Sarah Siddons

No. 17 Florence Nightingale was scrapped in 1943 after an accident. Its destination here, Rickmansworth station, was until 1961 the changeover point from steam to electric locomotives for Metropolitan Line trains from Aylesbury (and Verney Junction) to London.

 

Sarah Siddons (1755–1831) was a British actress and the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. Her name was bestowed on one of the 20 London Metropolitan Railway electric locomotives built in 1922-1923 by Metropolitan Vickers. They were all named after famous London residents and had a top speed of 65 mph (105 km/h). They were BoBo type with four 300 hp motors = 1,200 hp.  Passenger duties ceased in 1961 but 4 were transferred to other duties. 

No.12 Sarah Siddons was finally withdrawn in 1982 and preserved in working order; it has since run a number of special passenger workings.  Based at Ealing Common as a shunter, it was converted to test new types of brake block. With No.5, it was refurbished for special trains in 1971 but returned to brake-block testing and while still a departmental locomotive, it was exhibited at Shildon in 1975.  It has been modified to allow it to run on the 'Main Line' third rail electrification and so is no longer limited to running on the Underground network's four-rail system.

No. 5 John Hampden was withdrawn in 1962 and preserved in the London Transport Museum.  The LTM photo archive webpage.