Locomotives of the Glasgow and South Western Railway

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The locomotives of the Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR). The G&SWR had its headquarters in Glasgow with its main locomotive works in Kilmarnock.

Contents

Engines inherited from constituent companies

The G&SWR was formed in 1850 from a merger of the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway (GPK&AR) and the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway (GD&CR). A number of other companies were absorbed by the G&SWR or its predecessors, including the Ardrossan Railway, the Paisley and Renfrew Railway and the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway.

Engines built by the Glasgow and South Western Railway

One notable feature of the G&SWR’s locomotive stock was its aversion to tank engines. Until very late on in the company’s history these were used only when circumstances absolutely demanded it.

Patrick Stirling (1853-1866)

See Patrick Stirling

Wheel
Arrangement
ClassDateBuilderNo. builtNotes
2-2-2 95 1855 Neilson 4
2 1857-60G&SWR Kilmarnock13
40 1860-4G&SWR Kilmarnock10
45 1865-8G&SWR Kilmarnock11
0-2-2-0 99 1855 R & W Hawthorn 4
2-4-0 94 1854/5 Neilson 1
109 1858 Beyer-Peacock 1
0-4-2 105 1856 R & W Hawthorn 4
9 1857 Neilson 7
34 1858-9 R & W Hawthorn 10
23 1860-2 Sharp Stewart 208 rebuilt as tanks during 1881-5.
131 1864 R & W Hawthorn 10
141 1866 Neilson 104 rebuilt as tanks during 1886-7.
0-4-0 52 1864-6G&SWR Kilmarnock6
0-6-0 103 1855 R & W Hawthorn 2
46 1862-3G&SWR Kilmarnock6
58 1866-7G&SWR Kilmarnock6
1867-9 Neilson 20

James Stirling (1866-1878)

See James Stirling

Wheel
Arrangement
ClassDateBuilderNo. built1919 nos.LMS power classificationLMS nos.WithdrawnNotes
2-2-2WT 159 1867 Neilson 11877
2-4-0 8 1868-70G&SWR Kilmarnock151900-17
75 1870-1G&SWR Kilmarnock10726-71P140001900-23
0-4-2 187 1870-1 Neilson 201897-19178 rebuilt as 0-4-2T during 1888-89 (withdrawn 1906-13). 7 renewed as Manson 113 Class in 1900-01.
208 1873 Dübs 10651-5U17023-61904-23
221 1874-8 Neilson 50635-50U17035-451901-2930 renewed as Manson 224 Class in 1901-04, others withdrawn from 1911 onwards
1876 Dübs 10
4-4-0 6 1873-7G&SWR Kilmarnock221895-190116 renewed as Manson 194 Class 1899-1901
0-4-0 65 1871-4G&SWR Kilmarnock22732-3before 1903 - 1922
0-4-0ST 157 1867-70 A.Barclay 51881-unknown
218 1873Allen Andrews2after 1881
220 1873 A.Barclay 11917Second Hand, purchased 1874 from Glamorgan Coal Co.
113 1875-6G&SWR Kilmarnock6unknown2 withdrawn 1911, others unknown
0-6-0 13 1877-8G&SWR Kilmarnock12563-584 with gaps1F17103-111898-19281 wrecked in 1898, others withdrawn from 1914 onwards

Hugh Smellie (1878-1890)

See Hugh Smellie

Wheel
Arrangement
ClassDateBuilderNo. built1919 nos.LMS power classificationLMS nos.WithdrawnNotes
2-4-0 157 1879-81G&SWR Kilmarnock12720-51P14001-21912-23
4-4-0 119 1882-5G&SWR Kilmarnock24467-8, 700-7191P14116-371914-31 (rebuilds 1930-34)2 withdrawn 1914-15, others from 1925 onwards. 14 rebuilt with Whitelegg "X3" boilers in 1921-2 to become class 2P
153 1886-9G&SWR Kilmarnock20448-4661P14138-561898-1930 (rebuilds 1929-35)One locomotive wrecked in 1898, others withdrawn from 1925 onwards. 11 rebuilt with Whitelegg "X3" boilers in 1922-3 to become class 2P
0-4-4T 1 1879-81G&SWR Kilmarnock4728-311P15241-41925-26
0-4-0T 291 1883 A.Barclay 1734U160421925Second hand, purchased 1885, Works shunter
0-4-0ST 218 1881Andrews, Barr & Co2658-9U16040-11928-32
0-6-0 22 1881-92G&SWR Kilmarnock44135-9, 560-616 with gaps1F17112-641915-31 (rebuilds 1932-35)10 renewed as 281 class in 1911-12 and one more withdrawn in 1915. Others withdrawn from 1924 onwards. 10 rebuilt with Whitelegg "X3" boilers in 1923-5 to become class 2F
1883 Neilson 10
1889 Dübs 10

James Manson (1890-1911)

See James Manson

Wheel
Arrangement
ClassDateBuilderNo. built1919 nos.LMS power classificationLMS nos.WithdrawnNotes
4-4-0 8 1892-1904G&SWR Kilmarnock57377, 396-4471P14157-202, 14244-5, 14249-531911-32 (rebuilds 1927-33)Four renewed as 18 or 240 classes in 1911-12, others withdrawn from 1925 onwards. 17 rebuilt with Whitelegg "X1" boilers in 1920-1 to become class 2P
336 1895-99 Dübs 25350-742P14203-271926-32 (rebuilds 1930-32)6 rebuilt with Whitelegg "X1" boilers in 1920-21
194 1899-1901G&SWR Kilmarnock16469-4841P14228-431925-30Renewals of Stirling 6 Class
240 1904-11G&SWR Kilmarnock17375, 378-932P14246-8, 14254-671925-32 (rebuilds 1932-34)2 rebuilt with Whitelegg "X1" boilers in 1920
18 1907-12G&SWR Kilmarnock15337-49, 376, 3952P14268-9, 14366-781925-32
11 1897G&SWR Kilmarnock13943P145091934first 4-cylinder simple locomotive in the British Isles. Rebuilt by Drummond in 1915 and again more extensively by Whitelegg in 1922, when named "Lord Glenarthur"
4-6-0 381 1903 North British 10495-5043P14656-651927-33
1910-11G&SWR Kilmarnock7505-1114666-72
128 1911 North British 2512-33P14673-41933-34
0-4-4T 326 1893 Neilson 10520-5291P15245-541930-32
266 1906G&SWR Kilmarnock6305-10U16080-51925-32
0-4-0T 272 1907-09G&SWR Kilmarnock6316-21U16044-91930-31
0-6-0T 14 1896-1914G&SWR Kilmarnock15275-891F16103-171928-32
0-4-2 113 1900-01G&SWR Kilmarnock7268-741F17028-341926-30Renewals of Stirling 187 Class
224 1901-04G&SWR Kilmarnock30238-2671F17046-751925-31Renewals of Stirling 221 Class
0-6-0 306 1892-93 Dübs 20178-1971F17165-841925-32 (rebuilds 1931-32)3 rebuilt with Whitelegg "X3" boilers in 1925 to become class 2F
160 1897-99G&SWR Kilmarnock18160-1771F17185-2021925-33 (rebuilds 1929-32)4 rebuilt with Whitelegg "X3" boilers in 1925-6 to become class 2F
281 1911-2G&SWR Kilmarnock10140-92F17203-121927-30Renewals of Smellie 22 Class
361 1900 Neilson 20115-342F17474-931928-35 (rebuilds 1931-37)21 rebuilt with Whitelegg "X2" boilers in 1920-4 to become class 3F
1907 North British 12103-11417494-505
1910G&SWR Kilmarnock2101-217506-7
17 1910 North British 1586-1002F17508-221930-37 (rebuild 1934)1 rebuilt with Whitelegg "X2" boiler in 1920 to become class 3F
0-4-0WT Railmotor G&SWR Railmotor1904-05G&SWR Kilmarnock31916

Peter Drummond (1911-1918)

See Peter Drummond

Wheel
Arrangement
ClassDateBuilderNo. built1919 nos.LMS power classificationLMS nos.WithdrawnNotes
4-4-0 131 1913 North British 6331-3363P14510-51934-37
137 1915G&SWR Kilmarnock6325-3303P14516-211934-37
0-6-0T 5 1917 North British 3322-3242F16377-91934
0-6-2T 45 1915-17 North British 1811-283F16410-27 (later 16910-27)1936-47
0-6-0 279 1913 North British 1571-854F17750-641930-33
2-6-0 403 1915 North British 1151-614F17820-301935-47"Austrian Goods"

R. H. Whitelegg (1918-1922)

See Robert Harben Whitelegg

Wheel
Arrangement
ClassDateBuilderNo. builtG&SWR nos.LMS power classificationLMS nos.WithdrawnNotes
4-4-0 485 1921G&SWR Kilmarnock14852P142701933Same as rebuilds of Manson's "8" class
4-6-4T 540 1922 North British 6540-5455P15400-51935-36
0-4-0ST 735 1904 Peckett 1735U160431930Acquired secondhand from Ayr Harbour in 1919
0-6-2T 1 1919 North British 101-103F16400-9 (later 16900-9)1936-48Similar to Drummond "45" class.
0-6-0 150 1921G&SWR Kilmarnock2150-13F17523-41931-35Same as rebuilds of Manson's "361" class

Numbering and classification

The very first engines of the GPK&AR were named but soon after received numbers. As the GD&CR was always intended to merge with the former its engines were allocated numbers following on from the GPK&AR sequence.

From 1851 new engines were given the numbers of older engines that had been withdrawn from service. Eventually new engines were being allocated the numbers of old engines that were intended for withdrawal but which were still running and so two engines would be running with the same number. In 1878 Hugh Smellie introduced an ‘R’ list to cater for older engines whose number had been allocated to a newer one. Later on Manson used an ‘A’ list system, where the older engine had an ‘A’ added to its number. By 1919 the system was so complicated that there was a complete renumbering of all engines.

Class numbers were the number of the first engine built in the class. Given the policy on numbering this meant that classes with lower numbers could frequently be newer than higher numbered classes.

See also LMS locomotive numbering and classification

Liveries

Various shades of green provided the basic colour of the locomotives, with lining in black and white or black and yellow.

Locomotives under LMS ownership

The G&SWR locomotive stock fell foul of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway policy of standardisation following the grouping. Within ten years nearly 80% had been withdrawn from service and only a single 1 Class 0-6-2T engine remained by nationalisation in 1948.

Preservation

Glasgow and South Western Railway No 9 at Glasgow transport museum Glasgow and South Western Railway No 9 at Glasgow transport museum.jpg
Glasgow and South Western Railway No 9 at Glasgow transport museum

Only one G&SWR locomotive has survived:

Sold by the LMS in 1934 to a colliery in Denbighshire, and subsequently passing into National Coal Board ownership, it was from that location that it was acquired for preservation. [1] It is now on display in the Riverside Museum.

Notes

  1. Williams (1974)

Sources

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