The Stephenson Locomotive Society (SLS) was founded in the UK in Autumn 1909 for the study of

rail transport Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a p ...

and

locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the Power (physics), motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, Motor coach (rail), motor ...

s. More recently, on 1 January 2017, the SLS became a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales 10471004 (Current Registered Office First Floor, Templeback, 10 Temple Back, BRISTOL, BS1 6FL). The Society was originally named ''The Stephenson Society'' in honour of the Stephenson family of engineers and not solely

George Stephenson George Stephenson (9 June 1781 – 12 August 1848) was a British civil engineer and mechanical engineer. Renowned as the "Father of Railways", Stephenson was considered by the Victorians a great example of diligent application and thirst for ...

as often, erroneously, stated. In late 1911 the professional engineers seceded from the Society to form the ''Junior Institution of Locomotive Engineers'' and the Society then took its present name. Despite this the SLS has since attracted professional locomotive engineers such as

William Stanier Sir William Arthur Stanier, (27 May 1876 – 27 September 1965) was a British railway engineer, and was chief mechanical engineer of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Biography Sir William Stanier was born in Swindon, where his ...

Oliver Bulleid Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (19 September 1882 – 25 April 1970) was a British railway and mechanical engineer best known as the Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Southern Railway ( ...

and

André Chapelon André Chapelon (26 October 1892 – 22 July 1978) was a French mechanical engineer and designer of advanced steam locomotives. A graduate engineer of Ecole Centrale Paris, he was one of very few locomotive designers who brought a rigorous scien ...

, as well as amateurs. It also has local Centres which organise meetings and trips of railway interest such as special trains.{{cite book, author=Simmons, Jack, editor=Biddle, Gordon, title=The Oxford Companion to British Railway History from 1603 to the 1990s, publisher=Oxford University Press, year=1997, isbn=0-19-211697-5 In 1927 the SLS organised the preservation of

London, Brighton and South Coast Railway The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR; known also as the Brighton line, the Brighton Railway or the Brighton) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its ...

B1 Class

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomot ...

''Gladstone''; the first locomotive to be preserved by private subscription. In due course it was donated to the UK National Collection and is now in the care of the

National Railway Museum The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the Science Museum Group. The museum tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It is the home of the national collection of historically significant r ...

. The SLS are custodians of a historic miniature steam locomotive ''Orion'' constructed to run on 9½ in. (241 mm)

gauge Gauge ( or ) may refer to: Measurement * Gauge (instrument), any of a variety of measuring instruments * Gauge (firearms) * Wire gauge, a measure of the size of a wire ** American wire gauge, a common measure of nonferrous wire diameter, es ...

track, based on the

London and North Western Railway The London and North Western Railway (LNWR, L&NWR) was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. In the late 19th century, the L&NWR was the largest joint stock company in the United Kingdom. In 1923, it became a constituent of the Lo ...

Webb Webb most often refers to James Webb Space Telescope which is named after James E. Webb, second Administrator of NASA. It may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Webb Glacier (South Georgia) * Webb Glacier (Victoria Land) *Webb Névé, Victoria ...

Compound Compound may refer to: Architecture and built environments * Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall ** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struct ...

design. As of February 2013 Orion is on long term loan and display at the

Shildon Locomotion Museum Locomotion, previously known as Locomotion the National Railway Museum at Shildon, is a railway museum in Shildon, County Durham, England. The museum was renamed in 2017 when it became part of the Science Museum Group. Overview The museum was ...

References

External links

Stephenson Locomotive Society

SLS Official Facebook page
Non-profit organisations based in the United Kingdom History of rail transport in the United Kingdom Railway societies