SR Class N15X
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| Power type | Steam |
|---|---|
| Designer | Richard Maunsell after L. B. Billinton |
| Builder | SR Eastleigh Works |
| Build date | 1934-1936 |
| Total production | 7 |
| Configuration | 4-6-0 |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) |
| Leading wheel size | 3 ft 1 in (0.94 m) |
| Driver size | 6 ft 9 in (2.10 m) |
| Length | 66 ft 5¾ in (20.25 m approx.) |
| Locomotive weight | 73.1tons (74.3 tonnes) |
| Fuel type | coal |
| Fuel capacity | 5 tons (5.1 tonnes) |
| Water capacity | 4000 imp. gal (18,160 litres) |
| Boiler pressure | 180 lbf/in² (758.42 kPa) |
| Cylinders | 2 |
| Cylinder size | 21 in × 28 in (53.3 cm × 71 cm) |
| Tractive effort | 23,325 lbf (103.75 kN) |
The SR Class N15X 4-6-0 steam locomotives were converted 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 South Western section sharing the duties of the N15 Class locomotives. In their new form the locomotives proved unsuccessful in meeting these requirements, however their ability to accelerate well was put to good use on cross-country trains between main lines. The class was named after various early locomotive engineers, and saw service into nationalisation in 1948. All had been withdrawn by 1957, with none surviving to be preserved.
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[edit] Background
With the impending electrification of the Southern Railway's Central Section (the former LB&SCR lines), the question arose as to what to do with the relatively new and powerful LB&SCR designs[2]. Maunsell looked at the possibility of converting the LBSCR 'Remembrance' or LB&SCR L Class 4-6-4 tanks built by L. B. Billinton between 1914 and 1922. These Baltics had proved to be capable machines on the Brighton line, although their relatively low boiler pressure (170 lbf/in²), the excessive difference between 'first valve' and 'second valve' on the regulator, and more particularly their small (8 inch) piston valves in relation to their large (21 inch) cylinders were a significant limitation[3]. The decision was taken to rebuild them into more conventional 4-6-0 tender locomotives.
[edit] Conversion
All seven of the Billinton L Class locomotives entered Eastleigh works in 1934 for rebuilding, each leaving the works the same year. Conversion into the 4-6-0 tender type, entailed removing the trailing bogie, water tanks, and bunker, shortening the mainframes and fitting new cabs[1]; these were of the side-window variety already used on the Lord Nelson class. Urie bogie tenders transferred from the S15 stud, were attached. At the same time there was a revision of the locomotives' front end arrangement incorporating a King Arthur N15 type of blast pipe and chimney; boiler pressure was increased to 180 psi[4]. They also received the usual Southern type of smoke deflectors on either side of the smoke-box. The result was classified N15X, the suffix corresponding to the old LBSCR designation for a rebuilt/modified locomotive [5].
[edit] Naming the locomotives
Two of the locomotives retained their original names: number 2333 Remembrance and 2329 Stephenson, whilst the other members of the L Class, were newly new named after famous railway engineers.[6] The new locomotive names were suggested by Maunsell's assistant, Harry Holcroft, and were distributed as thus:
2327 Trevithick, 2328 Hackworth, 2329 Stephenson, 2330 Cudworth, 2331 Beattie, 2332 Stroudley, 2333 Remembrance.
[edit] Operational details
The rebuilding caused a certain amount of controversy among footplate crews, with some maintaining that one could not make so many changes and have a reliable locomotive at the end of the process.[1] The class suffered on the South Western section from the expectation that they were an improved version of the N15 King Arthur Class. Once this misconception was overcome, the class came into their own on the Basingstoke services, where their ability to accelerate well was put to good use. [7] The rebuilds gained a reputation for rough riding and relatively poor efficiency, a far cry from the original L Class, making them unpopular with crews. Because of this, the class tended to be used on secondary duties and cross-country trains around Basingstoke rather than the heavy London to Exeter expresses for which they were intended[8].
Several of the class were loaned to the Great Western Railway during the period 1942 to 1944 to make up for a desperate need for freight power as part of the war effort on that railway. The class saw use after Nationalisation, though with the increasing numbers of Bulleid Pacifics able to take over their duties, the Remembrance Class began to be withdrawn from service during the mid-50s, starting with Hackworth in 1955, and finally Beattie in 1957. The early withdrawal of the class ensured that none were preserved.[1]
[edit] Livery and numbering
[edit] Southern
Under Southern ownership, the 'Remembrances' were outshopped in Olive Green livery, with 'Southern' and the locomotive's number on the tender tank. Wartime service under the Southern saw the locomotives outshopped in black livery with 'Sunshine Yellow' lettering. [9] Numbers allocated to the locomotives were 2327 to 2333.
[edit] Post-1948 (nationalisation)
After a period in transitional British Railways Black livery, the class was outshopped with British Railways Brunswick Green livery with orange and black lining. The British Railways crest was placed on the tender water tank sides. Numbering was in the 32xxx series, as numbers 32327 to 32333.[10]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Haresnape, Brian: Maunsell Locomotives - a pictorial history (Ian Allan Ltd, 1977), ISBN 0711007438
- ^ Holcroft, Harry, Locomotive Panorama vol 1
- ^ Bradley, D.L., Locomotives of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Vol 3
- ^ Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1954-55 edition
- ^ Haresnape, Brian: Maunsell Locomotives op cit
- ^ Burridge, Frank: Nameplates of the Big Four (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 1975) ISBN 0902888439
- ^ Bradley, D.L., Locomotives of the London Brighton & South Coast Railway, Vol 3
- ^ Russell, J. H.: A Pictorial Record of Southern Locomotives (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford), (no ISBN given)
- ^ Swift, Peter: Maunsell 4-6-0 King Arthur Class (Ian Allan Publishing: Hinckley, 2006) (Locomotives in Detail series volume 4) (Hinckley: Ian Allan Publishing, 2006), ISBN 0711030863
- ^ Banks, Chris: BR Locomotives 1955 (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 2001), ISBN 0860935604
[edit] External links
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