Planet Industrials

Kerr, Stuart “Victory” 0-6-0t in 00 gauge

The first ready-to-run model from Planet Industrials, from only £150

Prototype info

The Kerr Stuart “Victory” locomotives were a class of 10 0-6-0t sourced by the Inland Waterways and Docks Department in 1917. Most saw service at various southern ports before being sold into industry after hostilities ended. Six examples went directly into colliery service, two to the Alexandra Docks Railway, one to the Brecon and Merthyr and one to Colonel Stephens's East Kent (also a coal hauler). A number survived in industrial service into the late 1960s, none were preserved.

About our model

Our 1:76 scale '00' gauge model features a high torque motor, flywheel driven chassis with darkened RP25-110 profile wheels, highly detailed accurate body with separately applied details and a NEXT18 DCC interface. It will safely negotiate a minimum R2 curve.

Project status

Project complete! Order now from Light Railway Stores or Rails of Sheffield.

Pricing and ordering

VariantPrice
DC / DCC ready£150
DCC sound fittedSold out!

Full specification

  • An injection-moulded ready-to-run body
  • Over 200 individual components
  • Die cast metal chassis, footplate, boiler
  • Fine scale RP25-110 wheels
  • Six-wheel electrical pickup
  • High-torque flywheel-equipped motor, driving the rear axle
  • 40:1 precision gearbox for slow, smooth running
  • DC/DCC ready, DCC fitted and DCC sound fitted
  • Full cab detail
  • Sprung buffers
  • NEM coupler pockets at correct height
  • Optional details including front steps and toolboxes
  • Etched works plates fret

DCC Sound user notes

DCC Sound users can download full user notes explaining all decoders functions as a PDF guide.

Historical Overview

Early History

In December 1914, as part of the Railways Directorate, the Inland Water Transport and Docks Section of the Railways Directorate was formed, its purpose to deal with transportation along the canals and waterways in France and Belgium. In October 1915 it became a separate section, and growing rapidly in size its headquarters were established in Richborough, Kent. By January 1916, due to congestion at Longmoor Camp, a stores and personnel department was established on an expanse of marshland alongside the Stour. A dock and jetty nearly a mile in length was established, equipped with powerful cranes, to serve the ever increasing materials and supply needs of the allied forces in Europe. In 1918 a roll-on roll-off service was established with three ferries connecting Richborough with Calais and Dunkirk.

The increasing demands on rail service at Richborough saw an order placed with Kerr Stuart on the 4th January 1917 for ten 0-6-0t, with the first 5 to conform to the French loading gauge, and named their ‘Victory’ type. The specification matched accepted main line practices of the period with inside Stephenson’s link motion and outside 17” cylinders with 24” stroke. 4ft diameter wheels over a 12ft wheelbase made them powerful and suited to use dock-side. The large diameter boiler had a Belpaire firebox with 217 steel tubes and a heating surface of 1031.5 sq.ft. The weight of a working locomotive at 49 tons with a tractive effort of 20,567lb was comparable to the widely known Hunslet ‘Austerity’ type.

Technical specification

Diameter of coupled wheels
4ft 0in
Coupled wheelbase
12ft 0in
Length over buffers
31ft 6in
Overall width
9ft 0in
Overall height
12ft 10in
Diameter of cylinders
17in
Stroke of cylinders
24in
Tank capacity
970 gallons
Fuel capacity
70 cu:ft
Heating surface
217 steel tubes, 1.75in diameter 1,031.5 sq.ft
Weight of engine empty
40 tons
Weight of engine in working order
49 tons
Tractive force at 89% boiler pressure
20,576lbs
Tractive force per ton of adhesive weight
420lb

The first two locomotives were dispatched on 6th June 1917 for the Royal Engineers, works number 3066 to Sandwich for Richborough Stores Yard and 3067 to Southampton. These pair were finished with taller cabs, as specified, and must have been dispatched before the works photographs were taken. There was a delay in delivery of the remaining locomotives and it appears (from Don Townsley’s extensive research of the Kerr Stuart documentation) that the authorities, sensing an early conclusion to hostilities were asking to be relieved of their obligation to purchase 3068-3075. One extract Don found read ‘...please note that we have taken over these locos and that we are constructing them for our own stock purposes. We wish them complete at the earliest possible time and run out in siding or in machine shop, or wherever you like, as we shall have no difficulty in disposing of them. We wish however no mention to be made of the fact that they have been altered from the original design and please forget that they have been so altered’. Perhaps this explains why only the first two locomotives were built with taller cabs?

Three months later, the ‘type’ photo shows IW&D 12 (works 3068), also lettered ‘Victory’ on one tank side. A photo also shows IW&D 12, 13, 14, 16, 17 and 18 lined up outside the works, painted in grey, lined black and white and lettered for IW&D. The final two locomotives were dispatched on the 14th September, all eight being sent to Portsmouth, presumably for export to France.

At some point in their short military career they were re-numbered under a ROD (Railway Operating Department) scheme as 601 to 610. The ROD livery is likely to have been plain black (certainly photographic evidence shows 608 in this manner), however there is evidence that 609 was more decoratively lined out by modifying the original IW&D livery, in a photograph that appears to have been taken overseas. After the end of hostilities, the 10 locomotives were returned to the UK and put up for sale by the Government Disposals Board.

Further post-war history coming soon...

Individual Locomotive Information

Works NumberIW&D NumberROD NumberInitial postingEarly HistoryLater HistoryDisposalNotes
306610609Royal Engineers, Sandwich, Richborough Stores YardPowell Duffryn Aberaman Colliery No.18NCB Aberaman 1947Scrapped at Penrikyber 19694” taller cab fitted from new. Ladders fitted to front of tanks. Photo online painted as ROD 609 appears to be overseas. Taller cab evident.
306711610Royal Engineers, SouthamptonEast Kent Railway No.4Allotted BR 30948 but never carriedScrapped by BR, Ashford, 19494” taller cab fitted from new. SE&CR style smokebox and chimney fitted 1940s.
306812603Director General, Military Railways, ℅ Embarkation Staff Officer, PortsmouthManchester Collieries, named ‘FRANCIS’NCB Astley Green colliery 1947Scrapped at Walkden, 1968Fitted with Giesl at Walkden in the 1960s.
306913604Director General, Military Railways, ℅ Embarkation Staff Officer, PortsmouthAlexandra Docks Railway No.34Later GWR No.666, rebuilt with riveted tanksScrapped by BR, 1955GWR fitted safety valve cover.
307014605Director General, Military Railways, ℅ Embarkation Staff Officer, PortsmouthBrecon and Merthyr No.35Later GWR 2161. Sold to Ashington Colliery as No.21 1929Scrapped at Ashington, 1951Received GWR fittings at grouping.
307115601Director General, Military Railways, ℅ Embarkation Staff Officer, PortsmouthPowell Duffryn Aberaman Colliery No.19NCB from 1947Scrapped by NCB, 1969Ladders fitted to front of side tanks.
307216608Director General, Military Railways, ℅ Embarkation Staff Officer, PortsmouthTirpentwys Coal and Coke CompanyNCB from 1947Scrapped by NCB, 1964 
307317602Director General, Military Railways, ℅ Embarkation Staff Officer, PortsmouthAlexandra Docks Railway No.35Later GWR No.667, rebuilt with riveted tanksScrapped by BR, 1954GWR fitted safety valve cover.
307418606Director General, Military Railways, ℅ Embarkation Staff Officer, PortsmouthLambton Hetton and Joicey No.41NCB from 1947Scrapped October 1964 at Lambton by NCBModified cut down cab.
307519607Director General, Military Railways, ℅ Embarkation Staff Officer, PortsmouthUnited Steel Company (Coal Mining Branch), named ‘ROTHERVALE No.8’NCB from 1947Scrapped by NCB, 1966 

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