In overhaulSTEAM LOCOMOTIVE · 1941
AJAX
RSH 7042 · M.E.D. No. 6 · Yard No. 361 · 0-4-0ST
Delivered new to Chatham Dockyard. AJAX is undergoing overhaul, with a fundraising effort underway to support the work.
Read AJAX’s story ↗The Historic Dockyard Chatham · Railway today
Still here.
Still at work.
Meet the locomotives, cranes and wagons on the Dockyard railway today, from Chatham survivors to machines brought here from elsewhere.
Explore today’s vehiclesTHE HISTORIC DOCKYARD CHATHAM Present-day vehicles · status and stories
01Locomotives & trolley
Four engines.
One trolley.
Two locomotives were delivered new to Chatham. The others came from elsewhere and now help bring the Dockyard railway to life. A Wickham trolley is also undergoing overhaul.
In overhaul
Coming into serviceDIESEL LOCOMOTIVE · 1955
Rochester Castle
F.C. Hibberd 3738 · Yard No. 562 · 4wDM
Built new for Chatham. Following its overhaul, involving around 4,000 volunteer hours, Rochester Castle is preparing to enter service.
Read Rochester Castle’s story ↗
Under repairDIESEL LOCOMOTIVE · 1954
Thalia
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn · built under licence from Drewry
Originally supplied to William Cory & Sons at Rochester. Thalia came to the Historic Dockyard in 1985 and is now undergoing repair.
OperationalMILITARY DIESEL · 1941
Overlord
No. 357 · WD 42 · Andrew Barclay
Built for the Ministry of Defence and used in the D-Day campaign. Now owned by the Royal Engineers Museum, Overlord is operational and cared for at Chatham.
RAILWAY TROLLEY · TYPE 17A
Wickham No. 7586
D. Wickham & Co. · Works No. 7586 · Order No. 62365
Built at Ware in 1957 for British Railways’ North Eastern Region, it was rescued from a garden in the Midlands in April 2026. Now at Chatham, it is being restored on loan from the Rail Trolley Trust.
Explore its history at the Rail Trolley Trust ↗02Locomotive yard cranes
Four cranes.
One Dockyard.
Grafton locomotive yard cranes could haul wagons as well as lift heavy loads. All four survivors remain at the Historic Dockyard.
Works No. 2528
Dockyard Yard No. 482 · privately preserved.
Works No. 2547
Dockyard Yard No. 517 · privately preserved.
Works No. 2641
Dockyard Yard No. 558 · owned by the Dockyard; awaiting overhaul.
Works No. 2675
Dockyard Yard No. 582 · privately preserved and operational. It hauls demonstration trains, hosts crane operator experiences and powers the Hook-a-Duck challenge.
Discover the Grafton cranes ↗03Rolling stock
Wagons for
the work.
From railway-company vans to Admiralty tank wagons, explore the goods vehicles currently listed as part of the Dockyard railway.
See the current wagon listExplore the historic fleetBrowse the Historic Dockyard vehicle registers ↗