This is the first BR standard class locomotive to feature in the Model of the week series.  Once again, we shall be looking at the history of the prototype, illustrated by pictures of Bachmann’s rendition of the model (click here for the model review).  Without further ado; Locoyard.com presents 73082 Camelot!

The British Railways Standard 5MT class was not in reality a totally new design of locomotive and owed a lot to William Stanier’s very successful “Black 5” class; with a few “modern” features to make it easier to operate and run.  Click here to read the model of the week feature on Black 5 44932.  Largely owing to this pedigree, the BR Standard 5MT’s were successful and popular locomotives.  73082 was one of the 130 built in Derby (a further 42 were built in Doncaster.)

73082 was built in 1955 and was in service for just eleven years and was withdrawn in 1966.  It was one of twenty Standard 5MT’s assigned to the Southern Region to replace life-expired N15 King Arthur class locomotive’s that included 736 Excalibur (another locomotive in the model collection).  In 1959, the Southern Standard 5MT locomotive’s were given the names of the locomotive’s that they replaced.  73082 was bestowed “Camelot” from retired N15 30742.  The Southern Standard 5MT’s were the only members of their class that received names and were affectionately nicknamed “Standard Arthur’s”.

Camelot began its short working career hauling Dover and Folkestone boat trains until electrification of those lines displaced it to Nine Elms and eventually Guildford where it withdrawn from service.

Fortunately, that’s not where the story ends, as 73082 was bought by the Woodham Bros and taken to their scrapyard in Barry, South Wales where it started rusting… but it was not scrapped.  73082 became the last surviving “Standard Arthur” and The Camelot Society was created in 1974 with the aim of purchasing the locomotive and restoring it back to working condition.

After much hard work; the aim came into fruition in 1995 when 73082 entered service on the Bluebell Railway, where it became a regular performer until its’ boiler ticket expired after ten years.

Camelot is currently being overhauled at Sheffield Park.  Once complete, 73082 will be pulling heavy tourist trains again, though this time into East Grinstead station, with the Bluebell Line’s Northern extension due to open next Saturday.

If you want to find out more about this locomotive; go to the 73082 Camelot Society webpage.  Thanks for reading folks!