Data from "Answers to Correspondents," The Locomotive Magazine, Volume XI (15 March 1905), p. 54; and "Midland Railway (Tilbury Section)", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XVIII, No. 243 (15 November 1912). (Thanks to Peter Christener for his October 2025 email correcting the name and suggesting deleting the LMS power class.)
Thomas Whitelegg designed these freight-transfer tanks and contracted with North British for 6 engines to be delivered in 1903 (works numbers 15750-15755). A 1908 repeat order with NBL added 4 more. After the Midland Railway took over the LT&SE in 1912, it ordered another quartet, this time from Beyer, Peacock.
After Grouping in 1923, the London, Midland & Scottish (better known as the LMS) renumbered the class no less than three times over the next 25 years. The entire class still served the LMS when it was nationalized in 1948, at which point the class took new numbers 41980-41993. Retirements began in 1958 and, except for 41981 -- which lingered until 1962 -- were completed in 1959.
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | |
|---|---|
| Class | 69 Class |
| Locobase ID | 10498 |
| Railroad | London, Tilbury & Southend |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Whyte | 0-6-2T |
| Number in Class | 14 |
| Road Numbers | 69-78/2180-2193/ |
| Gauge | Std |
| Number Built | 14 |
| Builder | several |
| Year | 1903 |
| Valve Gear | Stephenson |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 16.83 / 5.13 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 24.83 / 7.57 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.68 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 24.83 / 7.57 |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 116,480 / 52,835 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 144,816 / 65,688 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 2160 / 8.18 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | 2.80 / 3 |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 65 / 32.50 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 63 / 1600 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 170 / 1170 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 18" x 26" / 457x660 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 19,322 / 8764.32 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 6.03 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 201 - 1.625" / 41 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 10.83 / 3.30 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 117 / 10.87 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 19.77 / 1.84 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 1046 / 97.18 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 1046 / 97.18 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 136.60 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 3361 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 3361 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 19,890 |
| Power L1 | 3802 |
| Power MT | 215.88 |