No. 7 Typhoon

History

Based on the Henry Greenly-designed Pacifics that were already at the railway; Green Goddess, Northern Chief and Southern Maid. Typhoon differed in that she had three cylinders. The railway’s founder and owner, Captain J E P Howey, craved more power and ultimately speed from his locomotives and the three cylinder route was experimented with on this engine and her sister No.8, Hurricane.

Before being delivered to New Romney on 19th May 1927, Typhoon posed for publicity photographs next to the full-size Flying Scotsman locomotive at Kings Cross. The expected performance gains from the three-cylinders didn’t outweigh the increased running costs and many breakdowns experienced and she was converted to the tried and tested two-cylinder configuration during 1935-36.

A new large capacity tender was built for her in 1946, in 1955 the smoke deflectors were fitted and in 1958 she received a superheated boiler. Typhoon, prior to her recent overhaul, was finished in a dark green similar to that once used by the former Southern Railway, and her whistle is from one of that company’s Bulleid designed ‘West Country’ class locomotives.

In May 1997 — as Typhoon celebrated 70 years at New Romney — she traveled north to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway to take part in the 21st birthday celebrations of their loco Northern Rock. She returned with Hurricane, in May 2008.

No. 7 runs in Brunswick Green. The locomotive is presently at the Vale of Rheidol Railway for a major overhaul under contract.

Technical Details

GN outline two-cylinder (formerly three-cylinder) 4-6-2 Pacific locomotive.
Designed by Henry Greenly.
Built by Davey Paxman & Co., (16043) in 1927
Overall length: 27′ 7″
Weight in working order: 8 ton 10cwt
Driving wheel diameter: 2′ 1.5″
Bogie and trailing wheel diameter: 1′
Cylinders: 5.25″ bore x 8.5″ stroke
Current Livery: Malachite Green

8 Hurricane