Port of London Authority 0-6-0 Locomotives in Great_Britain

Class 37 (Locobase 20026)

Data from "New Locomotives for the Port of London Authority", Locomotive Magazine, Vol XVII (15 August 1911), p. 178-179. See also "Industrial Railways - Two Small but Remarkable Systems"archived on Mike's Railway History--Railways in 1935 and Before website at [], last access 9 June 2019.

These were the first new engines delivered after the London Dock Companies' locomotive stud fell under the control of the PLA. 37 went to Tilbury Dock and 38-39 to Custom House. Barclay produced them to the specifications to the PLA's chief engineer, Mr F Palmer. LM reported that although the locomotives were designed to pull 900 tons at 15 mph, "a much better performance was obtained in service, the boiler pressure being fully maintained."

LM also commented on the "very smart appearance." The locomotives were painted brick red with black bands and yellow linings. Coupling rods were "bright" (polished, presumably), number plates were brass, and the buffer beams sported vermilion.

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Class Devonport (Locobase 20562)

Data from "Side Tank Locomotive for the Port of London Authority", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXIII [23] (15 September 1917), p. 175-176. See also "Hudswell-Clarke 0-6-0T: 102 Cathryn" on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway website at [], last accessed 8 June 2019.

Locobase 20026 shows the first two tank locomotives delivered to the PLA in 1911. Five years later, Leeds-based builder Hudswell Clarke produced this engine, named after the Authority's first chairman. The tall side tanks completely masked the boiler and firebox. Inclined cylinders helped clear obstacles in the tight curves.

Although fitted with a smaller boiler, the engine nonetheless offered more cylinder volume than the Andrew Barclay pair and thus generated more tractive effort. Given the "sharp curves and occasional fairly heavy, but short gradients", this power increase was certainly welcome.

The EVR notes that this locomotive was only the first of many built to the same design that "continued in production at Hudswell and Clark of Leeds until the end of steam locomotive building there."

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Class unknown (Locobase 20482)

Data from the Tyne and Wear Archives at [], last accessed 4 November 2018.. Works numbers were 3529-3530