Project 62 Home Page

PROJECT 62 - The home page for "Yankee Tanks" 30075 & 30076

***News - 30075 on short term hire to Churnet Valley Railway from Dec 2009***

30075 hauling 4 carriages up the 1:100 gradient over the Churnet Valley Railway on 30th January 2010 (photo copyright Dave Gibson)

At very short notice Project 62 has been able to accomodate a request from the Churnet Valley Railway to hire 30075 over December 2009/early 2010 period. This fits very well with requirement for use at her base on the Mid-Hants Railway over this time 30075 was not scheduled to haul any of the heavy "Santa Special" train operations. Follow the links for photos of the move of 30075 to Cheddleton in Staffordshire where the Churnet Valley Railway and for pictures of 30075's first day in steam there on 11th December 2009. Cheddleton is quite some distance from most, though not all, Project 62 members. Whilst 30075 is on short term hire to the Churnet Valley Railway you can see all the action around the railway on the CVR web-cam link. Yankee Tank has been used for Driver Experience Charters and on 23rd January ran some 90 miles over the day's operation, addiditonally hauling the Dining Train service that evening. We believe this is the highest milage single day that the locomotive has operated since preservation in the UK in 1990.

Over the weekend of 6th to 7th February 2010 Yankee Tank 30075 will play a major role in the Churnet Valley Railway Winter Gala. Later in the month the locomotive will move back to the Watercress Line in time for the Spring Steam Gala in March and will then resume Footplate Experience and Special Event duties there.

About Project 62

Project 62 represents the owners of Yugoslavian built Class 62 USA type 0-6-0 tank steam locomotive 30075 (formerly JZ 62-669 acquired from Store Steel in Slovenia in 1990) which has been operational since June 2004 following heavy overhaul and is based on the Mid-Hants Railway "Watercress Line" from August 2009. The group is also involved in the current project to construct 30076 from 62-521, which has been acquired from ArcelorMittal Zenica in Bosnia & Herzegovina and is also based on the "Watercress Line" in Hampshire having arrived in December 2006. Project 62 also has a "Friends of 62-121" arrangement with the Slovenian National Railway Museum in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Class 62 "Yankee Tank" steam locomotives are a pattern build of the World War II USATC S100 Class 0-6-0T Switcher/Shunters designed by Colonel Howard G Hill.

30075 at the Mid-Hants Railway

Following delivery by Moveright International to Alresford on 18th August 2009, Project 62's "Yankee Tank" 30075 is now based on the "Watercress Line" for the foreseeable future. 30075 proved most popular with both the public and operations at the Mid-Hants Railway when she visited as a guest locomotive in March 2006 for the Railway's Spring Steam Gala. Project 62 is pleased to extend the association with the Mid-Hants Railway in now basing 30075 there additional to 30076. This is a particularly appropriate association as USA Class locomotives 30064 and 30072 (both preserved) were based nearby at Guildford in the mid-1960's and Ropley on the "Watercress Line" was a sub-shed of Guildford (70C).

The first of a series of "work in" sessions organised by Project 62 Locomotive Liaison Officer was held at Ropley on Sunday 23rd August - if interested in assisting us on future "work in" days then please contact us via the Project 62 email address.

For all the latest news and photos of 30075 in action since returning to service, including photos taken at the locomotive's new base on the "Watercress Line", use this link to our GALLERY page.

The image above shows 30075 shortly after arriving at Alresford on 18th August 2009 to commence work at her new base - the Mid Hants Railway. The locomotive is presented in unlined BR Black as a Southampton Dock Tank and carries a 71I (Southampton Docks) shed plate.

30076 - converting 62-521 to form the UK's 6th USA Class locomotive

Since 62-521 arrived at its current base at Ropley on the Mid-Hants Railway in December 2006, various professional examinations have occurred in order to set a plan for overhaul and cab conversion for the access initiative. Initial estimates are that we now need to raise a further sum of around £50,000 to enable 30076 to become operational. The members of Project 62 have raised the amount required to buy and transport 62-521, but we need your help to complete the project please! Contact us by emailing project62@supanet.com to purchase shares from just £50 each or to make a donation. Having paid for 62-521, the modest cost of the total project to create a new locomotive of UK Heritage style in USA Tank 30076, now means means that just one thousand people buying just one share each, or donating an average of £50 each, could see 30076 in service by the end of 2010. Please join us to achieve a "World First" and be part of the making of heritage rail history. For more information click 30076.

62-521 is made ready for loading to depart Zenica December 2006. The photo to the right shows the locomotive outside the loco-shed at Ropley on the Mid-Hants Railway

Further Project 62 information and photos

Technical Information - specification detail for 30075, 62-521 and 62-121 with dimensions, tractive effort and other data

Photo Gallery - photos of 30075 and Project 62 Events, 62-521/30076 and 62-121 plus other USA Class and Class 62 locomotives

Background to Project 62 - for more detail about the history of "Yankee Tank"

Share Scheme - buy a share to join us and be an owner of your VERY OWN steam locomotive!

Locating 62-669 - an article with photos by Glyn Thomas, a member of the group who originally went to Slovenia to survey the steam locomotive at the Store Steelworks in 1990

Colonel Howard G Hill - the man credited with the design of the S100 USA 0-6-0T steam locomotive

USATC and Class 62 - US Army Transport Corps tank locomotives and developments

The GWR and Early History of USA Tanks in Britain - most USATC locomotives arrived through Newport and were then stored or used at a number of sheds on the Great Western Railway

The Four Manufacturers of USA and Class 62 Locomotives - brief histories of Vulcan Iron Works, HK Porter, Davenport and the Djuro Djakovic Works

Register of USA Class 62 locomotives - a collation of Internet sourced data with the latest known locations of around 100 existing USATC and USA type Class 62 locomotives around the world

Useful links - for links to associated and supporting web sites

DVD of Class 62 action in the Balkans

As well as our CD of Class 62's in operation, we have a 40 minute DVD presentation of various steam locomotives in action in Central Europe during 1998 including a number of Class 62's in the Balkan countries. 62-367 near Tuzla, 62-677, 62-125 and 62-111 at Banovici, 62-643 at Vreoci mine plus many other locomotives play to the camera. To order your copy (available for a donation of minimum £8.00 plus £1 postage and packing) CLICK HERE to email us. Rights to Project 62 for this DVD have been kindly provided by Neil Berry. Available on DVD-R (or DVD+R if requested).

2010 Mid-Hants Railway (Watercress Line) Timetable

Clicking on the Mid-Hants Railway ("Watercress Line") Timetable cover above will take you to the "Watercress Line" timetable web page where you can also book tickets online.

Links to our Locomotives' Host Railway

Both 30075 and 62-521 which will be rebuilt to form the next in the Southampton Dock shunter series numbered "30076" are currently based on the Mid-Hants Railway ("Watercress Line"). Best access to the Watercress Line is at Alresford Station in Alresford, Hampshire where there is a pay and display car park. On special event days extra parking is often laid on at Ropley. Follow this link for more detail about the Mid-Hants Railway.

All photos, sound and video clips are copyright of Project 62 unless otherwise credited

Updated 31st January 2010