Steam Locomotives of a More Leisurely Era 1898 Drummond 4-4-0 London & South Western Railway

 

Steam Locomotives of a More Leisurely Era

1898 Drummond 4-4-0

London & South Western Railway

No. 292 of the earlier class in 1934

Apart from the experimental 4-cylinder engine built in 1897, Drummond’s first express passenger engines for the LSWR consisted of a class of inside cylinder locomotives very similar to those ha had primarily introduced on both the North British and Caledonian Railways, whilst he had been the CME of those lines.  This class, known as C8, consisted of ten engines, No. 290-9, and the boilers were interchangeable with his M7 class 0-4-4Ts of 1896.  The new engines were moderately successful but suffered from too small a firebox which sometimes resulted in a shortage of steam.  This defect was remedied in the following year with a somewhat enlarged version of the same design, in which a longer wheelbase – ten feet between the coupled wheels – allowed the firebox to be lengthened from 6’ 4” to 7’ 4”   This made all the difference, and the new engines were an unqualified success from the start.  66 of the new class were built, Nos. 113-22 and 280-9 in 1899 and 1900, these being turned out from the Company’s works at Nine Elms, whilst Dubs and Co. of Glasgow built Nos. 702-19 and 721-32.  A further batch from Nine Elms appeared in 1900-1, Nos. 300-5-7, 310-14 and 336-8, whilst finally Dubs & Co. built one more in 1901 for displaying at the Glasgow Exhibition of that year, after which the engine was taken over by the LSWR and numbered 773.No. 773 in 1924 as first rebuilt

There were a few differences between these various batches.  The 702 series and the 300s were fitted with Drummond’s firebox water tubes, distinguished by a rectangular casing at the side of the smokebox.  The 300s were provided with wide splashers which could accommodate the coupling rods, and the separate coupling rod splashers of the earlier years consequently disappeared.  They also had the leading sandboxes below the running plate, these doing away with the angular sandbox attached to the face of the leading splasher.  All the engines of both T9 and C8 classes were eventually modified in this way.  Most of the class had the large 8-wheeled tenders as illustrated, but a few have had smaller 6-wheelers at various times (Class C8 was originally built thus).

The major rebuilding of the T9 class commenced in 1922 when No. 314 was provided with a superheater, extended smokebox and a modified design of chimney, and eventually the whole of the class was so treated.  Even before rebuilding they were fine engines indeed, fast and free running, and deservedly earned the nickname of ‘Greyhounds’.  For many years they bore the brunt of main line working over the LSWR heavily graded Salisbury – Exeter line, until the appearance of the ‘King Arthurs’ in 1925.  Although other much larger engines followed them, both 4-4-0s and 4-6-0s, none was found so satisfactory as the evergreen T9s, which were undoubtedly the best of all Drummond’s express engines.  The fact that a number of them still survived sixty years later, whereas all the later designs had gone to the scrap heap, is ample testimony to this fact.  Between 1924 and 1939 a number of them worked on the South Eastern section, where they did fine work on the Kent Coast line.  Between 1935 and 1946 No. 119 was kept in immaculate condition and frequently used for working Royal trains.

The smaller C8 engines were never rebuilt, and were broken up between 1933 and 1938, but all the T9s survived to be incorporated into BR stock in 1948, although in a few cases they never received their new 30000 numbers.  The odd engine, No. 773, had, by the way, been altered to 733 in 1924.

Withdrawal commenced in 1951, but at the close of 1959 there were still about a dozen in service, mostly on semi-main line duties in the West Country, the oldest express passenger engines in the country still in service.

Class C8 – Driving Wheels – 6’ 7”,  Bogie wheels – 3’ 7”,  Cylinders – 18½”x 26”,  Pressure – 175 lb.,  LSWR & SR power classification – I

Class T9 (Rebuilt) – Driving Wheels – 6’ 7”,  Bogie wheels – 3’ 7”,  Cylinders – 19”x 26”,  Pressure – 175 lb.,  Tractive effort – 17675 lb.,  Weight – 51 tons 16 cwt.,  LSWR & SR power classification – H,  BR power classification – 3P

 

Steam Locomotives of a More Leisurely Era 1897 4-2-2-0 London & South Western Railway

Steam Locomotives of a More Leisurely Era

1897  4-2-2-0

London & South Western Railway

720 as running in 1921

The third type of four-cylinder engine to appear in 1897 was Dugald Drummond’s first express engine for the LSWR.  It was an experimental machine with two independent pairs of single driving wheels, the two inside cylinders driving the front pair and the outside ones the rear.  This arrangement had been used by F.W.Webb on the LNWR, but whereas the Webb engines were compound, the new South Western was a simple expansion machine.  Amongst other features it embodied for the first time Drummond’s firebox water tubes, as depicted by the rectangular casing alongside the firebox.  This was applied to all of Drummond’s tender engines from 1900 onwards, but they were eventually removed by Urie in later days.  No.720 was at first fitted with a 4’ 5” diameter boiler similar to Class T9, and a further five very similar engines, Nos. 369-73 were built in 1901.  In 1907, No.720 received a larger boiler of 4’ 10¾” diameter, but the other five were never so rebuilt, although all eventually lost their water tubes.

As the driving wheels were uncoupled the engines suffered to some extent from the defect of all single wheelers, tending to slipping with a heavy load on a wet rail, and for this reason they were not greatly popular.  They were capable of good performances at times, but were latterly only used in times of heavy traffic when there was a shortage of engines.  All six were broken up in 1926-7, No.720 was classified T7 and Nos.369-75 E10.

Driving wheels – 6’ 7”,  Bogie wheels – 3’ 7”,  Cylinders (4) 14”x 26”,  Pressure 175 lb.,  LSWR & SR power classification I

johnmightycat1

Steam Locomotives of a More Leisurely Era 1896 Drummond 0-4-4T London & South Western Railway

Steam Locomotives of a More Leisurely Era

1896 Drummond 0-4-4T

London & South Western Railway

One of the earlier M7 batch in SR days.

Dugald Drummond’s first design for the LSWR after his appointment as CME to that line in 1895.  It closely followed the lines of fifty somewhat similar engines built by his predecessor, W.Adams, but differed in detail, the most noticeable being the chimneys, with an ornamented flared type in place of Adams’ austere ‘stovepipe’ design, and the Ross ‘pop’ safety valves mounted on the dome replacing the previous Ramsbottom type on the firebox.  Certain of the dimensions were also increased.

Although primarily intended for suburban service, some of them were at first put to work on main line trains between Exeter and Plymouth.  Following a derailment at speed near Tavistock they were taken off these duties.

In all, 105 of the class were built, the first 55 between 1897 and 1900.  The later fifty, which all came out between 1903 and 1911, were slightly different in detail with a few minor improvements, the chief being the provision of steam reversing gear.  The numbers of the whole class were 21-60, 104-12, 123-33, 241-56, 318-24, 328, 356-7, 347-9, 479-81, and 667-76.  Until the electrification of the LSWR suburban lines the majority were to be found in the London area, although there were always a few scattered over other parts of the system.  As the electrified area was extended they gradually drifted to the country districts, and many of them were fitted with pull-and-push gear for motor train work on branches.  The only major alteration ever made was to one solitary engine, No.126, which was rebuilt in 1921 with a superheater, extended smokebox, and somewhat higher-pitched boiler.  As such it was a rather ungainly machine, and was never greatly liked.  It was cut up in 1937.  The second casualty to the class was No.672, which in May, 1948 accidentally fell down the lift shaft to the City tube at Waterloo.  The task of recovering it whole was not considered worthwhile, and it was cut up on the spot.  Apart from these two engines, the whole class survived to be absorbed into BR stock and to be renumbered 30021, etc., and no further withdrawals took place until 1957.

These engines are somewhat unique in that (with the exception of No.126), in spite of the design being over sixty years old, they have hardly changed in appearance, apart from one or two minor details such as additions to the number of bunker coal rails, and of course, inevitable changes of style of painting under their three successive ownerships.  Even the pattern of chimney has remained unaltered; this in itself is distinctly unusual as this particular feature of a locomotive is one about which locomotive superintendents generally have their own distinctive ideas, which they more often than not apply to their predecessor’s engines.

Driving wheels – 5’ 7”,  Bogie wheels – 3’ 7”,  Cylinders – 18½”x 26”,  Pressure – 175 lb.,  Tractive effort – 19755 lb.,  Weight – 60 tons 4 cwt.,  LSWR classification – M7 (first 55 engines),  X14 (the final 50 engines),  Power classification – LSWR & SR – K,  Power Classification BR – 2P

LSWR Drummond M7 0-4-4T locomotive no. 30053 in BR unlined black livery, on display at the Woking 150 Open Day, 29 May 1988. The locomotive had returned from a museum in the USA (Steamtown in Pennsylvania) the year before, and is still a star attraction of the Swanage Railway. Author michaelday_bath / photo on flickr View portfolio on foter.  License  Attribution-NonCommercial License

Steam Locos of a Leisurely Era 1881 Adams 0-6-0 London & South Western Railway

Steam Locos of a Leisurely Era

1881  Adams 0-6-0 

London & South Western RailwayIllustration:  No.0101 (later 3101 and finally BR 30566) in 1930.

William Adams’ standard freight engine for the LSWR.  Seventy were built between 1881 and 1886, numbered 395-406, 433-44, 496-515, and some scattered earlier numbers.

Fifty of them were requisitioned by the ROD in 1917, and sent to the Middle East, but some never arrived there, having been sunk in transit.  After the war the others remained in the service of the Palestine and Egyptian State Railways, and several survived until the 1940s.

All of the twenty that remained on the LSWR came into the SR at the grouping in 1923.  They had been placed on the duplicate list as 0397, etc., for many years, and the SR eventually gave them numbers in the 3000s, as 3397, and so on.  The only changes undergone by the class were in the boilers, a number of them having at some time carried the Drummond pattern with pop safety valve on the dome, whilst some others acquired after the grouping some boilers from scrapped 4-4-0s which were originally London Chatham & Dover engines.  These boilers were interchanged from time to time amongst different engines.

Eighteen of the class survived Nationalisation and became BR Nos. 30564-81, and the last was not taken out of service until 1959.

  Driving wheels – 5’ 1”,  Cylinders – 17½”x 26”,  Pressure140 lb.,  Tractive effort – 15535 lb., Weight – 37 tons 12 cwt.

These dimensions varied in later years with individual engines.  Some had 150 lb. pressure with 16645 lb. tractive effort, whilst those built after 1885 had a longer front overhang and weighed 38 tons 14 cwt.Old Adams 0-6-0 at Feltham Locomotive Depot

No. 3167 was an ex-LSW Adams ‘0395’ class 0-6-0, built in 5/1883 but lasting until 12/56 – latterly on light duties. Of a large class, it was one of the few not sent abroad during World War I.   © Copyright Ben Brooksbank and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Some Early Lines – The Lyme Regis Branch

Some Early Lines

The Lyme Regis Branch Line

 The Lyme Regis branch line was a branch line off the West of England Main Line in the south west of England, opened on 24 August 1903. It ran from Axminster in East Devon, via the hamlet of Combpyne and through the village of Uplyme where the line crossed a large bridge known as “The Cannington Viaduct” and crossed the Devon county border to the Dorset port and seaside resort of Lyme Regis.Pic – Andy Fish – Cannington viaduct, near Uplyme, showing concrete reinforcing arch after subsidence

The Axminster and Lyme Regis Light Railway

Several attempts were made during the Victorian era to connect the seaside resort of Lyme Regis with the main line of the London & South Western Railway at Axminster. In August 1871 the Lyme Regis Railway Corporation gained parliamentary approval, and on 29 September 1874 a local public holiday was declared to celebrate the cutting of the first sod for the new line. However, funds were not forthcoming, and the powers were allowed to lapse in 1876.

Despite petitions and approaches made to the L&SWR, it was not until 15 June 1899 that the Light Railway Commissioners finally granted powers to the Axminster and Lyme Regis Light Railway for construction of the line.

The line was constructed by the independent engineer and promoter Arthur C Pain. Work began on 19 June 1900, but the difficult terrain and delays caused by bad weather meant that three years passed before the 6¾ miles branch was completed. A Board of Trade inspection arranged for 18 May 1903 had to be postponed because heavy rains had caused damage to the Cannington Viaduct.

The line finally opened on 24 August 1903. A special train carrying local dignitaries and 200 lucky schoolchildren left Lyme Regis at 12.25 p.m.

Working the line

There were significant twists and gradients, such that the L&SWR, which from July 1906 took over and operated the line, had significant difficulty finding suitable locomotives. Eventually the Adams ‘Radial’ Tank 4-4-2T locomotive was identified as capable of negotiating the route, three being assigned to the line from their normal suburban duties. They worked the branch on rotation almost uniquely until its closure, outlasting the rest of their class significantly, and ensuring one (number 30583) was preserved in service, currently on the “Bluebell Line” in Sussex, and another as a static exhibit in the national collection. This situation has parallels with the Bodmin & Wadebridge Railway, both having developed a following because of the attractive, older locomotives working the scenic routes.A famous Dorset branch line (Though its mainline connection, at Axminster, was actually in Devon) served Lyme Regis.  Opened as an independent concern in 1903 after a lengthy gestation period, it was soon in difficulties and in 1906 was absorbed by the LSWR.  It closed in November, 1965, but not before it had made its name among enthusiasts as one of the last habitats of that late Victorian classic, the Adams radial tank locomotive.  Paul Atterbury.

Closure

This branch line was closed on the 29 November 1965, as part of the ‘Beeching Axe’, a period of numerous line closures following the Beeching Report, which identified unprofitable routes on the network, and resulted in their closure. Whilst the line was exceptionally busy with tourists and holidaymakers in summer, this could not sustain it for the rest of the year, particularly with ever increasing car ownership.30583, built in 1885, arrives at Lyme Regis with the branch train from Axminster on 10^th June 1957.   The branch line closed long ago, but 30583 lives on at the Bluebell Railway in Sussex.  robertdarlaston.co.uk

Lyme Regis station has been dismantled and reconstructed at New Alresford, on the Watercress Line, in Hampshire. The Cannington Viaduct is a Grade II listed structure. Although subject to subsidence after its construction it still stands, notable for the significant masonry reinforcement within one of the arches giving it a distinctive silhouette.Bridge over a farm access on the old Lyme Regis branch line.      

  © Copyright Sarah Charlesworth and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence   

Steam Locomotives of a Leisurely Era – Adams 4-4-2T LSWR

Steam Locomotives of a Leisurely Era

1882 – London & South Western Railway

 Adams 4-4-2Ts

30582 – P.B.Whitehouse

Seventy one of these engines were constructed by W.Adams between 1882 and 1885 for suburban work in the London area.  They were built by Beyer Peacock & Co., Robert Stephenson & Co., Dubs & Co., and Neilson & Co.

The 1884 and 1885 series were slightly larger than the original thirty engines, their water capacity being increased from 1,000 gallons to 1,200 gallons.  The original series was completely devoid of side water tanks, the water being carried partly in a well tank and partly in the bunker below the coal.  Even in the later engines only very small side tanks were provided over the rear driving wheels.  Nearly all were gradually relegated to the duplicate list as 0415, etc., although a few of the last built, such as No.523, were scrapped before being duplicated.  Large numbers were taken out of service in 1916 when electrification of the LSWR suburban service began, but owing to war conditions they were not broken up and remained in Eastleigh yard in varying stages of decay for several years.  No.0424 went to the Government in 1916 for war service and No.0488 was also sold out of service, being later acquired by the East Kent Railway in 1919 as their No.5.30584 Ivo Peters

By 1928 only two remained in possession of the Southern railway, namely Nos. 0125 and 0520.  These were specially retained for working the Lyme Regis branch, which abounds in sharp curves, and for which, even till 1959, no other engines had been found as suitable as these old-timers, with their flexible wheelbases, although other types had been tried.  I course of time it was found that two engines were hardly adequate for maintaining the service, as if one was away in shops it left only one to carry on, with no spare in case of breakdown.  Fortunately the East Kent engine was still in existence and the Southern were able to buy it back in 1946, when it was restored to the fold under its original number increased by 3000, as 3488 (0125 and 0520 having in the meantime become 3125 and 1520).

One or two of the class were fitted with Drummond boilers in later LSWR days, and there are at present four boilers – two Drummond and two Adams – in use (1959), which are changed from time to time among the three surviving engines.

On Nationalisation in 1948 the three engines became BR 30582-4 and late in 1959 still continued to work the Lyme Regis branch turn about a week at a time, the other two being kept in Exmouth Junction shed.  Probably their days are numbered, as no doubt eventually diesel railcars will take on the working of the branch.No.0422, one of the earlier engines, as running in 1922, the only alteration being the provision of a Drummond chimney in place of the Adams stove-pipe. H.C.Casserley

Dimensions:  Driving wheels – 5’ 7”,  Bogie wheels – 3’ 0”,  Trailing wheels – 3’ 0” (3’ 6” on the later 1884-5 engines),  Cylinders – 17½”x 24”,  Pressure – 160 lbs.,  Tractive effort – 14920 lbs.,  LSWR and SR classification – K,  BR classification – 1P 30583 John Bradbeer semgonline.com

Steam Locomotives of a Leisurely Era – Beattie 2-4-0WT

Steam Locomotives of a Leisurely Era

London & South Western Railway – 1863

 Beattie 2-4-0WT

 No. 0329 after its 1921 rebuilding.  H.C.Casserley

In 1863 Joseph Beattie introduced some 2-4-0WT engines for suburban working which remained a standard type for the rest of his tenure in office, and also for that of his son, W.G.Beattie, who followed him from the years 1871-8.  In all, 88 of the class were constructed, 85 from Beyer Peacock & Co., and the other three built in the Company’s own works at Nine Elms.  They worked most of the London area suburban services until displaced in the 1880s by Adams’ larger 4-4-2Ts, after which many of them were converted to 2-4-0 tender engines.  With three exceptions the whole class was withdrawn between 1888 and 1899, and it could be hardly have been imagined at the time that these three were destined to outlast all their sisters by at least another sixty years, with a life of more than three times that of any of the rest of the class.  Such, however, has proved to be the case.Two of the then three remaining Beattie 2-4-0 Well-tank engines, used on the Wenford Bridge line until 1962, on an RCTS railtour shunting at Hampton Court station in December 1962.  The engines were 30585 and 30587 G.D.King.

The reason for this retention was that they were found to be the only suitable engines for working the Wenford Bridge mineral line in north Cornwall, which has numerous curves and is of light construction.  These conditions still apply, in consequence of which the engines have been several times rebuilt and renewed and, but for the eventual probability of being replaced by diesels, would seemingly have been destined to carry on indefinitely.  Previous to 1921 they had carried boilers and chimneys of Adams pattern, but in that year they received new Drummond type boilers with ‘pop’ safety valves on the dome, although retaining the stove-pipe chimneys for the time being.  Later these were discarded for Drummond chimneys, and amongst other minor alterations steel buffer beams have replaced the original wooden ones.  Otherwise the design has undergone little change.30586 – In spite of their age the 0298 class do a good day’s work.  One is used for the Wenford Bridge mineral line, another for station pilot duties at Wadebridge, whilst the third is kept as a spare engine.  Here is No. 30586, dropping off a fitted van just taken from the rear of a down Oakhampton to Padstow train.  Derek Cross.

The original numbers of the engines were 298, 314, and 329, later transferred to the duplicate list as 0298, etc., whilst in Southern days they became 3298, 3324, and 3329.  On absorption into British Railways stock they were renumbered respectively 30587, 30585 and 30586.  All were from the last two batches built by Beyer Peacock & Co. in 1874-5.

Driving wheels – 5’ 7”,  Cylinders – 16½”x20”, Pressure – 160lbs.,  Tractive effort – 11050lbs.,  Weight 37tons 16cwt., LSWR and SR power classification K,  Br power classification OP

30587 approaching Chasewater Heaths from Chasetown Church Street

 Chasewater Railway was proud to feature Beattie 30587 during the Spring Gala of 2004.  Having a prestigious locomotive working on our lines attracted interest from members, guests and the visiting public.  The occasion provided excellent photo-shoot opportunities and we are indebted to Michael Denholm for allowing us to use some of his photographs.

Steam Locos of a Leisurely Era – LSWR Drummond’s ‘Bug’

This is the way to go to work!

London & South Western Railway 4-2-4T Drummond’s ‘Bug’

The Bug at Eastleigh in 1927 H.C.Casserley

Dugald Drummond, Locomotive Superintendent of the London and South Western railway from 1895 to 1912, ordered himself the Victorian equivalent of a company car for conveyance between his home in Surbiton and the Works at Nine Elms, moved to Eastleigh in 1908-10, apart from regular inspections elsewhere over the system, which led to the engine being known by the men as ‘The Bug’. After Drummond’s retirement the locomotive, which had been averaging 30,000 miles a year, saw little use, but survived until 1940.  By August 1937 it was a permanent resident at Eastleigh Paint Shop where this photo was taken, now just ‘SR’ livery.

In Eastleigh Paint Shop – H.C.Casserley

After his death in 1912 it was little used, but remained in Eastleigh shed until 1932, when it had a short spell of duty taking small parties of visitors around the new extensions to Southampton Docks then under construction.  Thereafter it did little or no work until it was finally cut up in 1940.  At first numbered 733 in the capital list it was transferred in 1924 to the service stock as 58S.

Until its resuscitation in 1932 it was still painted in the old pre-1918 LSWR livery, the coach portion retaining the old characteristic salmon and chocolate colours of LSWR days.  Still bearing the initials ‘LSWR’ it was also probably at the time the last engine on any railway in nominal (if not actual) service to retain its pre-grouping identity in this manner.