LMR locomotives

In the events of 'Wartime Returns' **four locomotives from the Longmoor Military Railway (LMR)** are called in to stop two German locomotives which they had kept as prisoners since WWII.

## Gordon (LMR)

### Designer

Robert Arthur Riddles

**Gordon** is a massive WD 2-10-0 heavy goods engine who works for the British Army on the Longmoor Military Railway. He is normally in command of operations when it comes to anything related to WWII.

### Bio

Gordon was built by the North British Locomotive Company (NBL) of Glasgow, Scotland, in 1943. He was named after General Charles Gordon ("Gordon of Khartoum"), the most famous general of the Royal Engineers, for whom he was built for. After the war, he was sent to the Longmoor Military Railway in Hampshire.

In 1967, he was in command of capturing to German WWII locomotives that had escaped from Liss two days earlier. With help from some preserved MSR locomotives, he and the others captured the Germans and returned back to Hampshire. During this operation, he nearly court-marshalled Major-General McMullen for bringing along preserved locomotives instead of engines that were still in service. After hearing about Errol Lonsdale's team being captured, Gordon realised that he and Major-General McMullen have to find them.

### Personality

Gordon could be described a "typical WWII general" from his stern attitude towards others.

### Livery

Gordon is painted in LMR blue with red lining and frames, black wheels, white tyres and red nameplates.

### Basis or real locomotive

Gordon is based on the real locomotive. It was one of 150 WD Austerity 2-10-0s built by the NBL, based on the smaller 2-8-0s by Vulcan, from 1943 to the end of WWII in Europe in 1945 and were the first 2-10-0s ever built in the UK for the British market. Following WWII, the class was distributed between Britain (27), the Netherlands (103), Syria (4) and Greece 16) where they continued service. The first ones to be withdrawn were the Dutch examples which were retired in 1952 while examples by BR were withdrawn in 1961-1962. The last ones to retire were those owned by the LMR and the Greek ones retired in 1969 and the mid-1970s respectively. Ten have been preserved (3 in the UK, 6 in Greece and 1 in the Netherlands).

No. 600 'Gordon was built in 1943 and was withdrawn when the Longmoor Military Railway closed in 1969. It is currently on static display on the Severn Valley Railway at Kidderminster.

### Trivia

Since Gordon's class is a bigger version of the WD 2-8-0, he is a relative of Sharon and Major-General McMullen.

Gordon is referred to as "Gordon (LMR)" in production to prevent confusion with the Railway Series character of the same name.

Gordon was inspired by Colonel Rigby in 'The 110th Platoon' created by IronLawl. This goes as far as Rigby's "Whaaaaat?" response when news comes in that's negative.

## Major General McMullen

### Designer

Robert Arthur Riddles

**Major-General McMullen** is a WD 2-8-0 heavy goods engine who works for the British Army on the Longmoor Military Railway. He normally does things against Gordon's (LMR) orders and is normally court marshalled.

### Bio

Major-General McMullen was built at Vulcan Foundry in 1945 for the Ministry of Supply (MoS) during WWII. After the war, he was allocated to the Longmoor Military Railway along with another member of his class (later named 'Sir Guy Williams' in 1953). Major-General McMullen was finally named, along with a former USATC S160 which was named 'Major-General Carl R. Gray Jr.' that same year, in 1954.

In 1967, Major-General McMullen was placed in charge with finding locomotives to try and find extra locomotives to expand the search for two German locomotives in Scotland which escaped from Liss (LMR) and gained the help of the MSR locomotives but got himself nearly court-marshalled by his commander-in-chief. He was later seen racing into Stranraer Harbour station yelling, "Some one stop those Germans!"

### Livery

Major-General McMullen is painted in LMR blue with red lining and frames, black wheels and red nameplates.

### Basis or real locomotive

Major-General McMullen is based on the real locomotive. It was one of 935 War Department (WD) Austerity 2-8-0 built by the Vulcan Foundry and the North British Locomotive Company (NBL) during WWII. They were used to transport munitions, artillery and troops across the UK and later in other countries following D-Day in June 1944 and were sold off following the war. 735 were kept in the UK since the need for more modern, powerful and cheap heavy freight locomotives and 733 were used by British Railways, while the remaining two were owned by the Longmoor Military Railway (LMR).

They were withdrawn by 1967 and all British WD 2-8-0 were scrapped. No. 90733 is the only survivor of the type in the UK and was repatriated from Sweden. There was also a 2-10-0 version built by the North British Locomotive Company (NBL) of Glasgow, Scotland.

WD No. 79250, later LMR No. 701, 'Major-General McMullen' was built at Vulcan Foundry in 1945 and was scrapped in 1957.

### Trivia

The real Major-General McMullen was scrapped in 1957, ten years before the events of his appearance.

Sharon is his older sister.

* Major-General McMullen was also mistaken for Sharon by Jinty.

Major-General McMullen's model is a standard Bachmann WD Austerity 2-8-0 in LMR Blue.

Originally, Sir Guy Williams was going to have this role since it was around until scrapped in 1967 but was changed to Major-General McMullen because of the later looking livery his model had compared to the brighter livery of Sir Guy Williams.

Major-General McMullen is the only LMR locomotive introduced that is not preserved.

Major-General McMullen's nameplates read "Maj-Gen McMullen".

Major-General McMullun was inspired by Captain Luke from 'The 110th Platoon' created by IronLawl.

## Brussels

### Designer

Robert Arthur Riddles

**Brussels** is a Austerity saddle tank engine who works for the British Army on the Longmoor Military Railway. He is known for popping out of nowhere and giving other locomotives a bit of a fright when he does appear.

### Bio

Brussels was built by Hudswell, Clarke and Co. to a Hunslet Engine Company design in 1945. Following WWII, he was sent to the Longmoor Military Railway. His life was mostly quiet since he didn't like any attention despite the amount the LMR was getting from enthusiasts.

In 1967, Brussels was with Major-General McMullen in helping to get more locomotives in the search for two escaped German locomotives from Liss. after giving the WD and the MSR engines a scare by his "appear out of nowhere" tendency, he accepted the help the preserved engines gave and was last seen with Major-General McMullen at Stranraer Harbour.

### Personality

Brussels appears to have tendency to just pop out of nowhere and normally carries on. Other parts of his personality are unknown.

### Livery

Brussels is painted in LMR blue with red lining and coupling rods. He also has black wheels and nameplates.

### Basis or real locomotive

Brussels is based on the real locomotive. It was one of 485 of the famous Austerity saddle tanks built between 1943 and 1964 for military and later industrial service across the UK. They were built by Hunslet Engine Company mainly but during WWII, they were also built by Andrew Barclay & Sons, W. G. Bagnall, Hudswell, Clarke & Company, Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns and Vulcan Foundry to keep up with the order book written by the War Department. The class was one of the last steam locomotives in service outside of preservation with withdrawal happening between 1959 and 1984 under industrial service. 70 have been preserved.

WD No. 71505, later LMR No. 118, 'Brussels' was built in 1945 and was retired from the LMR when it closed in 1969. It is on static display on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

### Trivia

Brussels' tendency to appear without warning was inspired by Roger in The 110th Platoon. This is sometimes followed by one or two of the characters saying, "When the hell did you get here?"

Errol Lonsdale is his younger brother.

Brussels' model is a renumbered, modified and named EFE Rail (ex-DJ Models) Hunslet Austerity.

* Errol Lonsdale shares the same model used.

Brussels is the first oil-fired locomotive introduced into the series.

## Errol Lonsdale

### Designer

Robert Arthur Riddles

**Errol Lonsdale** is a Austerity saddle tank engine who works for the British Army on the Longmoor Military Railway. He is known for being cocky and not thinking things through.

### Bio

Errol Lonsdale was built in 1953 by Hunslet for the Ministry of Defence and was allocated to the Longmoor Military Railway. For most of that time, he was stored while the other members of his class operated trains on the LMR until 1966, when was brought out to star in the new comedy film 'The Great St Trinians Train Robbery' as J94 No. 68011. Following the film, Errol Lonsdale became rather cocky and demanded more respect from LMR staff.

A year later, he was involved in trying to recapture two German locomotives in Scotland and was in a search partly with Capulet, Jinty, Trevor and a Peckett tank when they were captured thanks to his cocky attitude and poor planning.

### Livery

Brussels is painted in LMR blue with red lining and coupling rods. He also has black wheels with white tyres and red nameplates.

### Basis or real locomotive

Errol Lonsdale is based on the real locomotive. It was one of 485 of the famous Austerity saddle tanks built between 1943 and 1964 for military and later industrial service across the UK. They were built by Hunslet Engine Company mainly but during WWII, they were also built by Andrew Barclay & Sons, W. G. Bagnall, Hudswell, Clarke & Company, Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns and Vulcan Foundry to keep up with the order book written by the War Department. The class was one of the last steam locomotives in service outside of preservation with withdrawal happening between 1959 and 1984 under industrial service. 70 have been preserved.

LMR No. 196 'Errol Lonsdale' was built in 1953 and was withdrawn in 1969. It is currently operational at Stoomcentrum Maldegem in Belgium as WD No. 75196.

### Trivia

Errol Lonsdale is depicted with a set of nameplates in 1967, which the actual locomotive wasn't officially named by the LMR until 1968.

Brussels is his older brother.

Errol Lonsdale is best remembered for his roles in the films 'The Great St Trinians Train Robbery' (1966) and 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' (1968).

* These film appearances became the inspiration of his cocky behaviour.

Errol Lonsdale's cocky behaviour is partly inspired by Sargent Major Lawl in episode 7 of 'The 110th Platoon' created by IronLawl.

Errol Lonsdale's model is a renumbered and named EFE Rail (ex-DJ Models) Hunslet Austerity.

* Brussels shares the same base model.