S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 No 53809 with a short northbound goods near Wellow on 3 June 1960.

Peter Kerslake says "Introduced by Sir Henry Fowler in 1914 his eleven class "7F's" were the stalwarts of the Somerset and Dorset line across the Mendips, handling both freight and passenger traffic with ease, the first six constructed at the Midland Railway works at Derby with the last five coming from Robert Stephenson's in 1925.
After 45 years service 53800 was the first casualty, condemned in 1959 with 53807 soldiering on as the last survivor until the 5th. September of 1964 whilst 53808 and 53809 were both rescued from Woodham's at Barry following their withdrawal.
53809 had spent eleven years at Woodhams before it was rescued in 1975, heading to the Midland Railway Centre at Butterly where it was restored and worked its first post restoration train in May of 1981, later and some forty years after closure of the Somerset and Dorset line being exhibited on static display at the former Bath Green Park station which had closed to traffic in March of 1966."


Photo: D.M.C. Hepburne-Scott / Rail Archive Stephenson