Highland Railway Loch Class

Highland Railway Loch class
Power type Steam
Designer David Jones
Builder Dübs & Co. (15)
North British Locomotive (3)
Build date 1896 (15), 1917 (3)
Total produced 18
Configuration 4-4-0
UIC classification 2′B
Gauge 4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm)
Driver diameter 6 ft 3 12 in (1,918 mm)
Locomotive weight 54 tons 10 cwt (122,100 lb or 55.4 t)
Boiler pressure 175 lbf/in² (1.21 MPa)
Cylinders Two, outside
Cylinder size 19 × 24 in (483 × 610 mm)
Valve gear Stephenson
Tractive effort 17,070 lbf (75.93 kN)
Career Highland Railway
LMS, BR
Class LMS: 2P
Withdrawn 1930–1950
Disposition All scrapped

The Highland Railway Loch class locomotives were small 4-4-0s normally used north of Inverness.

They were introduced in 1896, the design of David Jones, and had the typical Jones appearance with outside cylinders, domed cab roof, louvered chimney,but as with the Jones Goods class 4-6-0 the Allan style front framing was dispensed with.Allan valve gear was still used.

Fifteen were built by Dübs and Company in Glasgow, all going into traffic between July and September 1896:

HR number Name LMS number BR number
119
Loch Insh
14379
54379
120
Loch Ness
14380
121
Loch Ericht
14381
122
Loch Moy
14382
123
Loch an Dorb
14383
124
Loch Laggan
14384
125
Loch Tay
14385
54385
126
Loch Tummel
14386
127
Loch Garry
14387
128
Loch Luichart
14388
129
Loch Maree
14389
130
Loch Fannich
14390
131
Loch Shin
14391
132
Loch Naver
14392
133
Loch Laoghal
14393

Three more were built in 1917 by Dübs' successor, the North British Locomotive Company:

HR number Name LMS number
70
Loch Ashie
14394
71
Loch Garve
14395
72
Loch Ruthven
14396

These were needed primarily for the increased traffic on the Kyle line where they were the heaviest locomotives permitted. It should be remembered that this period was when the initial traffic of the United States effort in World War I was flowing, and much was brought to the west coast of Scotland in an effort to reduce the effect of the U-Boat menace. The trains ran from Kyle to Invergordon so it was a wholly HR traffic.

Withdrawal occurred from 1930 onwards, with only two surviving into British Railways ownership. Neither received their allocated BR number before being withdrawn in 1948 ('Loch Insh') and 1950 ('Loch Tay').

They were classified '2P' by the LMS.

References