Introduced In 1923 This Collett 'Castle' Was A Direct Development Of The Churchward 'Star' Class 4-6-0. No. 4037 Was In Effect Nothing More Than A 'Star' Re-Built To Take A Castle Boiler And Cab. Note The Inside Cylinder Cover As Being That Of A 'Star,' And Not Of The Later More Squared Standard Type Attributed To Pure 'Castles.'

As A Member Of The 'Lord Nelson' Class Of The Southern, 'Sir Francis Drake' Carried A Shorter Boiler Than Her Classmates Until He Was Officially Withdrawn In December 1961. There Were Two Such Boilers In Circulation The Other Being Carried By 30863 'Lord Rodney,' Withdrawn In February 1962. Strangely 30851 Languished In Eastleigh Works Until He Was Cut Up In May 1962, Whereas 30863 Was Scrapped In Ashford Works Earlier In March 1962. Neither Boiler Was Retained For Use As A Spare. 

As A Direct Comparison To 'Sir Francis' Above, Here A View Showing The Standard Length Boiler As Fitted To 'Howard Of Effingham.' These Two Old Box Camera Shots Illustrate Details Of The Wheels And Motion Of The 'Nelsons' Quite Nicely.

During Southern Railway Days The Silky Look Was All The Rage, And Southern Smokebox Rivetting Was Smoothed Away. Here, In British Railways Guise, Such Fripparies Are Not Required And 'Sir Lionel' Shows Off All The Front End Rivets Normally Missed On Proprietry Models Nowadays. One For The Rivet Counter In The Name Of Accuracy. Poor Old 'Sir Lionel' Was Withdrawn In August 1959 A Few Months After This Old Box Camera Photograph Was Taken. He Was Cut Up In Eastleigh Works In October 1959. 

The Motion Of A 'Spam' Illustrated Here With That Of 'Wadebridge.' One Of The Endearing Memories Of A Spam In Motion Was The Audible Squeak From The Front End At Each Wheel Revolution. You Will Notice No Great Counter Balance Weights Were Fitted To The Wheels, (Only The Centre Set Of Driving Wheels Being Lightly Treated,) As The Hammer Blow On These Considerable Locomotives Was Far Less Noticeable Than That Of The 'Walschaerts' Fitted Re-Builds.

The Other Side Of The Coin. 'Callington' Had Recently Returned From Eastleigh Works After Her Rebuild When This Shot Was Taken. Note The Much Larger Counter Balance Weight Now Fitted To The Centre Set Of Drivers In Response To The Heavier Hammer Blow Created By The 'Walschaerts' Valve Gear Now Fitted.

And Finally A Look At The Motion Of 'Port Line.' Very Similar To That Of The WC/BB Rebuilds But On Closer Inspection Slight Detailed Differences Can Be Seen. On The Rebuilds, Or 'Modifieds' As They Were Commonly Called, The Friendly Squeak At The Front End Of The Air Smooth Originals, Had Been Replaced By The Rumbling And Clanking Of All That Extra Valve Gear.