SMR - Maid of Kent

In 1938 “Trojan” was still the only engine in the line’s 18-year history, and Alex Schwab began designing a new 2-6-0 locomotive with a Great Western outline. He was joined in construction work not only by his father, but also by Henry Greenly who checked all designs, and worked on the chasis. Thus was born, in 1939, “Maid of Kent”, not just the second locomotive in the Saltwood fleet, but the prototype of what is now known throughout the miniature railway world as the “Maid of Kent Class” of locomotive - it is still acknowledged as one of the best ever miniature railway engine designs.

Left: “Maid of Kent” at the north end of Saltwood Station. She carried number “260”. The buildings behind are the main workshop, and the lean-to carriage shed.

Right: In this photograph “Maid of Kent” is passing the platform of Tanners House Halt, with a full train. By this stage (1950s) few trains ever called at this halt.

So pleased was Alex Schwab with “Maid of Kent” that he even laid in a spur line for the engine at the south end of Saltwood Station, leading to a specially constructed and reinforced air raid shelter. This protected “260” from the possibility of damage by German attack.

Over the years many locomotives of the “Maid of Kent” design have been built in 7¼” gauge, and also in the neighbouring gauges of 5” and 10¼”. The design remains a huge success.

For many enthusiasts of the 7¼” gauge it remains a great sadness that the prototype “Maid of Kent” no longer exists in this form. The engine was sold and left Saltwood in the mid 1970s, and her new owner (John Davis) rebuilt her as a Southern Railway U-class number “1803” named “River Itchen”. In this form she ran on the Great Cockrow Railway at Chertsey during the late 1970s and through the 1980s. She left that railway, and operated on another south eastern line until 2005.

Alex Schwab was upset by the rebuilding of the engine, and refused to visit the Great Cockrow Railway or even to discuss John Davis’s work on the engine. He once agreed to look at a photograph of the rebuilt locomotive, but threw it down again, saying “I think it looks just awful”!

To add insult to injury, the official guide to the Great Cockrow Railway listed 1938 as the engine’s year of building (actually the year of designing) and listed Henry Greenly as the builder, with no mention of Alex Schwab!

The locomotive is now owned by Nigel Trower, and is once again operating at the Great Cockcrow Railway. (Thanks to Stephen Trower, Nigel’s son, for the latest information).