Southern Railway V Schools Class no.925 Cheltanham

Loco Information

Cheltenham was moved from the NRM at York to its home works at Eastleigh on Wednesday 6th October for overhaul. Specialist work is required to remove asbestos and this will be carried out by Knights Rail Services based at Eastleigh. The locomotive will then be overhauled by a team from the Mid Hants Railway on site and once complete, Cheltenhamwill be based at the MHR alongside fellow National Collection Southern representative, Lord Nelson.

The Schools class were the most powerful 4-4-0 type locomotives to operate in this country and were a very successful design, used for passenger and freight duties. They were named after the famous public schools within the area then served by the Southern Railway, a publicity masterstroke given the popularity of train spotting with schoolboys at the time.

The last of the class was withdrawn from service in 1962. Only 3 are preserved with only 1, Repton, currently in steam on the NYMR. The other preserved example is Stowe on based on the Bluebell Railway and now on static display.