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Railway Operating Department (ROD)
Pre-Grouping Steam Locomotives Used Overseas 


by Greg Martin


 
A hand-written set of notes was found in a second-hand book bought in the 1970s. What follows is a transcription of those notes, listing the locomotives from British railway companies which were pressed into service overseas during the First World War with ROD (the Railway Operating Department of the Royal Engineers).

There is no way to tell how accurate or complete the notes are, though they appear to be both detailed and extensive. It is certain that they were written some time between 1929 and 1947. The notes refer to an event in 1929, so cannot have been written before then. They also refer to locos which were "now numbered between 17200-310 (LMS)", so the notes were written before the end of 1947 (when the LMS ceased to exist). No author is given and there are no clues as to where the information came from.

0-6-0T ex LCD, SEC and SR

No’s 600-609, ex LCD 141-150 include, SEC 600-609

Became 1600-1609 when returned to SR.

Worked in Boulougne Port Area. Their Longhenge Works no’s were 6/79, 7/79, 22/93, 17/91, 15/90, 18/91, 16/90, 14/89 and 19/91 incl.

0-6-2T ex LBSCR and ret’d to SR (E4)
No’s 470, 481, 498, 504, 506, 518, 519, 562-64, 565, 577 and 580.

Sent to Audruicq Ammunition Dump, via Calais, 1917 (Nov).

In 1918 (Feb) sent to gun-spurs in Arras area.


0-6-0 ex LSWR and not ret’d
To Palestine 1917
027+, 028+, 030+, 084+, 0105*, 0148+, 0158+, 0159+, 0164+, 0172+, 0395 (WO/44), 0396+, 0398 (Wdn/37, WO/44), 0399+, 0401+, 0404$, 0405 (Wdn/37, WO/44), 0406*, 0434$i, 0437$i, 0438+, 0444 (WO/44), 0497+, 0499+, 0501+, 0502+, 0503 (Wdn/37, WO44), 0507+, 0508 (Wdn/37,WO/44), 0510+, 0512$i, 0513+, 0514+.

*

sunk aboard the "Arabic" when she was torpedoed

WO

Written off

+

Sold /29

$

Transferred to Mesopotamia
To Mesopotamia /17
0156i, 0174i, 0402i, 0403i, 0443i, 0498i, 0500i, 0504i, 0505i.
To Serbian State Rlys /16

0134, 0157 (SSR 21), 0175 (SSR 22), 0435 (SSR 23), 0511 (SSR 24)

i

Scrapped by Iraq Rlys

0-6-0 GWR "Dean"

2303 / 06 / 08* / 09 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 17 / 18* / 22* / 27* / 29* / 30 / 32 / 34* / 36* / 38 / 39
2348 / 49 / 55 / 57 / 83 / 87*,
2403 / 15 / 20*, 30 / 46 / 52 / 53* / 54* / 57 / 58 / 61
2463 / 69 / 70 / 73 / 76 / 80 / 84 / 88* / 89
2514 / 17-20 / 22 / 28 / 31 / 33* / 35
2542* / 49 / 57* / 63* / 66-78 / 80

*

Transferred to Salonika, others used on ammunition trains from Boulougne to Audricq, one hauling & one banking. All ret’d to GWR except nos:- 2308/34/87, 2420/53, 2542/63

0-6-0 GWR "Double Framed"
39, 447/51, 508, 794/96, 878, 1091, 1100/98
All sent to Salonika, but only 794 and 1091 ret’d

2-6-0 GWR "53xx"
Nos 5319-5330 (except 5327)

Sent to France (new) in 1917, and all ret’d.
Actually worked between Riviere Neuve and Calais
Firstly these locos were based at Audruicq.


0-8-0 LNWR "27" (G)
 

ROD & LNW No

Crewe Works No

LMSR No

 

1322

4910/10

9091

 

1354

4900/10

9082

 

1385

4930/12

9121

 

1462

4942/10

9136

 

1540

4921/10

9111

 

1570

4913/10

9103

 

1578

4914/10

9104

 

1591

4907/10

9096

 

1609

4922/10

9112

 

1629

4909/10

9098

 

1634

4923/10

9113

 

1637

4924/10

9114

 

1639

4925/10

9115

 

1690

4937/10

9129

 

1699

4919/10

9109

 

1700

4943/10

9137

 

1727

4944/10

9138

 

1735

4945/10

9139

 

1774

4938/10

9130

 

1776

4939/10

9131

 

2014

4949/10

9144

 

2032

4929/10

9119

 

2654

4891/10

9077

 

2656

4893/10

9079

 

2658

4895/10

9081

 

2660

4897/10

9087

 

Used in Hazebrouck - Calais Area, and all ret’d to LNWR /19

 
       
  LNWR 0-8-0 number 1462 served with the ROD in France.  It is seen here back in Britain in the 1920s as LMS 9136.  

For an enlargement of the photo please click on the image.  

Photo by permission of Edward Talbot - author of the book LNWR Eight-Coupled Goods Engines.
 
       


0-6-0 LNWR "Coal Engines"

 

ROD & LNW Nos

17*, 153*, 198*, 354*, 700, 778*, 873, 881, 1087, 1098, 1099*, 1179*, 1316*, 1339*, 1340, 1349*, 2045, 2047*, 2049, 2050*, 2085, 2171*, 2255*, 2299, 2302, 2347, 2371*, 2381*, 2383*, 2397, 2403, 2409, 2425, 2432, 2434, 2436*, 2448*, 3053*, 3092, 3104, 3105*, 3109*, 3119*, 3151*, 3187, 3209*, 3221, 3231*, 3244, 3271*, 3279, 3291, 3308, 3320*, 3325*, 3334, 3339*, 3341, 3345, 3346, 3408, 3409, 3411, 3412, 3413, 3414*, 3415*, 3416, 3417, 3418*-3423* (incl. all *), 3424, 3448*

 

*

Not returned to LNWR.

 

These locos were engaged on all types of shunting.


0-6-0 MR "Double-Framed"

 

MR-ROD Nos 2707-2788 incl.

 

All of these locos were ret’d to Derby
Some worked in Southern Italy
2765 was cut up in May ‘20


0-6-0 LYR

 

ROD

LYR

LMS

 

1700

1276

12285

 

1701

1243

12240

 

1702

62

12261

 

1703

1209

12194

 

1704

1181

12167

 

1705

619

12597

 

1706

92

12221

 

1707

1240

12235

 

1708

427

12276

 

1709

1022

12606

 

1710

214

12283

 

1711

469

12239

 

1712

1184

12170

 

1713

1297

12319

 

1714

372

12300

 

1715

1245

12242

 

1716

213

12282

 

1717

358

12226

 

1718

1194

12180

 

1719

502

12202

 

1720

1284

12292

 

1721

1137

12152

 

1722

21

12610

 

1723

30

12205

 

1724

1185

12171

 

1725

1188

12174

 

1726

1233

12228

 

1727

350

?

 

1728

1249

12245

 

1729

187

12267

 

1730

1088

12099

 

1731

1026

12612

 

All ret’d to LYR


0-6-0 CR

 

CR-ROD Nos
259, 260, 310, 315, 318, 319, 323, 335, 337, 347, 365, 367, 374, 376, 403, 517, 548, 549, 553, 556, 558, 680, 682, 703, 705, 707, 708

 

All ret’d, and now numbered between 17200-310 (LMS)


0-8-0 NER "T"

 

ROD-NER No.

Bldg Dte

ROD-NER No

Bldg Dte

ROD-NER No

Bldg Dte

 

130

‘02

659

‘11

939

‘07

 

527

"

660

‘07

1002

‘02

 

578

‘07

661

‘11

1031

‘11

 

642

‘11

669

"

1032

‘07

 

643

"

764

"

1054

"

 

644

‘07

767

"

1062

"

 

645

"

769

"

1177

"

 

646

"

770

"

1178

"

 

647

"

771

"

1215

"

 

648

"

772

"

1320

‘02

 

652

‘08

773

"

1700

"

 

653

"

774

"

1704

"

 

654

"

781

"

1708

"

 

655

"

783

"

1709

"

 

656

"

789

"

1717

"

 

657

‘11

793

"

1729

"

 

658

"

794

"

   
 

All these locos were returned during Jan-June 1919

They were largely employed on stone trains between Marquise Quarries (between Calais and Boulogne) during 1917-18.

Add 5000 to obtain ROD Nos.


0-8-0 GCR "8A"

 

GCR ROD No.

Bldg Dte

GCR ROD No.

Bldg Dte

GCR ROD No.

Bldg Dte

 

58

Kit/03

140

Kit/03

1076

Kit/05

 

86

"

144

"

1141

Kit/07

 

91

"

401

Gort/10

1142

"

 

135

"

1073

Kit/05

1180

Gort/11

 

136

"

1075

"

1182

"

 

139

"

       
 

These locos also worked on stone trains and were all returned to England


0-6-0 GCR "Pom-Poms"

 

GCR ROD No.

Bldg Dte

GCR ROD No.

Bldg Dte

GCR ROD No.

Bldg Dte

 

204

Gort/04

281

Gort/07

951

Gort/10

 

208

Gort/?

288

"

952

"

 

211

BP/03

303

"

1043

?/05

 

222

BP/04

306

"

1046

?/02

 

248

VF/04

309

"

1078

YE/05

 

255

YE/04

326

Gort/08

1080

"

 

256

"

       
 

All returned to England 1919.


0-6-0 GNR

 

178A, 179, 180, 301A, 307 / 09 / 31 / 32 / 34 / 36 / 39 / 49 / 52 / 59 / 61 / 66 / 72 / 94, 719 / 21 / 46, 838, 1043 / 81 / 90, 1101 / 21 / 22 / 40 / 43 / 44 / 45 / 78

 

All returned to England in 1919.  These locos worked in the various large yards, eg. Vendroux-Les Attaques

These locos were fitted with an arrangement by which the exhaust could be transferred to the tender for condensation


0-6-0 GER "Y14"

 

GER~ROD Nos

507 / 08/ 10 / 13 / 17 / 18 / 22 / 31 / 32 / 33 / 34 / 39
616 / 90 / 95
810 / 17 / 18 / 26 / 39 / 41 / 47-49 / 56 / 57 / 69 / 72 / 75 / 76
887 / 92 /94 /95
904 / 11 / 18 / 20 / 21 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 40 / 51
 

These locos worked on all sorts of humdrum duties.
All returned.


0-6-0 NBR

 

NBR-ROD Nos
176, 605, 608, 611, 612, 615, 620, 621, 627, 628, 631, 643, 646-48, 650, 657, 659-62, 666, 673, 676, 682.

 

All returned.


2-8-0 MofM Design

 

ROD

Wks

Disp

ROD

Wks

Disp

 

1601

5183

LNE 6373

1729

-

6538

 

1602

5184

LMS 9661

1730

-

3069

 

1603

5185

LNE 6543

1731

-

3061

 

1604

5186

E 6366

1732

-

3075

 

1605

5187

E 6374

1733

3760

-

 

1606

5188

E 6544

1734

3761

-

 

1607

5189

E 6372

1735

3762

-

 

1608

5190

E 6365

1736

3763

-

 

1609

5191

E 6545

1737

3764

-

 

1610

5192

E 6539

1738

3765

-

 

1611

5193

E 6371

1739

3766

-

 

1612

5194

E 6370

1740

3767

-

 

1613

5199

GW 3035

1741

3768

-

 

1614

5200

LNE 6369

1742

3769

-

 

1615

5201

China

1743

3770

-

 

1616

5202

LNE 6364

1744

3771

-

 

1617

5203

6363

1745

3772

-

 

1618

5204

6546

1746

3773

-

 

1619

5205

6368

1747

3774

-

 

1620

5206

6360

1748

3775

-

 

1621

5207

6547

1749

3776

-

 

1622

5208

LNE 6540

1787

22080

-

 

1623

5209

GW 3079

1788

22081

-

 

1624

5210

LNE 6355

1789

22082

-

 

1625

5211

6359

1790

22083

-

 

1626

5212

6541

1791

22084

-

 

1627

5213

6357

1792

22085

-

 

1628

5214

6542

1793

22086

-

 

1629

5215

LNE 6367

1794

22087

-

 

1630

5216

SHNR

1795

22088

-

 

1631

5217

LNE 6361

1796

22089

-

 

1632

5218

LNE 6362

1797

22090

-

 

1633

3749

LNW 1336

1798

22091

-

 

1634

not

built

1799

22092

-

 

1635

3755

GW 3057

1800

22093

-

 

1636

3756

LNE 6312

1801

21768

-

 

1637

not

built

1802

21769

-

 

1638

3757

LNE 6330

1803

21770

-

 

1639

not

built

1804

21771

-

 

1640

3758

LNE 6329

1805

21772

-

 

1641

3759

6328

1806

21773

-

 

1642

3750

LNW 1317

1807

21774

-

 

1643

3751

LNE 6311

1808

21775

-

 

1644

3752

GW 3038

1809

21776

-

 

1645

3753

6331

1810

21777

-

 

1646

3754

3071

1811

21778

-

 

1647

3731

6550

1812

21779

-

 

1648

3732

3056

1813

21780

-

 

1649

3733

6320

1814

21781

-

 

1650

3734

6319

1815

21782

-

 

1651

3695

6356

1816

21783

-

 

1652

3696

6355

1817

21784

-

 

1653

3697

6354

1818

21785

-

 

1654

3698

6352

1819

21786

-

 

1655

3699

6351

1820

21787

-

 

1656

3700

6353

1821

21788

-

 

1657

3701

6350

1822

21789

-

 

1658

3702

6345

1823

21790

-

 

1659

3703

6332

1824

21791

-

 

1660

3704

3050

1825

21792

-

 

1661

3705

6325