 03120 was retained as a standby, allocated to Landore Depot. It was finally withdrawn by BR in February 1986 and released for sale.
Purchased by Sir William McAlpine, 03120 arriving at Fawley in December 1986, wearing the standard fleet livery of BR rail blue with ‘wasp’ yellow and black painted warning ends. Since its arrival it has been repainted into early BR Green as D2120; the wasp stripes at each end of the locomotive were restored in 2019. D2120 wears loco shed plate 87C (Danycraig).
Technical Data
British Railways Class 03
Transmission Diesel Mechanical
Weight 31.3 tons
Tractive Effort 15,3001bs
Max. Speed 28½ mph
F C Hibberd & Co. Planet 4w DM No 3 'ERNIE'
This Planet 4-wheel diesel mechanical shunting locomotive was built by F C Hibberd & Co in 1959 and delivered the same month to Vickers-Armstrong Ltd. at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, being numbered No 3.
In November 1962, the locomotive was sold to Thomas Hill & Co. Kilnhurst where it remained for 7 years before being sold to the Royal Ordnance Factory, Bishopton in February 1969. In 1988, 3894 was rebuilt by Andrew Barclay at their Caledonia Works, Kilmarnock and returned to Bishopton as a spare locomotive. In 1995, the Royal Ordnance Factory depot was closed and the locomotive was sold for scrap.
3894 was purchased by The South Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society and was found to be in remarkably good condition so was offered for sale. The locomotive was purchased by the Fawley Museum Society in September 1997 and arrived at Fawley three months later. In spring 2003, No 3894 received the name ERNIE in memory of Ernie Dove, an FMS volunteer for many years.
F C Hibberd & Co. Planet 4w DM
This small 4-wheel diesel mechanical shunting locomotive was built by F C Hibberd & Co at their works in Park Royal The locomotive was built in 1956 and delivered new to the Tyne Tees Shipping Company at Middlesborough.
When working at Middlesbrough, 3817 carried the name, TYNE TEES WHARF No1.
The locomotive was sold to Thomas Hill in January 1970 and moved to Kilnhurst Works, Rotherham. Sold to Courtaulds in October 1973, 3817 then moved to their Great Coates Works, Grimsby where it is believed to have stayed for the next 15 years.
The locomotive was purchased for preservation in 1988 and moved to the South Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society at Meadowhall, Sheffield in September of that year. 3817 was purchased by Sir William McAlpine in March 2002 and moved to Peak Rail Ltd, Matlock before arriving at Fawley the following month.
It is currently undergoing restoration and repainting by Museum volunteers.