SER A class

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SER A class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Designer James Stirling
Builder Ashford Works
Build date1879–1881
Total produced12
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 4-4-0
Gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia. 3 ft 8 in (1,120 mm)
Coupled dia.6 ft 0+12 in (1,842 mm)
Wheelbase:
  Engine
20 ft 10+14 in (6.356 m)
  Leading5 ft 4 in (1,630 mm)
  Coupled8 ft 2 in (2,490 mm)
Axle load:
   Leading
12  long tons  2 cwt (27,100 lb or 12.3 t)
  1st coupled14 long tons 2 cwt (31,600 lb or 14.3 t)
  2nd coupled11 long tons 5 cwt (25,200 lb or 11.4 t)
Loco weight37 long tons 19 cwt (85,000 lb or 38.6 t)
Tender weight25 long tons 14 cwt (57,600 lb or 26.1 t)
Total weight63 long tons 13 cwt (142,600 lb or 64.7 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity3 long tons 0 cwt (6,700 lb or 3 t)
Water cap.2,100 imp gal (9,500 l)
Firebox typeRound-top
  Firegrate area15+14 sq ft (1.42 m2)
Boiler:
  TypeDomeless
  Small tubes230 × 1+58 in (41 mm)
Boiler pressure140 lbf/in2 (970 kPa)
Safety valve Ramsbottom
Heating surface1,129+14 sq ft (104.91 m2)
  Tubes1,034 sq ft (96.1 m2)
  Firebox95+14 sq ft (8.85 m2)
Cylinders Two, inside
Cylinder size 18 in × 26 in (460 mm × 660 mm)
Career
Operators
Class A
Withdrawn1907–1909
DispositionAll scrapped

The SER A class was a class of 4-4-0 locomotives on the South Eastern Railway.

Contents

History

For many years the South Eastern Railway (SER) had relied upon locomotives of the 2-4-0 wheel arrangements for their semi-fast passenger services. James Stirling had been appointed to the post of locomotive superintendent of the SER on 28 March 1878. He came from the Glasgow and South Western Railway where, since 1873, he had used 4-4-0 locomotives for express passenger services as being more capable than the 2-4-0s hitherto favoured. Accordingly, his first new class of locomotive for the SER was a 4-4-0, and 12 were built at Ashford Works between 1879 and 1881. [1] The boiler was interchangeable with that of the O class 0-6-0 (introduced 1878) and also with the later Q class (introduced 1881). [2]

When new, the locomotives were painted holly green, and their numbers were scattered between 19 and 179. [3] The green was replaced by black from December 1883. Their SER numbers were retained under the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR), although from 1900 the livery changed from black to Brunswick green. [4]

Table of orders and numbers
YearQuantitySER Nos.
18792165, 157
18809163, 166, 160, 176, 159, 179, 19, 67, 36
18811175

No. 67 was the 200th locomotive built at Ashford. [2]

Rebuilding

The original boilers of all twelve locomotives were replaced between 1889 and 1894, the detail differences were small; and between 1901 and 1908, five were rebuilt for a second time by the SECR with Wainwright-design boilers of a different design. [5]

Withdrawal

Due to the introduction of newer types by the SECR, the class became redundant and in March 1907 it was decided that all twelve A class locomotives were to be withdrawn when next needing heavy repairs. Two were withdrawn in June 1907, five more in 1908 leaving five in service at the start of 1909. After withdrawal in January 1908, the boiler of no. 165 was used to rebuild no. 163 which became the last to be withdrawn, on 30 June 1909. [6]

Table of withdrawals
YearTotal in service at start of yearQuantity withdrawnLocomotive numbers
1907122160, 166
1908105165, 176, 157, 179, 67
19095519, 36, 175, 159, 163

Notes

  1. Bradley 1985, pp. 139–140.
  2. 1 2 Burtt 1947, p. 22.
  3. Bradley 1985, pp. 139, 143.
  4. Bradley 1985, pp. 12–13, 140, 142.
  5. Bradley 1985, pp. 142, 143.
  6. Bradley 1985, p. 143.

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SER O class

The South Eastern Railway (SER) O Class was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work, and were the main freight engines of the SER, and later the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR) for a number of years. However, they were displaced by the more powerful C class locomotives following the amalgamation of the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) in 1899. This relegated the class to working on the numerous branch lines in Kent, on both passenger and freight work. They worked most notably on the Kent & East Sussex Railway and East Kent Railway, operating coal trains from the Kent coal fields to London, as well as shunting work at such locations as Shepherds Well, Hoo Junction and Ashford. The majority were withdrawn before the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, and those that remained were slowly withdrawn from nationalisation onwards.

SECR N class Class of English steam locomotives

The SECR N class was a type of 2-6-0 ("mogul") steam locomotive designed in 1914 by Richard Maunsell for mixed-traffic duties on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR). Built between 1917 and 1934, it was the first non-Great Western Railway (GWR) type to use and improve upon the basic design principles established by GWR Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) George Jackson Churchward. The N class was based on the GWR 4300 Class design, improved with Midland Railway concepts.

SECR D class

The SECR D class is a class of 4-4-0 tender locomotives designed by Harry Wainwright for the South Eastern and Chatham Railway.

SECR N1 class Class of 6 three-cylinder 2-6-0 locomotives

The SECR N1 class was a type of 3-cylinder 2-6-0 ('mogul') steam locomotive designed by Richard Maunsell for mixed traffic duties, initially on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR), and later operated for the Southern Railway (SR). The N1 was a development of the basic principles established by the Great Western Railway's (GWR) Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) George Jackson Churchward and by Maunsell's previous N class design.

SECR L class

The SECR L class was a class of 4-4-0 steam tender locomotive built for express passenger service on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. Although designed by Harry Wainwright, they were built during the Maunsell era.

SECR B1 class

The SECR B1 class was a class of 4-4-0 steam tender locomotive for express passenger service on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. These engines were originally designed by James Stirling for the South Eastern Railway (SER) in 1898 and designated B class. The SER was merged into the SECR in 1899 and, between 1910 and 1927 the B class engines were rebuilt with new boilers by Harry Wainwright to become B1 class.

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James Stirling (1835–1917) was a Scottish mechanical engineer. He was Locomotive Superintendent of the Glasgow and South Western Railway and later the South Eastern Railway. Stirling was born on 2 October 1835, a son of Robert Stirling, rector of Galston, East Ayrshire.

SECR E class

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The SER R class was a class of 0-6-0T locomotives on the South Eastern Railway.

LCDR R1 class

The LCDR R1 class was a class of 0-4-4T locomotives on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, which were based on an existing London, Chatham and Dover Railway design.

The SECR Q1 class was a class of 0-4-4T steam locomotives of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. The class was rebuilt from older Stirling Q class locomotives by Harry Wainwright between 1903 and 1917 by fitting the boiler that had been designed for the H class 0-4-4T in 1902–03.

The LCDR Second Sondes class was a class of six 2-4-0T steam locomotives. They were designed by William Martley for the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR), and built at the LCDR's Longhedge works during 1865, using components from the Sondes class 4-4-0ST locomotives, including the boilers.

The LCDR Aeolus class was a class of four 4-4-0 steam locomotives. They were supplied to the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR) by R. & W. Hawthorn & Co. acting as agents for Robert Stephenson & Co. which built the locomotives, but had subcontracted some components to Hawthorn. They were delivered to the LCDR between September 1860 and April 1861. They were all renewed by William Martley as 2-4-0T at the LCDR's Longhedge works in 1872–73, using components from the original locomotives, including the boilers.

References