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[[File:{{Infobox steam loco|image = Longmoor Military Railway Gordon Severn Valley Railway.jpg|caption = LMR 600 Gordon|thumbconstruc = North British Locomotive Co|300pxwheels = 2-10-0|rightstatus = Out of service|locono = LMR 600 |othernos = WD 73651|designed = Robert Riddles|locotype = '''WD Austerity 2-10-0'''|built = 1943|years1 = 1971|events1 = Arrived on SVR on loan|years2 = 1999|events2 = Last steamed on SVR|years3 = 2008|events3 = Presented to SVR(H)|length = 58ft 10&frac14;"|weight = 94t 9cwt|power = 34,215 lb|pressure = 225 lb/sq in}}'''Longmoor Military Railway No. 600 'Gordon on static display '''' is a World War II 'Austerity' 2-10-0 locomotive designed by R. A. Riddles. Despite superficial similarities of being blue and named Gordon, there is no ostensible link between the locomotive and the fictional anthropomorphic locomotive [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_the_Big_Engine 'Gordon the Big Engine'] in The Railway Series books by Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry.  The standard War Department [[Whyte notation | 2-8-0]] freight locomotive was essentially a simplified version of the [[48773|LMS 8F]]. A total of 935 were ordered with the first delivered in January 1943.<ref name=Rowledge16>[[Bibliography#Other References|Rowledge (1987)]] pp. 16-17.</ref> The Engine HouseWar Department then issued a requirement for a locomotive having the same tractive effort as the 2-8-0 but an axle loading not exceeding 13.5 tons, some 3 tons lighter than the 2-8-0. This would enable it to be used on secondary lines or overseas lines of poorer track quality. Riddles considered a producing a 2-8-2 version before adopting the 10-coupled design,<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Rowledge (1987)]]p. 9.</ref> which shared many similarities with the 2-8-0 version. To enable the locomotive to negotiate sharp curves, the 2-10-0 was fitted with flangeless centre driving wheels whilst the next pairs had reduced flanges (a feature continued in the BR Standard 9F).<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">File:Flangeless_Wheel_20160213.jpg | A flangeless driving wheel (left)</gallery> Orders for 150 2-10-0s were placed, with deliveries starting in December 1943. The 2-8-0 and 2-10-0 locomotives were built by just two companies, the Vulcan Foundry and the North British Locomotive Company, with the latter company producing all of the 2-10-0s<ref name=Rowledge16/>.

Longmoor Military Railway No. 600 'Gordon' The locomotive was the second of the class, built in 1943 at the North British Locomotive Company’s Company's Hyde Park Works in Glasgow as works number 25437. The locomotive, which is named after General Gordon of Khartoum, is a World It entered service in December 1943 as War 2 ‘Austerity’ locomotive designed by RDepartment No. A3651. RiddlesDuring 1944 it was renumbered 73651 following an instruction to increase the WD numbers by 70, and was 000.<ref name=Rowledge16/> Although the second majority of 150 such locomotives built. It was originally numbered WD the 2-10-0 class were shipped overseas, 73651 for the War Departmentonly saw wartime service in Great Britain.

The standard Post-War Department [[Whyte notation | 2-8-0]] freight , the locomotive was a simplified version of mainly confined to the LMS 8F. The [[Whyte notation :Category:Rolling stock associated with the Longmoor Military Railway| 2-10-0Longmoor Military Railway]] design where it was introduced to give used by the Royal Engineers as a reduced axle loading, mainly intended driver-training engine and for overseas use where track quality could be worse than the UKother general duties. To enable It was given the locomotive to negotiate sharp curves, the 2-10-0’s centre driving wheels are flangeless whilst the next pairs have reduced flanges (a feature continued Army number 600 in the BR Standard 9F).1956<galleryref>File:Flangeless_Wheel_20160213.jpg [[Bibliography#Other References| A flangeless driving wheel Rowledge (left1987)]] p. 49.</galleryref> Although and was named after the 2-10-0 design was intended for overseas useRoyal Engineers' famous General, ‘Gordon’ only saw wartime service in the UKCharles Gordon ([https://en.wikipedia. Post-War, org/wiki/Charles_George_Gordon|General Gordon of Khartoum]).<ref group="note">An earlier carrier of that name was mainly confined to [[Steam Locomotives visiting the Longmoor Military SVR for galas#2000-2009|Taff Vale Railway where0-6-2T No 85]], numbered 600, it was used by which visited the Royal Engineers as a driver-training engineSVR in 2003. However in 1957 during </ref> During the 'Suez crisis' in the same year, it is known Gordon was reputed to have worked highly secretive secret overnight trains carrying Government materials between Longmoor and SouthamptonDocks, crewed by the Army and accompanied by a BR pilotman.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Rowledge (1987)]] p.52.</ref>

<gallerymode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">

Gordon’s The LMR was home to a number of other steam locomotives, but by the 1960s Gordon was the last remaining in service. It made a brief appearance as an express passenger locomotive in the Children's Film Foundation film "Runaway Railway", filmed at the LMR in 1965.<ref>[https://www.reelstreets.com/films/runaway-railway-childrens-film-foundation/ reelstreets.com]</ref> It was a popular attraction at enthusiasts' events and on both 16 and 30 April 1966 worked RCTS excursions on BR metals from Woking to Liss and continuing later to Staines, the first occasion being photographed by Tim Stephens of the [[Master Neverers Association]].<ref>Never Again Volume 9, MNA Publications, p. 212.</ref><ref name= "RM1019">The Railway Magazine, October 2019. pp. 40-46</ref>  Gordon's last major steam event was the final open day at Longmoor camp on 5 July 1969. A photo may be found The line closed on 31 October 1969, Gordon working the final train from Oakhanger to Longmoor.<ref name="RM1019"/> LMR had its own fitters school. 600 was retubed in Longmoor shed in 1963.<ref>[https://www.flickrirsociety.co.comuk/photosArchives/irishswissernie9/16194672386/in/album-72157648219525434/ Ernie's longmoor.htm Farmer, Keith, The Industrial Railway ArchiveRecord, 1963]</ref> Steam locomotives also reached Eastleigh for repairs.

[[File:Bridgnorth Ex-WD 2-10-0 at Severn Valley Railway Depot geograph-2756011-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Gordon on the SVR in 1972 (Wikimedia Commons)]][[File:Locomotive Parade, Rainhill 1980 - War Department 2-10-0 - geograph.org.uk - 1587503.jpg | thumb|300px|right|Gordon at Rainhill in 1980 (Wikimedia Commons)]] The Association of Railway Preservation Societies, through the Longmoor Trust, negotiated in 1970 a lease of part of the LMR, including an indefinite loan of Gordon. Subsequent objections caused the planning application to fail.<ref name="RM1019"/> Gordon was still the property of the British Army when the Longmoor Military Railway closed and was subsequently sold for non-military purposes. Following this closure, the Army asked the Tranport Trust if it could provide a suitable home for the locomotive.<ref name= "SB9">SVR Stock Book 9th edition</ref> Gordon arrived on loan to the SVR in on 20 September 1971 on loan from The through the courtesy of the Army and the Transport Trust, accompanied by [[Carriages formerly resident on the SVR | three vintage carriages]].<ref>SVR News 21</ref>

Gordon saw regular use After steam testing in January 1972, the early days of the locomotive entered service.<ref>SVR. News 23</ref> In August [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#1975 | 1975]] it travelled to Shildon under its own power to attend the [[Rail 150 ]] celebrations, and in . Service continued with only a brief break for the boiler to be completely retubed during the summer of 1978.<ref>SVR News 48</ref> In [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1980-1989#1980 | 1980]] it Gordon travelled in light steam to Bold Colliery from where it participated in the locomotive parade at [[Rocket 150 ]] at Rainhill.

Gordon is one of only two steam locomotives on the SVR (along with [[SR 34027 Taw Valley|34027 Taw Valley]]) which are equipped to work with air-braked rolling stock. This facility was occasionally used in preservation, including in May 1982 when Gordon worked an incoming train of 19 wagons delivering 1,800 concrete sleepers.<ref>SVR News 64</ref>.

Having seen action in every year between 1972 and 1984, Gordon’s boiler succumbed to broken stays and thin firebox plates and the locomotive was withdrawn from service at the end of that year, in the words of Chief Engineer [[Alun Rees]] "''much to the relief of many of the footplate crews''".<ref> SVR News 74</ref>  After a period out of service, Gordon last saw re-entered service on 8 December 1990, the day being marked by a severe blizzard.<ref>SVR News 98</ref> On 4 September 1993, Gordon took over an incoming railtour with the VSOE Pullman train at Kidderminster, when Prince Michael of Kent travelled on the footplate. The locomotive was also used for a series of specials with TV entertainer Roy Castle on Saturday 25 March 1995.<ref group="note">A caption in SVR News 114 Spring 1995 p.6. states "Saturday 25 March 1994". Given the 1995 date of publication, and that 25 March was a Saturday in 1995 but a Friday in 1994, the running date is assumed to be 1995. Stock Book 9 also mentions 1994, possibly based on that caption.</ref> Service continued until 1998, although in the SVR News locomotive notes for spring 1999 Jan Chojnacki reported that "''I have it on good authority that a sweepstake is being organised for the next failure''".<ref>SVR News 129</ref> The words proved prophetic, as shortly thereafter a fractured small tube causing significant damage in the firebox.<ref>SVR News 130</ref>  Gordon has not seen service on the SVR since 1999. It remained Army property until spent some years stored outdoors before being cosmetically restored as one of the original locomotives to go on display in [[The Engine House]] at Highley from opening in March 2008. On Friday 25 July 2008 when, by then the last steam locomotive owned by Gordon was formally handed over from the National Army, it was donated Museum to the SVRin a ceremony at the Engine House, where it remains on display. <ref>SVR News 164</ref><ref>SVR given Gordon, Heritage Railway Magazine, Issue 115, 4 September – 1 October 2008</ref> Gordon is now owned by [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC | SVR(H)]] .  Due to its size and weight, Gordon is restricted to 5mph over Victoria Bridge.<ref>General Appendix to Working Timetables and Rules and Regulations, Section O6(a)</ref> Mileage recorded by Gordon as reported in SVR News was as follows: {{as of|2016class="wikitable"|-! <b>Year</b> !! style="text-align:right;" | <b>Mileage</b> |-| 1972 || style="text-align:right;" | 315|-| 1973 || style="text-align:right;" | 670|-| 1974 || style="text-align:right;" | 1,405|-| 1975 || style="text-align:right;" | 1,020|-| 1976 || style="text-align:right;" | 1,870|-| 1977 || style="text-align:right;" | 1,720|-| 1978 || style="text-align:right;" | 435|-| 1979 || style="text-align:right;" | 630|-| 1980 || style="text-align:right;" | 1,710|-| 1981 || style="text-align:right;" | 1,060|-| 1982 || style="text-align:right;" | 1,745|-| 1983 || style="text-align:right;" | 1,266|-| 1984 || style="text-align:right;" | 1,206|-| 1990 || style="text-align:right;" | 829|-| 1991 || style="text-align:right;" | 3,835|-| 1992 || style="text-align:right;" | 1,870|-| 1993 || style="text-align:right;" | 2,340|-| 1994 || style="text-align:right;" | 4,031|-| 1995 || style="text-align:right;" | 5,262|-| 1996 || style="text-align:right;" | 2,832|-| 1997 || style="text-align:right;" | 3,104|-| 1998 || style="text-align:right;" | 3,889|-| 1999 || style="text-align:right;" | 62|-| <b>Total</b> ||lcstyle=y"text-align:right;" | 43,106|}} is on display in  ==Other Austerity 2-10-0s==The LMR was also home to WD 73797, renumbered 601 and named ''Kitchener''.<ref>[[The Engine HouseBibliography#Other References|Rowledge (1987)]] p. 52.</ref> That locomotive was not preserved, however two other Austerity 2-10-0s which served overseas were later repatriated to the UK for preservation:*WD 73652, now at Highleythe North Norfolk Railway<ref>[https://www.nnrailway.co.uk/portfolio-items/wd-90775-the-royal-norfolk-regiment/?portfolioCats=20%2C18%2C19%2C30%2C31%2C24%2C32%2C25 'WD-90775 ‘The Royal Norfolk Regiment’'] on the NNR website</ref> *WD 73672, now at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway<ref>[https://www.nymr.co.uk/war-department-2-10-0-no-3672-dame-vera-lynn No.3672 "Dame Vera Lynn"] on the NYMR website</ref>

*[[Steam Locomotives]]<br>*[[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979]]*[[SVR-based locomotives visiting other events]]

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD_Austerity_2-10-0 WD Austerity 2-10-0 ] on Wikipedia {{SteamNavbox}} [[Category:Featured articles]][[Category: Rolling stock owned by SVR(H)]][[Category:Rolling stock associated with the Longmoor Military Railway]]