LB&SCR G class

London Brighton and South Coast Railway Class G

Stroudley 'G' class single
Type and origin
Power type Steam
Designer William Stroudley
Build date 1874–1882
Total produced Grosvenor: 1
Abergavenny: 1
remainder: 24
Specifications
Configuration 2-2-2
Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver diameter Grosvenor: 6 ft 9 in
remainder: 6 ft 6 in
Trailing wheel
diameter		 4 ft 6 in (1.372 m)
Wheelbase 15 ft 9 in (4.80 m)
Weight on drivers 14 long tons (14.2 t; 15.7 short tons)
Locomotive weight 35.6 long tons (36.2 t; 39.9 short tons) (Grosvenor as built)
34.2 long tons (34.7 t; 38.3 short tons)(Abergavenny)
33.4 long tons (33.9 t; 37.4 short tons) (remainder)
Boiler pressure 150 lb/in²
Firegrate area 17 sq ft (1.6 m2)
Heating surface:
– Tubes		 1,022 sq ft (94.9 m2)
– Total 1,132 sq ft (105.2 m2)(Grosvenor as built)
1,077 sq ft (100.1 m2)(Abergavenny)
1,200 sq ft (110 m2) (remainder)
Cylinders 2
Cylinder size 17 in x 24 in
Performance figures
Locomotive brake Steam operated wooden block brakes
Career
Operator(s) London Brighton and South Coast Railway
Class G
Locale Great Britain
First run 1874
Withdrawn 1905-1914
Disposition All scrapped

The LB&SCR G class, were powerful 2-2-2 locomotives, designed by William Stroudley of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway in 1874.

History

A prototype single locomotive, No. 151 Grosvenor, was designed by Stroudley and produced by Brighton railway works in December 1874. This was extensively tested before a second, scaled down locomotive No. 325 Abergavenny, was ordered in June 1876 and completed in January 1877. Both locomotives performed adequately, but Abergavenny was significantly less powerful than Grosvenor. A modified design was developed and twelve further locomotives were built between December 1880 and November 1881. The members of this class worked express trains between London and South Coast towns such as Portsmouth, Brighton and Eastbourne, and covered large mileages. The introduction of the Billinton B2 class made the singles redundant on the Portsmouth line and so several were transferred to Tunbridge Wells.

Withdrawals began in May 1905 and the last locomotive survived until May 1914. No examples have been preserved, but there is a model of No.331 Fairlight in the museum at Sheffield Park on the Bluebell Railway.

Locomotive summary

Sources

External links