Light Railway Operating Division (British Army) 4-6-0T No. 303
Apedale, Staffordshire, UK 		Location: Moseley Railway Trust
Status: Operational
Posted: Sep 30, 2026 @ 17:09:06 by Russell Newman
The former Light Railway Operating Division (British Army) Hunslet built 4-6-0T No. 303, will be visiting the Leighton Buzzard Railway for their Steam Gala weekend from the 24th and 25th of October 2026.
Posted: Jun 3, 2025 @ 12:06:17 by Russell Newman
The former Light Railway Operating Division (British Army) Hunslet built 4-6-0T No. 303, is visiting the South Tynedale Railway for their Railway 200 Gala, being held on the two weekends of the 5th and 6th to the 12th and 13th of July 2025.
Posted: Aug 11, 2021 @ 14:08:30 by Russell Newman
The former Light Railway Operating Division (British Army) Hunslet built 4-6-0T No. 303 will be visiting the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway for first time for their Autumn Gala Weekend on the 25th and 26th of September 2021.
Posted: Jun 21, 2020 @ 20:06:02 by Dillon Trinh
Gauge is 610mm.
Posted: Dec 23, 2018 @ 05:12:36 by Russell Newman
No. 303 is to visit both the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways in 2019 for their Past, Present and Future event on the 21st to 23rd of June.
Posted: Jul 18, 2018 @ 16:07:44 by Robin R Beck
At end of First World War the loco became surplus along with many other locos. In the mid 1920s fifteen of ex ROD 4-6-0T were exported to Australia to work at various Queensland Sugar Mills. 1215 went to work at Bingera Sugar Mill, near Bundaberg, Queensland and worked there until 1956. Then it moved north to Invicta Mill, near Townsville. It was withdrawn in 1964.

In 1967 was presented to Queensland Bush Childrens Home at Rowes Bay, Townsville and displayed at their playground. After many years it was put up for sale and went into private hands. In 2005 it was purchased by the War Office Locomotive Society. Four of her sisters are preserved in Australia.

Posted: Jun 26, 2018 @ 14:06:15 by Russell Newman
Sadly former Light Railway Operating Division (British Army) Hunslet built 4-6-0T No. 303 restoration was not finished in time for the locomotive to debut at the Ffestiniog Railway s Hunslet 125 celebrations. The loco is in its final stages and is instead to make its first public steamings at the Moseley Railway Trust Tracks to the Trenches Event at Apedale on the weekend the 13th to 15th of July 2018.
Posted: Jun 9, 2018 @ 14:06:47 by Russell Newman
The former Light Railway Operating Division (British Army) Hunslet built 4-6-0T No. 303 is all set for its first public steaming after restoration at Hunslet 125 at the Ffestiniog Railway on the 22nd to 24th of June 2018. Where will be a very special locomotive at this event in North Wales after this No. 303 will relocate to the Moseley Railway Trust at Apedale in Staffordshire where it will its permeant home.
Posted: Mar 5, 2018 @ 06:03:09 by Russell Newman
Now in the final stages of its restoration which has seen a brand new boiler fitted. War Department No. 1215 has been added as a very special visiting locomotive to the Ffestiniog Railway, in North Wales, for their Hunslet 125 gala in June.
Posted: Feb 16, 2012 @ 13:02:59 by Steve Frost
Work on dismantling this delightful litle loco has started. The priority will be to repair the cracked smokebox saddle with specialist welding techniques.
Posted: Jan 3, 2007 @ 13:01:49 by Steve Llanso (again)

Error on the weights. The true values are:

Empty weight: 24,416 lb'

Weight on drivers: 23,520 lb

Posted: Jan 3, 2007 @ 13:01:54 by Steve Llanso

Empty weight was 23,520 lb

Loaded weight came to 31,472 lb

Tractive effort worked out to 6,137 at 85% MEP.

Posted: Dec 19, 2006 @ 10:12:18 by Steve Frost
Hunslets built 91 of these attractive little tank engines for service on the Western Front. They were popular with the troops, but Hunslet's couldn't build them as fast as they were needed, hence the orders for Baldwin 4-6-0T and Alco 2-6-2Ts to meet the needs quickly. Like everything belonging to the Army it was stamped all over with the Army's arrow mark and 'WD', as well as the loco number. They are still there on the motion parts and even the sheet metal cylinder covers. After the war it went to Australia in 1924 until it was repatriated in 2006. It is intended to restore it to working order, but there is much to be done. There are severe cracks in the front end casting of the smokebox saddle, which you can see in the photo. I don't know of any other survivors of the locos built that could supply spare parts.