211609 - 'Susan' - 20DL

211609 at Lydd Ranges. Photo Credit - Moseley Railway Trust

Also known as War Department LOD/758173, Army AD22 and Lydd Ranges No. 4, was delivered new in 1941 to the War Department Command Ammunition Depot at Eastriggs, where it would have worked hauling munitions for the war effort.

In October 1951 the locomotive was moved to West Hallam Command Ordinance Supply Depot, Derbyshire, then in September 1952 to Hilsea Fort Central Ordinance Depot, Portsmouth, Hampshire. At both of these locations it was likely 211609 helped clear out ammunition stores at these bases in preparation for winding down of facilities. After this the locomotive was moved back to it’s original Eastriggs location.

On 12/05/1971 211609 was replaced at Eastriggs by new Hunslet locomotives, three of which now reside at the OKLR. 211609 was moved to MoD Barlow, Yorkshire, where it assisted in clearing the ammunition depot there to allow for the construction of Drax power station. On 15/02/1978 the locomotive moved again to Lydd Ranges, Kent, where they were used to transport personnel and equipment around the firing ranges. By this point the locomotive had gained the name ‘Susan’ stencilled on their radiator tank.

In February 1989 the locomotive was sold out of military service and moved to the short lived Stoke Place Railway, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire. The locomotive then passed through a couple of private owners before being bought by a few members of the OKLR in a disassembled state, arriving at the railway on 02/07/2021. 211609 returned to service in 2023.

Susan's Joruney at OKLR

In 2021, Susan arrived to us stripped down.

In April of 2022, her engine fired up for the first time in many years!