Highland Railway Ben Class

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Highland Railway Ben Class were small 4-4-0 passenger engines.

There were actually 2 Ben classes, usually referred to as 'Small Bens' and 'Large Bens'.

The class was originally designed by Peter Drummond, whose elder (and better known) brother Dugald had been in the company's locomotive department in earlier years and was at that time CME of the London and South Western Railway.

In appearance they were fairly typical Drummond family products with the stiffener across the cab roof. They were also inside cylindered, almost uniquely among HR bogie locomotives.

Boiler pressure was 180 lbf/square inch (1.2 MPa), Cylinders were 18.25 inch (464 mm) diameter and 26 inch (660 mm) stroke and the driving wheels were 6 feet (1829 mm) in diameter.

Locomotive weight for the Small Bens is quoted as 46 tons, 17 cwt (103,904 kg).

The first 8 locomotives were of the Small Ben type and were built by Dübs and Co of Glasgow in the period 1898 to 99. They were

                                    LMS Number
     1   Ben-y-Gloe
     2   Ben Alder
     3   Ben Wyvis
     4   Ben More                   14400
     5   Ben Vrackie
     6   Ben Armin
     7   Ben Attow
     8   Ben Clebrig

There are rumours that No 1 was originally named Ben Nevis, an action that attracted the ire of the board as it was in the territory of a competitor ( The North British Railway).

The railway built another nine during 1899-1900 at their Lochgorm works, a somewhat unusual procedure.

     9   Ben Rinnes
     10  Ben Slioch
     11  Ben Macdhui
     12  Ben Hope
     13  Ben Alisky
     14  Ben Dearg
     15  Ben Loyal                   14411
     16  Ben Avon                    14412
     17  Ben Alligan

Finally three more were built by the North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow in 1906

     38  Ben Udlaman                 14414
     41  Ben Bhach Ard               14415
     47  Ben-a-Bhuird

In 1908 a larger version appeared, initially four examples. The order of numbering does not correspond to the order of delivery.

     61  Ben na Caillich
     63  Ben Mheadhoin
     66  Ben Mholach
     68  Ben a'Chait

And in 1909

     60  Ben Breac Mhor
     62  Ben a'Chaoruinn

Of the 20 Small Bens and 6 Large Bens, only 8 survived to be nationalised, all were of the Small variety.

Despite the large and small tags, there was actually little difference between the two groups, the most crucial being an increase in tube heating surface, cylinder and wheel dimensions being identical.

The LMS classified them as '2P'.