LNER 2-6-0 Locomotives in Great_Britain

Class K1 (Locobase 2378)

Data from Bryan Attewell ([] Steam locomotive simulator (April 2000 edition), updated and corrected by Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia at [], last accessed 28 June 2006. Works numbers were 26605-26674 in 1949-1950.

Designed by Edward Thompson as a standard goods locomotive. Only one locomotive, converted from a three-cylinder K4 (Locobase 3122), was rebuilt to this two-cylinder design under Thompson. Adopting a two-cylinder layout reduced steam demand while an increase in boiler pressure limited the loss in calculated tractive effort to 12 1/2%.

When the class went into production in 1949 (after an order was placed in 1947), the design featured some changes by Arthur Peppercorn, the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LNER and later British Railways. He replaced the 3,500 Imp-gal (4,200 US gal) tenders with ones of 4,200-Imp-gallon capacity, added a hopper ashpan and a rocking grate for the firebox, and used double helical springs on the double-link pony truck.

It proved to be a successful and durable engine and was built in large numbers. They pulled everything from freight to express passenger trains. Withdrawals began in 1960 and continued until the last locomotive was retired in 1967.

Class K4 (Locobase 3122)

Data from [], last accessed 28 June 2006. All were delivered with names:

3441 in January 1937 Loch Long

3442 in July 1938 as MacCailein Mor, later renamed The Great Marquess

3443 in December 1938 as Cameron of Lochiel

3444 in December 1938 as Lord of the Isles

3445 in January 1939 as MacCailin Mor

3446 in January 1939 as Lord of Dunvegan, soon renamed MacLeod of MacLeod

[] (24 September 2003) says that these were designed to run between Glasgow and Fort William and Mallaig in the West Highland region. Marsden of the LNER Encyclopedia notes that even at the 180-psi setting originally used in these locomotives, the engine handled 300 tons up the Fort William grad. He also comments on problems caused by a specialized design: "They handled the gradients and continuous curves with ease, but they were not designed for the 20 miles of level track near Glasgow, and the 8.5 miles stretch alongside Loch Eil. Vibration at speed was a problem on these stretches, and the middle big-end would require regular nut tightening. On one occasion, the middle connecting rod actually dropped off! Hence maintenance costs increased."

Thompson later rebuilt one with two outside cylinders and a boiler pressed to 225 psi. This was his class K1 and led to 70 more in the late 1940s; see Locobase 2378.

The other five K4s remained in service into 1961 with one, LNER 3442 (BR 61994) The Great Marquess preserved and still operational on the Severn Valley Railway.