LNER Thompson/Peppercorn Class K1
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| Power type | Steam |
|---|---|
| Designer | Thompson/Peppercorn |
| Builder | North British Locomotive Company |
| Build date | 1949-1950 |
| Total production | 70 |
| Configuration | 2-6-0 |
| Gauge | standard gauge |
| Driver size | 5' 2" |
| Locomotive weight | 66 tons 17 cwt tender, 44 tons 4 cwt |
| Fuel type | coal |
| Boiler pressure | 225 psi |
| Cylinders | two outside |
| Cylinder size | 20" x 26" |
| Tractive effort | 32,080 lbf |
| Class | 5P6F |
The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Class K1 is a type of 2-6-0 (mogul) steam locomotive designed by Edward Thompson. Thompson preferred a simple two-cylinder design instead of Gresley's three cylinder one. The seventy K1s were intended to be split between the North Eastern Region of British Railways and the Eastern Region of British Railways.
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[edit] Prototype
LNER Class K4 number 3445 MacCailin Mor was rebuilt in 1945 as a two cylinder prototype of the K1 class, designated K1/1. Thompson entrusted the rebuilding of No.3445 as a two cylinder Mogul to his principal assistant Arthur Peppercorn. This locomotive became British Railways no. 61997.
[edit] Production
When Peppercorn replaced Thompson as chief mechanical engineer he made the rebuilding the basis for a new class of 2 cylinder 2-6-0. Several modifications were made. The running plates were redesigned to improve access to the cylinder steam chests and there were changes to the leading pony truck, the cylinder linings and the boiler. The new engines were also longer and received bigger tenders holding 4,200 gallons of water instead of the 3,500 gallons of the K4s.
An order for 70 of the new mixed traffic 2-6-0s was placed with the North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow. They were the last steam locomotives built to an LNER design although all were delivered under British Railways auspices. Numbered 62001-70 they entered service between May 1949 and March 1950.
[edit] Use
The Peppercorn K1s proved to be useful and versatile engines. They worked extensively over ex-LNER territory but were chiefly associated with North East England and, following in the footsteps of their predecessors the K4s, the West Highland Line. Like so many post-nationalization classes the K1s had lamentably brief lives. All were withdrawn between 1962 and 1967, but the last to be retired managed to escape the cutter torch - but only just.
[edit] Preservation
One, No. 2005 (BR 62005), is preserved at North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It was acquired as a source of a spare boiler for the solitary preserved K4 but in 1972 the K1 was donated, still with its boiler, to the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group and is based at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
By 1975 the K1 had been restored to main line running order and made an appearance at the Stockton and Darlington Railway 150th anniversary celebrations at Shildon, County Durham. Since then the NELPG has endeavoured to keep the locomotive on the main line. Recalling memories of the K1s in Scotland, it has enjoyed several memorable seasons on the summer Fort William-Mallaig service.
Most of its time in preservation it has been in LNER apple green livery but this is not historically accurate as the engine was built in 1949 after nationalisation and never had this livery when in service. She has recently been painted in BR lined black as No.62005. She will return to Scotland for 2008's Jacobite season.
[edit] Sources
- Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, summer 1961 edition, part 4, pp 33-34
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