The S15's were designed purely as a Freight engine, working the heavy night express goods trains between Exeter and Nine Elms, and from Southampton to Nine Elms. They proved to be excellent engines.
The locomotive's chassis is currently in the back of the wheeldrop shed where the cylinders are being removed to access corrosion in the area between the main frames and the cylinders.. The new tender is virtually complete with final works being carried out this year. The boiler for 506 is now in the boiler shop at Ropley where considerable work is taking place to get it ready for fitting to the engine. It is hoped that 506 will steam again in the next 18 months if work progresses to the current plan.