Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
Name or designation Wheel arrangement Builder Year built Year withdrawn Notes
Theakston Fordson Bo′2 ' Theakston 1928 c. 1935 Very early experiment with internal combustion . Large passenger locomotive with fully enclosed 2-seater cab . Operated on winter passenger services . Judged too slow , and ugly in appearance
Super-Scooter ( JAP Scooter ) Ultra-light 4-wheel scooter RH & DR c. 1929 c. 1945 Light , open-cabbed , track inspection scooter , powered by 6 hp JAP motorcycle engine . Captain Howey recorded New Romney to Hythe in 8 minutes , light engine
War Department Locomotive 4-wheel scooter War Department 1929 1949 The only privately owned locomotive to have seen long-term service on the RH & DR . Stabled at Hythe engine shed , worked the War Department branch line . Remained in RH & DR service briefly after the branch line closed . Used extensively as the basis for construction of locomotive PW2
Rolls Royce Locomotive Bo′2 ' RH & DR c. 1932 1961 Built out of Captain Howey 's Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost motor car . Large , fully enclosed cab , 2-seater , express passenger engine . Fully rebuilt in 1946 with sleek body-work . Re-engined ( with Ford engine ) in 1947 . Tested at 60 miles per hour ( 97 km/h ) with ( possibly ) empty coaches . This engine was numbered 4 in the locomotive fleet ( three engines have used that number at different times ) and briefly carried the name Bluebottle from 1947
Firefly 0-6-0 HCS Bullock ( rebuilt RH & DR ) 1936 ( rebuilt 1945 ) 1947 Although a 10 ⁄ 4 in ( 260 mm ) gauge engine , Firefly was liveried and lettered as a RH & DR locomotive , and operated the post-war shuttle service when part of the line from New Romney to Warren Halt was temporarily re-gauged to 10 ⁄ 4 in ( 260 mm ) gauge . From 1947 the engine formed part of Howey 's alternative project which became the Hastings Miniature Railway
Motor Cycle Scooter Ultra-light 4-wheel scooter RH & DR c. 1949 c. 1952 Light , open-cabbed , track inspection scooter , powered by motorcycle engine . The only RH & DR locomotive ever built of which no known photograph exists . Its existence is attested by former railway staff
Royal Anchor B-B Charles Lane of Liphook 1956 1956 Diesel Hydraulic double-ended ( two cabs ) locomotive , built for RH & DR service ( as the Rolls Royce locomotive was near withdrawal ) . Royal Anchor failed trials due to lack of power . The project was abandoned and the locomotive returned to Liphook . It operated on the R & ER 1960-1977 , and then at Carnforth 1977-2000 . It is now operating privately in the USA
Locomotives -- Locomotives withdrawn from service
This list includes engines sold , scrapped , failed in trials , or otherwise withdrawn . All engines were internal combustion locomotives .
The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR) is a gauge light railway in Kent, England, operating steam and internal combustion locomotives. The line runs from the Cinque Port of Hythe via Dymchurch, St. Mary's Bay, New Romney and Romney Sands to Dungeness, close to Dungeness nuclear power station and Dungeness Lighthouse.