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 No. 87 as built with a stovepipe chimney and a full cab. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The London and South Western Railway B4 class is a class of 0-4-0 tank engines originally designed for station piloting and dock shunting. They were later used extensively in Southampton Docks for nearly half a century.
The locomotives were designed by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) Locomotive Superintendent William Adams. They were unusual in having inside Stephenson valve gear but outside cylinders and coal bunkers on the footplate inside the cab. The class were originally built with Adams' stovepipe chimney, although these were later replaced by a lipped version designed by Adams' successor, Dugald Drummond. Some examples also had cut away cabs to improve visibility. They were designed for shunting in locations with a sharp curves, such as the dockyard at Devonport and as pilots at the major stations. [1]
The LSWR originally ordered ten locomotives in 1890 from its Nine Elms Works. The class was designated by their order number ‘B4’ and delivered during 1891 and 1892. A further ten locomotives were ordered in 1893 which were delivered in November and December of that year under order D6. [2]
Drummond designed a similar class of five locomotives in 1907, with a slightly smaller boiler and lipped chimney. These were delivered during 1908 under order K14. No. 84, delivered in June 1908 was the last locomotive to be built at Nine Elms Works prior to the works' transfer to Eastleigh. These locomotives were originally regarded as a new class. However, Drummond's successor Robert Urie, considered them to be so similar to the originals, that they were merged with the B4 class in 1912. [2]
| Order No. | Year | Quantity | LSWR numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B4 | 1891 | 10 | 85–94 | |
| D6 | 1893 | 10 | 81, 95–100, 102, 103, 176 | |
| K14 | 1908 | 5 | 746, 747, 82–84 | 746/747 renumbered 101/147 in 1922 |
The first ten locomotives were allocated to major stations throughout the system including Eastleigh, Exmouth Junction, Bournemouth and Plymouth Friary (for use on Cattedown Wharfs and the Turnchapel branch). In November 1892 the LSWR purchased the Southampton Docks, and so both new and existing B4s were sent there over the next few years to replace the existing motive power as they became worn out. By 1899 their use as station pilots had ceased except at Exeter and fourteen were working in Southampton Docks. Other members of the class were assigned to various depots around the LSWR system, for yard and dock shunting. [2]
After 1923 the Southern Railway also used them at Dover Marine, Ashford, Stewarts Lane, Hamworthy (for use at Poole Quay) and at Guildford (as a shed pilot). At least two were retained at Eastleigh one of which was used to shunt the cramped goods yard at Winchester City railway station.
The locomotives used by Southampton Docks, were also given names reflecting the destinations of ships then sailing from Southamton numbers.
| LSWR No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 85 | Alderney |
| 81 | Jersey |
| 86 | Havre |
| 89 | Trouville |
| 90 | Caen |
| 93 | St Malo |
| 95 | Honfleur |
| 96 | Normandy |
| 97 | Brittany |
| 98 | Cherbourg |
| 102 | Granville |
| 176 | Guernsey |
| 746 | Dinan |
| 747 | Dinard |
Following the introduction of the SR USA class to Southampton Docks in 1947, many of the class were made redundant. Withdrawals began under British Railways in May 1948, but others were still in good condition and eleven were sold during 1948/9 for industrial use. Withdrawals resumed in 1957 following the introduction of diesel shunters and by 1961 only three survived. These were withdrawn in 1963. [3]
| Year | Quantity in service at start of year | Quantity withdrawn | Locomotive numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 25 | 4 | 30090–91, 30101/76 | 30101 and 30176 sold |
| 1949 | 21 | 10 | 30081/85/92/95/97–100, 30103/47 | All except 30085 sold |
| 1957 | 11 | 2 | 30082/94 | |
| 1958 | 9 | 1 | 30087 | |
| 1959 | 8 | 4 | 30083–84/86/88 | |
| 1960 | 4 | 1 | 30093 | |
| 1963 | 3 | 3 | 30089/96, 30102 | 30096 and 30102 sold |
Two examples of the class have survived into preservation:
The British Rail Class 07 diesel locomotive is an off-centre cab 0-6-0 diesel-electric shunter type built by Ruston & Hornsby in 1962 for the Southern Region of British Railways. The 14 members of the class were primarily used at Southampton Docks and later also at Eastleigh Works.
The British Rail Class 12 is a diesel locomotive built primarily for shunting duties around London.
The Southern Railway took a key role in expanding the 660 V DC third rail electrified network begun by the London & South Western Railway. As a result of this, and its smaller operating area, its steam locomotive stock was the smallest of the 'Big Four' companies.
The SR Z class was an 0-8-0T 3-cylinder tank engine designed by Richard Maunsell and intended for heavy shunting on the Southern Railway, the first eight entering into service in 1929. It was a successful design and would have been built in greater numbers, but an order for a further ten was cancelled in 1930 due to the reduction in freight traffic as a result of the Great Depression.
The LSWR N15 class was a British 2–cylinder 4-6-0 express passenger steam locomotive designed by Robert Urie. The class has a complex build history spanning three sub-classes and ten years of construction from 1918 to 1927. The first batch of the class was constructed for the London and South Western Railway (LSWR), where they hauled heavy express passenger trains to the south coast ports and further west to Exeter. After the Lord Nelsons, they were the second biggest 4-6-0 passenger locomotives on the Southern Railway. They could reach speeds of up to 90 mph (145 km/h).
The South West Main Line (SWML) is a 143-mile major railway line between Waterloo station in central London and Weymouth on the south coast of England. A predominantly passenger line, it serves many commuter areas including south western suburbs of London and the conurbations based on Southampton and Bournemouth. It runs through the counties of Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset. It forms the core of the network built by the London and South Western Railway, today mostly operated by South Western Railway.
The LSWR M7 class is a class of 0-4-4T passenger tank locomotive built between 1897 and 1911. The class was designed by Dugald Drummond for use on the intensive London network of the London and South Western Railway (LSWR), and performed well in such tasks. Because of their utility, 105 were built and the class went through several modifications over five production batches. For this reason there were detail variations such as frame length. Many of the class were fitted with push-pull operation gear that enabled efficient use on branch line duties without the need to change to the other end of its train at the end of a journey.
The LSWR O2 class is a class of 0-4-4T steam locomotive designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams. Sixty were constructed during the late nineteenth century. They were also the last steam engines to work on the Isle of Wight, with the final two being withdrawn in 1967. One has been preserved and is operational.
The SR USA class are some ex-United States Army Transportation Corps S100 Class steam locomotives purchased and adapted by the Southern Railway (SR) after the end of the Second World War to replace the LSWR B4 class then working in Southampton Docks. SR staff nicknamed them "Yank Tanks".
The LSWR 700 class was a class of 30 0-6-0 steam locomotives designed for freight work. The class was designed by Dugald Drummond in 1897 for the London and South Western Railway in England and built by Dübs and Company at that company's Queen's Park works at Polmadie, Glasgow, Scotland.
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway E1 Class were 0-6-0T steam locomotives designed by William Stroudley in 1874 for short-distance goods and piloting duties. They were originally classified E, and generally known as "E-tanks"; They were reclassified E1 in the time of D. E. Marsh.
The LSWR 415 class is a 4-4-2T steam tank locomotive, with the trailing wheels forming the basis of its "Radial Tank" moniker. It was designed by William Adams and introduced in 1882 for service on the London and South Western Railway (LSWR).
Nine Elms Locomotive Works were built in 1839 by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) adjoining their passenger terminus near the Vauxhall end of Nine Elms Lane, in the district of Nine Elms in the London Borough of Battersea. They were rebuilt in 1841 and remained the principal locomotive carriage and wagon workshops of the railway until closure in stages between 1891 and 1909. Thereafter a large steam motive power depot remained open on the site until 1967, serving Waterloo railway station.
The LSWR G6 class was an 0-6-0T tank locomotive designed by William Adams for the London and South Western Railway.
The LSWR Class T14 was a class of ten 4-6-0 locomotives designed by Dugald Drummond for express passenger use on the London and South Western Railway and constructed at Eastleigh in 1911–12.
The LSWR 330 class or Saddlebacks was a class of goods 0-6-0ST steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway. Twenty were constructed by Beyer, Peacock and Company between 1876 and 1882.
W8 Freshwater is a Stroudley A1X Terrier class 0-6-0T steam locomotive, which is based at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
The London and South Western Railway C14 class was a class of ten 2-2-0 tank locomotives intended to work push–pull trains on lightly used lines in 1907. The S14 class was an 0-4-0 version of the same basic design. Both classes proved to be underpowered in this role and many examples were sold as light shunters during the First World War. Three C14 remained with the LSWR and were rebuilt as 0-4-0Ts. They lasted until the late 1950s.
The Hamworthy Freight Branch is a short standard gauge line from Hamworthy Station to the Hamworthy side of Poole Harbour.
The LSWR F9 class was a unique inspection locomotive and saloon designed by and for the personal use of Dugald Drummond on the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) in 1899.
