London & South Western 2-4-0 Locomotives in Great_Britain


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 231 (Locobase 10406)

Data from "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (21 November 1903), p. 296.

Very similar to the Nine Elms' own Falcons (Locobase 10391), this class had drivers with 6" smaller diameters. In their latter years, they operated out of the Woking, Northam, and Portsmouth sheds. Before 234 was sold in 1897, it had amassed 960,950 revenue miles. Four of the class was scrapped between 1892 and 1899.


Class Beattie Tanks (Locobase 2932)

Data from Ahrons (1927); see also "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (24 October 1903), p. 239. Works numbers for the first batches were 331-336 (February 1863), 379-384 (October 1863), and 390-395 (December 1863), 493-498 (March 1865), 544-549 (May 1865), 638-643 (April 1866), 694-699 in May 1866.

Joseph Beattie well-tank design for local traffic in the London area. The Locomotive Magazine History author describes them as "..capital little engines. And when it is remembered that the majority of them worked for over 30 years, some idea may be gained of their general efficiency."

Built over a period of 12 years, the later engines had 16" and 16 1/2" diameter cylinders. The Southern E-Group's website --www.semg.org.uk/steam/0298.html (visited November 2002) -- notes that this class saw many changes. 12 were retired by 1889 when their original fireboxes had worn out. The others gradually received coal-burning fireboxes courtesy of William Adams.

Thirty-one were later converted to tender-engine 2-4-0s as Adams introduced his 4-4-2T Radial Tanks in 1993. The boilers for these showed a considerable increase in size. They had 218 tubes of 1 3/4" diameter and measuring 8 ft, 10 1/2" long. The grate shrank slightly to 13.9 sq ft, but the firebox heating surface grew to 96.78 sq ft. Total evaporative heating surface increased to 1,013 sq ft and the boiler was now pressed to 160 psi.

Even so, 3 of the original Beattie tanks survived on the Bodmin & Wadebridge branch lines until 1962.


Class Beattie Tanks - rebuilt (Locobase 10393)

Data from "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (24 October 1903), p. 239. Works numbers for the first batches were 331-336 (February 1863), 379-384 (October 1863), and 390-395 (December 1863). (See also Wikipedia's entry on William Adams - [link]))

Joseph Beattie's well-tank design described in Locobase 2932 had enough appeal that the later superintendent William Adams converted 31 of them into tender-engine 2-4-0s. He took the opportunity to place a larger boiler filled with larger tubes on the frame. The bigger boiler allowed a deeper firebox, although the grate had the same area, and more pressure.


Class Centaur (Locobase 3000)

Data from "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (19 December 1903), p. 353. Works numbers were 48-53.

Glover (1967) describes these further developments of Beattie's 1859 engine as having met "the not very exacting South Western locomotive requirements quite satisfactorily." The LM history describes them as "...Mr Beattie's favourite locomotives, [which] were always kept exceedingly smart in appearance." Their classical-mythology names were Centaur, Castor, Pegasus, Plutus, Phlegon, and Python. Although the report notes that the class endured several bouts of modification such that each engine was unique, the photograph shows that as built they had a tall brass dome over the firebox, amphora-like fixture in the center of the barrel, tall, plain stack, full slotted splashers with brass trim, and large leading axle.

Two - Centaur and Phlegon - retained their original boilers until they were scrapped in the 1890s (Centaur in 1894, Phelgon in 1899). Most of the class accumulated a million miles or more in service before being scrapped.


Class Clyde (Locobase 2926)

Data from Ahrons (1927) and "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (22 August 1903).

These were "celebrated", says Ahrons, in part because they were the first standard-gauge engines to have drivers as tall as 7 feet. "Of the coupled express engines of this period (1855-1859), these were the only ones which may fairly be described as really successful."

A photo in Ahrons' book shows them to have very tall, slender fixtures that included the dome, safety valve stand, and stack. The leading splasher had long slots as well. The entire engine was glossy paint and brass -- must have been quite a sight. RH Dutton, the fourth in the class, was produced in September 1859 with just the brass dome on the firebox.

The quartet -- Clyde, Castleman, Lacy, and RH Dutton -- gave good service for 25 and more years. Clyde was scrapped in 1883, only a few years after working the expresses between Waterloo and Salisbury "...with the greatest ease". Dutton was sold in June 1885.. Castleman had traveled 869,000 revenue miles before being scrapped in June 1887. Lacy was converted into a stationary engine in June 1886.


Class Dane (Locobase 3496)

Data from "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol VIII (6 June 1903), p. 393.

Data from Joseph Beattie-designed engines for freight (goods) traffic. Ahrons (1927) calls attention to the auxiliary "chimney" in front of the main stack, which was a condenser that supported a feedwater heater. These were, Ahrons adds, the first coal burners on the London and South Western.

Daniel Kinnear Clark, writing in The Exhibited Machinery of 1862, page 3, notes that Beattie's boiler, like that of McConnell, was divided longitudinally and had a combustion chamber. The divider was a water-filled space and both the divided fireboxes and the combustion chamber had arches of fire tiles that "...receive and retain a portion of the heat from the passing gasses when the fuel is incandescent and smokeless, and restore it to the smoke passing from fresh coal; thus acting as equalizers of temperature. The tiles also break up and mix the gases and air; and, partly by mixing, and, it is supposed, partly by heating, they promote combustion."

In tests with Beattie's extended firebox and those of McConnell and Cudworth, Beattie's firebox consumed substantially less coal per mile (24 lb vs McConnell's 35 1/2 lb) and raised more water per pound of coal.

The class was named, if you will, for source folk of Britain - Saxon, Norman, Dane - then Goliath and Samson, and finally Albion. A further sextet of engines equipped with 15 1/2" cylinders followed in 1857; they were named for barbarian tribes (at least as far as Rome saw it): Vandal, Lombard, Hun, Gaul, Celt, and Goth."

In later days they were fitted with 16" cylinders. They were capital engines, " says the LM article's anonymous author, "doing excellent work in their day and that they were most useful and economical is guaranteed by the fac that some of them were at work for nearly 30 years."


Class Eagle (Locobase 10389)

Data from "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (24 October 1903), p. 238.

Joseph Beattie's superintendence of the locomotive stud on the L & SW included a choice to give works numbers to the engines built at the Nine Elms shops. Some design had to be first and it was this medium-power 4-coupled six-wheeler. It had outside cylinders snugged up against a prominent outside frame, two circumferences of splashers - one over the crank, one over the driver itself , brass safety-valve stand on the boiler, and tall brass steam dome mounted on the firebox just ahead of the spectacle board.

Eagle, Hawk, and Vulture (works numbers 1, 2, and 3) were never rebuilt. They served 25 years before being scrapped in 1887.


Class Falcon (Locobase 10391)

Data from "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (24 October 1903), p. 238.

These were identical to the Eagles described in Locobase 10389, but had taller drivers. They bore works numbers 10-12; two more -- Argus and Arrow, works numbers 21 and 19 respectively -- were delivered in December 1863 while Ariel (works number 20) followed in November 1864. Wildfire (March 1865), Harpy, Hornet, and Herod (December 1865), and Sultan (June 1866) were delivered with 16" x 22" cylinders, but were otherwise the same.

The next batch had 17" cylinders: Siren (September 1865, works number 36) came next, followed by works numbers 38 (Saracen) in October, and 42-44 (Shark, Stentor, and Sirius) in December.

All were scrapped between 1887 and 1892.


Class Fireball (Locobase 10404)

Data from "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (21 November 1903), p. 294. Works numbers were 16-18.

Possessing an "exceedingly smart appearance," this class pulled some of the best express trains of the day. The smart appearance came from the extensive use of brass, not just on the dome and boiler mountings, but also on the letters of their name, which were set in arcs on the tops of the forward slotted splashers. Never rebuilt, Firebrand was scrapped in December 1887 while Fireball and Fireking were broken up 7 months later in June 1888.


Class Gem (Locobase 10390)

Data from "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (24 October 1903), p. 238-239. Works numbers were 4-6 and 9-11.

In the same year as the Eagle-class passenger trio (Locobase 10389), Joseph Beattie's shops turned out this sextet of freight engines. Fitted with a bigger boiler, but smaller grate and cylinders, Gem, Aeolus, Hecate, Medusa, Mentor, and Meteor were, reports the LM author, "...excellent engines in their day, and of unusually rakish design." The latter attribute most likely stems from sharing much of the same physical appearance with the passenger set, including a tall brass dome on the firebox, safety-valve stand on the boiler, slender stack, and splashers over the drivers.

Their last service was to haul light goods trains from Salisbury to southern ports such as Southampton and Portsmouth. Medusa was scrapped in June 1884, Hecate was sold in June 1885 and Gem in December 1885, in the same month as the Aeolus was scrapped, while Mentor and Meteor were scrapped in June 1886.


Class Scott (Locobase 10388)

Data from "The Lee-On-The-Solent Light Railway," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (17 October 1903), p. 226.

After its display at the Great Exhibition in 1862, the L & SWR bought this locomotive for its engineers' department. After 15 years in that department, it went over to the locomotive department in May 1887 and received a new boiler in December 1887.

Not long after that, the Lee-on-the-Solent Light Railway was established under the 1864 Railway Construction Facilities Act and the 1868 Regulation of Railways Act. Both acts had been missing key operational provisions and hadn't seen widespread use.

The 3-mile long railway connected Lee-on-the-Solent with the L & SWR's Fort Brockhurst station. The Scott went to the LOTS LR as its primary motive power.


Class Undine (Locobase 10358)

Data from "The History of the London & South Western Locomotives," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol IX (22 August 1903)., p.126.

Following the Clydes described in Locobase 2926 was this class designed by Beattie, which was of similar size but rolled on 6 1/2-ft drivers rather than the 7-footers of the Clyde quartet. Two - Sylph and Nymph -- were completed with the single dome over the firebox, but all the rest had the 2-dome arrangement.

"These engines were good examples of Mr Beattie's work," says the L & SW history, "and were classed amongst the best engines running in their day."

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class231Beattie TanksBeattie Tanks - rebuiltCentaurClyde
Locobase ID10406 2932 10393 3000 2926
RailroadLondon & South WesternLondon & South WesternLondon & South WesternLondon & South WesternLondon & South Western
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte2-4-02-4-0WT2-4-02-4-02-4-0
Number in Class6851864
Road Numbers231-23695-100157-160
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built68564
BuilderBeyer, PeacockBeyer, PeacockNine ElmsNine ElmsNine Elms
Year18661863188318681859
Valve GearStephensonAllanAllanAllanAllan
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)7 / 2.137 / 2.138 / 2.44
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)14.12 / 4.3012.50 / 3.8112.50 / 3.8114.20 / 4.33
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.56 0.56 0.56
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)53,648 / 24,334
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)72,016 / 32,66677,168 / 35,00373,936 / 33,53779,520 / 36,07073,920 / 33,530
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)46,480 / 21,08346,480 / 21,08345,920
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)118,496 / 53,749120,416 / 54,620125,440
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)45 / 22.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)72 / 182966 / 167666 / 167684 / 213484 / 2134
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)130 / 900130 / 900160 / 1100130 / 900130 / 900
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)17" x 22" / 432x55915.5" x 20" / 394x50815.5" x 20" / 394x50817" x 22" / 432x55917" x 22" / 432x559
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)9758 / 4426.168045 / 3649.159901 / 4491.028364 / 3793.858364 / 3793.85
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 6.67
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)224 - 1.625" / 41218 - 1.75" / 44248 - 1.57" / 40248 - 1.57" / 40
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)80 / 7.4396.78 / 8.999898 / 9.11
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)18 / 1.6714.80 / 1.3814.80 / 1.3818.80 / 1.7517.80 / 1.65
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)906 / 84.20795 / 73.881012 / 94.051102 / 102.421102 / 102.42
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)906 / 84.20795 / 73.881012 / 94.051102 / 102.421102 / 102.42
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume156.76182.01231.69190.67190.67
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation23401924236824442314
Same as above plus superheater percentage23401924236824442314
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area10,40015,48512,74012,740
Power L13912602850135013
Power MT321.52

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassDaneEagleFalconFireballGem
Locobase ID3496 10389 10391 10404 10390
RailroadLondon & South WesternLondon & South WesternLondon & South WesternLondon & South WesternLondon & South Western
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte2-4-02-4-02-4-02-4-02-4-0
Number in Class31736
Road Numbers124-12927-28, 3029, 68-72, 77-83, 85-8873-75107, 67, 78, 55-57
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built31736
BuilderNine ElmsNine ElmsNine ElmsNine ElmsNine Elms
Year18551862186318641862
Valve GearAllanStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)8 / 2.4414.50 / 4.42
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)14.50 / 4.4214 / 4.2714 / 4.2714.42 / 4.4014.50 / 4.42
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.551
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)25,424 / 11,532
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)43,400 / 19,68665,408 / 29,669
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)65,408 / 29,66974,144 / 33,63174,144 / 33,63179,632 / 36,12165,408 / 29,669
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)44,35246,480 / 21,08346,480 / 21,08346,480 / 21,08344,352 / 20,118
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)109,760120,624 / 54,714120,624 / 54,714126,112 / 57,204109,760 / 49,787
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)2400
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)36 / 1855 / 27.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)60 / 152472 / 182978 / 198184 / 213460 / 1524
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)130 / 900130 / 900130 / 900130 / 900130 / 900
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)15" x 24" / 406x61017" x 22" / 432x55917" x 22" / 432x55917" x 22" / 432x55916.5" x 22" / 419x559
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)9945 / 4510.989758 / 4426.169007 / 4085.518364 / 3793.8511,031 / 5003.58
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.36 5.93
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)229 - 1.2" / 30
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)11.02
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)113.80 / 10.58102.70 / 9.54102.70 / 9.5498 / 9.11113.80 / 10.58
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)15.64 / 1.4518 / 1.6718 / 1.6717.80 / 1.6515.64 / 1.45
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1168 / 108.55904 / 84.01904 / 84.011102 / 102.421168 / 108.55
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1168 / 108.55904 / 84.01904 / 84.011102 / 102.421168 / 108.55
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume237.94156.41156.41190.67214.52
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation20332340234023142033
Same as above plus superheater percentage20332340234023142033
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area14,79413,35113,35112,74014,794
Power L146003826414550134147
Power MT467.34279.55

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassScottUndine
Locobase ID10388 10358
RailroadLondon & South WesternLondon & South Western
CountryGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte2-4-0T2-4-0
Number in Class113
Road Numbers21163-175
GaugeStdStd
Number Built113
BuilderGeorge England & SonNine Elms
Year18611859
Valve GearStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 5.50 / 1.68 8.21 / 2.50
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)10 / 3.0514 / 4.27
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.55 0.59
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)10 / 3.0531.52 / 9.61
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)12,768 / 579126,880 / 12,193
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)25,424 / 11,53253,424 / 24,233
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)38,080 / 17,27380,192 / 36,375
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)43,344 / 19,661
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)123,536 / 56,036
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)2340 / 8.86
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)21 / 10.5045 / 22.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)48 / 121978 / 1981
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)150 / 1030130 / 900
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)11" x 16" / 279x40616.5" x 22" / 419x559
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)5143 / 2332.838485 / 3848.74
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.94 6.30
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)153 - 1.75" / 44
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m) 8.42 / 2.57
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)55 / 5.11102.70 / 9.54
Grate Area (sq ft / m2) 8.50 / 0.7918 / 1.67
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)700 / 65.06904 / 84.01
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)700 / 65.06904 / 84.01
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume397.76166.04
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation12752340
Same as above plus superheater percentage12752340
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area825013,351
Power L166484400
Power MT1152.95363.14

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