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 No. 31918 (first batch built June 1935) at Norwood Junction Locomotive Depot 12 March 1960 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The SR Class W were 3-cylinder 2-6-4T tank engines designed in 1929 by Richard Maunsell for use on the Southern Railway. They were introduced in 1932 and constructed at Eastleigh and Ashford. The class was intended for short distance, inter-company/regional freight traffic transfer in London, and were standardised with parts from the N, N1, U and U1 classes.
From the 1920s London was surrounded by a number of large freight Marshalling yards, where long-distance freight trains were brought and re-organised into new trains for onward transmission to their destinations. Three of these yards, at Feltham, Norwood and Hither Green, were operated by the Southern Railway. The requirement for a fast freight transfer locomotive between these yards, and across London to other railway yards, provided a challenge for Richard Maunsell. The electrified suburban lines were busy with commuter traffic which took priority over freight workings, and the London network abounded with junctions and signal stops. The design brief called for a powerful locomotive with good acceleration and adhesion: [2] one that was able to climb the steep gradients over the flying junctions that were to be found all over the Southern Railway's London network. The ability to operate over tight curves and be able to pull away from a standstill on the aforementioned gradients were also key considerations that needed to be incorporated into the design. [1] A tank locomotive design was also preferable since the journeys were relatively short, and the work would involve frequent changes in direction.
The SR Z class was considered at first, but due to the specialist characteristics of the design as a yard engine for marshalling freight, they were not deemed fit for the purpose of hauling loads under the tight timings of London's railway system. The solution was a smaller wheeled version of the ill-fated K1 River class tank engines, with three cylinders to allow for better acceleration and three sets of Walschaerts valve gear. [lower-roman 1] The resultant W class was designed in 1929.
As a result of the rebuilding of the K1 class following the Sevenoaks railway accident, surplus bogies and leading wheels were available for the new design. A Cartazzi axle was used for the leading pair of wheels rather than a swivelling pony truck. The 2-6-4 wheel arrangement was settled upon as being ideal for intensive suburban routes, and the use of parts from the K Class and the same boiler as used on the N, N1 and U1 classes enabled the standardisation of Southern locomotives to continue. [3] The locomotives were provided with heavy braking equipment in order to handle the trains of freight wagons with or without continuous brakes that were in use at the time. With this in mind the class was (unusually) provided with extra braking on the bogie wheels. [3]
An initial order was placed with Eastleigh railway works for ten locomotives, with the frames to be constructed at Ashford railway works and the boilers at Brighton railway works. [4] However, by the time that Ashford had delivered the first five sets of frames in early 1930 a severe trade recession meant that they were no longer needed. The frames were stored and the boilers used as spares for the N and U class locomotives. [4] By mid 1931 trade had recovered to allow construction of the initial five to be completed. These were delivered during January and February 1932. The components for the remaining five locomotives still on order were gathered at Eastleigh during 1932, but once again their construction was delayed pending a more sustained economic recovery, and the boilers were used elsewhere. [4] A second batch consisting of these five locomotives together with a further five ordered in March 1930 were eventually delivered between April 1935 and April 1936. [5] Eastleigh works was then committed to the construction of the Schools class and so the order was transferred to Ashford.
The two batches differed from each other because the Eastleigh batch had gravity sanding capability and steam regulators on the right hand side, whilst the Ashford batch had steam sanding and regulators on the left, as was common on most other classes of Southern locomotives.
The first batch was modified between 1959 and 1960 to incorporate steam sanding, as this was already present on the Ashford batch. The right hand driving, however, remained. [3]
The first batch was turned out in black livery with green lining, and were numbered 1911–1915 with 'Southern' in yellow on the water tanks. The Ashford batch was outshopped in unlined black livery, and the initial batch were also converted to this new livery. These locomotives were numbered 1916–1925.
The locomotives retained their freight black liveries, and the BR crest was placed on the water tank sides. Numbering was per the BR standard numbering system, in the range 31911–31925. [6] [ page needed ]
The class was mainly used around London working from Hither Green, Norwood and Feltham yards. They were also used on inter-company/regional transfer freight duties over the West London Line to Old Oak Common, Willesden, Cricklewood and Ferme Park marshalling yards. [7]
The class was generally well liked by their crews apart from the fact that the driver was on the right hand side of the Eastleigh batch, which made accurate stopping difficult when signalling was predominantly on the left on the Southern network. [8] [ page needed ] This would have meant that the fireman was frequently utilised as lookout on the left hand side.
In 1948 there was a chronic shortage of large passenger tank locomotives on the un-electrified lines of the former London Brighton and South Coast Railway. As a result, trials of the class were made with passenger stock between Victoria railway station and Tunbridge Wells West railway station via the Oxted Line. However, like the K and K1 classes the W class were found to be unstable at speed and were banned from use on passenger trains. [7]
The class began to be withdrawn from service in 1963, with the last removed from the books in 1964. No examples of this class of locomotive survived into preservation.
| Year | Quantity in service at start of year | Quantity withdrawn | Locomotive numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 15 | 10 | 31911/15–16/18–23/25. |
| 1964 | 5 | 5 | 31912–14/17/24. |
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/SR H15 class was a class of 2-cylinder 4-6-0 steam locomotives designed by Robert Urie for mixed-traffic duties on the LSWR. Further batches were constructed by Richard Maunsell for the Southern Railway after 1923. They were given the nickname of "Junior King Arthur" due to the size of their driving wheels, the S15 and their N15 cousins had driving wheels which had a diameter of 5 foot and 7 inches and 6 foot and 7 inches respectively.
The SR N15X class or Remembrance class were a design of British 4-6-0 steam locomotives converted in 1934 by Richard Maunsell of the Southern Railway from the large LB&SCR L class 4-6-4 tank locomotives that had become redundant on the London–Brighton line following electrification. It was hoped that further service could be obtained from these locomotives on the Southern's Western Section, sharing the duties of the N15 class locomotives. The locomotives were named after famous Victorian engineers except for Remembrance, which was the LBSCR's memorial locomotive for staff members who died in the First World War.
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 SR Q1 class is a type of austerity steam locomotive constructed during the Second World War. The class was designed by Oliver Bulleid for use on the intensive freight turns experienced during wartime on the Southern Railway network. A total of 40 locomotives were built. Bulleid incorporated many innovations and weight-saving concepts to produce a highly functional design. The class lasted in service until July 1966, and the first member of the class, number C1, has been preserved by the National Railway Museum.
The SR U class are 2-6-0 steam locomotives designed by Richard Maunsell for passenger duties on the Southern Railway (SR). The class represented the penultimate stage in the development of the Southern Railway's 2-6-0 "family", which improved upon the basic principles established by GWR Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) George Jackson Churchward for Great Western Railway (GWR) locomotives. The U class design drew from experience with the GWR 4300s and N classes, improved by applying Midland Railway ideas to the design, enabling the SECR to influence development of the 2-6-0 in Britain.
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 S15 class is a British 2-cylinder 4-6-0 freight steam locomotive designed by Robert W. Urie, based on his H15 class and N15 class locomotives. The class had a complex build history, spanning several years of construction from 1920 to 1936. The first examples were constructed for the London and South Western Railway (LSWR), where they hauled freight trains to the south coast ports and further west to Exeter, as well as occasional passenger work in conjunction with their larger-wheeled N15 class counterparts.
The Q Class is a type of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed by Richard Maunsell of the Southern Railway and constructed immediately prior to the Second World War for use on medium-distance freight trains throughout the network. Twenty locomotives were built by Maunsell's successor, Oliver Bulleid, in 1938. The design was relatively old-fashioned and the class was soon afterwards eclipsed by Bulleid's own more powerful Q1 class. Nevertheless the locomotives performed adequately and reliably on the tasks for which they had been designed, until their withdrawal in 1965. Only one has survived, and is preserved on the Bluebell Railway.
The SR U1 class were three-cylinder 2-6-0 ('mogul') steam locomotives designed by Richard Maunsell for passenger duties on the Southern Railway. The fifth member of the Maunsell "family" of standardised moguls and 2-6-4 locomotives, the U1 was the final development of the Maunsell mogul, and marked a continuation of the basic principles established by CME George Jackson Churchward for the GWR. Developed from Maunsell's previous SR U class design, the U1 class shared characteristics with Churchward's GWR 4300 Class.
The London and South Western Railway L11 class was a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotives designed for mixed traffic work. They were introduced in 1903 and were nicknamed "Large Hoppers". As with most other Drummond productions, the locomotive had two inside cylinders and Stephenson link valve gear.
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.
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.
The London and South Western Railway F13 class was a class of 4-6-0 locomotives designed by Dugald Drummond for the London and South Western Railway (LSWR).
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 G14 class was a class of 4-6-0 locomotive designed by Dugald Drummond for the London and South Western Railway.
The LSWR P14 class was a class of 4-6-0 locomotive designed by Dugald Drummond for the London and South Western Railway.
The LSWR D15 class 4-4-0 was the last steam locomotive design by Dugald Drummond for the London and South Western Railway in 1912. By 1912, Dugald Drummond had built several classes of unsuccessful 4-6-0 express passenger locomotives. The result of these failures was that when he designed what was to be his last class in 1911, a new 4-4-0 design emerged from Eastleigh Works in February 1912, with what was to be the first of his D15 class.
The SECR K class was a type of 2-6-4 tank locomotive designed in 1914 by Richard Maunsell for express passenger duties on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR), which operated between London and south-east England. The Southern Railway (SR) K1 class was a three-cylinder variant of the K class, designed in 1925 to suit a narrower loading gauge. They were among the first non-Great Western Railway (GWR) types to use and improve upon the basic design principles of power and standardisation established by GWR Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) George Jackson Churchward. The locomotives were based on the GWR 4300 class, improved by the Midland Railway's ideals of simplicity and ease of maintenance.
The SR Merchant Navy class is a class of air-smoothed 4-6-2 (Pacific) steam locomotives designed for the Southern Railway by Oliver Bulleid. The Pacific design was chosen in preference to several others proposed by Bulleid. The first members of the class were constructed during the Second World War, and the last of the 30 locomotives in 1949.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[ full citation needed ] For information on the introduction of the class in 1932.