Ashford railway works
Encyclopedia
Ashford railway works was in the town of Ashford
in the county of Kent
in England
.
on a new 185 acres (74.9 ha) site in 1847, replacing an earlier locomotive repair facility at New Cross
in London
. By 1850 over 130 houses had been built for staff (called Alfred Town by the railway but New Town by everybody else), The works employed about 600 people in 1851 increasing to about 950 by 1861, and around 1,300 by 1882.
A carriage and wagon works was opened on an adjacent 32 acres (12.9 ha) site in 1850.
(SECR). Each antecedent company had its own locomotive works, but Ashford was larger than Longhedge works
and so became the principal locomotive works for the new organisation. The latter facility was gradually run down and converted into a subsidiary works.
and the London and South Western Railway
to form the Southern Railway on 1 January 1923, most new locomotive and carriage design and construction was transferred to the more modern facilities at Eastleigh Works
. Nevertheless, Ashford continued to operate both building and servicing locomotives and wagons until well after the nationalisation of the railways to form British Railways in 1948.
The locomotive workshops eventually closed on 16 June 1962, the last locomotive to be repaired at Ashford being N class 2-6-0 no. 31400 on 9 June. The wagon works continued for a further two decades producing continental ferry vans, Freightliner
vehicles, merry-go-round
coal hopper wagons and the Cartic4 articulated car transporter.
It became one of BREL
's main wagon works, but as trade declined it operated on an ever-decreasing scale until it closed down in 1982.
at Ashford in December 1842, sited to the East of the station adjacent to the works. This was demolished in 1931, when the SR built a much larger facility on the other side of the main line. This was closed to steam locomotives in 1962, but used to service diesels until 1968. Thereafter it was used for the Ashford Steam Centre for a period, but has now been demolished.
built the first of ten 'Hastings' class 2-4-0
locomotives there. In 1855 these were followed by two freight engines. (An unusual feature of these was a dual firebox, each side fired alternately.) Over the next twenty years, Cudworth built 53 freight locomotives at Ashford and around 80 larger ones with six foot driving wheels, plus the first eight of his sixteen express passenger locos, the 'Mails', with seven foot drivers. He also produced four classes of 0-6-0
tank locomotive
s.
In 1878 James Stirling
, the brother of Patrick Stirling
of the Great Northern Railway
took over and introduced a deal of standardisation. He believed in the benefits of the bogie
and produced a class of 4-4-0
with six foot drivers and his '0' class freight with five foot drivers. He also produced over a hundred 0-4-4
tank engines, and in 1898 the 4-4-0 'B' Class.
The first Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Superintendent for the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
was H.S. Wainwright
who produced a series of successful and elegant designs at Ashford. Wainwright's tender engines built at Ashford included 0-6-0 freight locomotives of the 'C' class, and the 4-4-0 passenger engines of the 'D' and 'E' classes. His tank engines built at the works included the versatile and long-lived 0-4-4 'H' class, the larger 0-6-4 'J' class and the diminutive 0-6-0 tank engines of the 'P' class. Wainwright was followed by R.E.L.Maunsell
, who introduced the ultimately unsuccessful 'K' class 2-6-4
mixed traffic tank locomotives (which were later rebuilt into 2-6-0 tender locomotives), and the useful 'N' class 2-6-0
mixed traffic locomotives in 1917.
However, more of the 'N' class locomotives were produced at the works, and parts for 'K' class locos that were assembled by Armstrong Whitworth
of Newcastle upon Tyne
. In 1942 the works also built twenty of the Bulleid
'Q1' class 0-6-0, the remainder being built at Brighton Works. During the later war years the works also built a number of the LMSR
Stanier
type 2-8-0
freight locomotives for the War Department
. The last of the 639 steam locomotives built there was LMSR 2-8-0 No. 8674.
In 1937 it was involved with in the English Electric company in the construction of three experimental diesel-electric shunters and after the war, Ashford works continued manufacturing a further series of 350 h.p. 0-6-0 diesel-electric shunters. Under British Railways Ashford works built the first two of the Southern Region prototype 1Co-Co1 diesel electric locomotives of the D16/2
class numbered 10201 and 10202 in 1951. In 1962 all locomotive production and repairs were moved to Eastleigh
.
The class letters were allotted to older classes by James Stirling in September 1879. Classes without such a letter were either extinct, or in the process of withdrawal at that date.
Altogether, Ashford built 711 complete steam locomotives and finished 51 which were commenced elsewhere. There were 32 Diesel and 3 electric locomotives, all of which incorporated parts made by outside contractors.
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
in the county of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
South Eastern Railway
Ashford locomotive works was built by the South Eastern RailwaySouth Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
on a new 185 acres (74.9 ha) site in 1847, replacing an earlier locomotive repair facility at New Cross
New Cross
New Cross is a district and ward of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. It is situated 4 miles south-east of Charing Cross. The ward covered by London post town and the SE 14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwich...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. By 1850 over 130 houses had been built for staff (called Alfred Town by the railway but New Town by everybody else), The works employed about 600 people in 1851 increasing to about 950 by 1861, and around 1,300 by 1882.
A carriage and wagon works was opened on an adjacent 32 acres (12.9 ha) site in 1850.
South Eastern and Chatham Railway
On 1 January 1899, the railway entered into a working union with the London Chatham and Dover Railway, forming the South Eastern and Chatham RailwaySouth Eastern and Chatham Railway
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between...
(SECR). Each antecedent company had its own locomotive works, but Ashford was larger than Longhedge works
Longhedge Railway Works (Battersea)
Longhedge railway works was a locomotive and carriage works built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway in the borough of Battersea, South London to serve their new London terminus at Victoria...
and so became the principal locomotive works for the new organisation. The latter facility was gradually run down and converted into a subsidiary works.
Southern Railway and British Railways
Following the grouping of the SECR with the London, Brighton and South Coast RailwayLondon, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
and the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
to form the Southern Railway on 1 January 1923, most new locomotive and carriage design and construction was transferred to the more modern facilities at Eastleigh Works
Eastleigh Works
Eastleigh Works is a locomotive, carriage and wagon building and repair facility in the town of Eastleigh in the county of Hampshire in England.-History under the LSWR:...
. Nevertheless, Ashford continued to operate both building and servicing locomotives and wagons until well after the nationalisation of the railways to form British Railways in 1948.
The locomotive workshops eventually closed on 16 June 1962, the last locomotive to be repaired at Ashford being N class 2-6-0 no. 31400 on 9 June. The wagon works continued for a further two decades producing continental ferry vans, Freightliner
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
vehicles, merry-go-round
Merry-go-round train
A Merry-go-round train, often abbreviated to MGR, is a block train of hopper wagons which both loads and unloads its cargo while moving. In the United Kingdom, they are most commonly coal trains delivering to power stations...
coal hopper wagons and the Cartic4 articulated car transporter.
It became one of BREL
BREL
British Rail Engineering Limited , was the railway systems engineering division of British Rail, until the design and building of trains in the UK was privatised in 1993. On 31 October 1969, the company was incorporated as British Rail Engineering Limited.-Main products:The vast majority of BREL's...
's main wagon works, but as trade declined it operated on an ever-decreasing scale until it closed down in 1982.
Motive power depot
The SER opened a locomotive depotMotive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
at Ashford in December 1842, sited to the East of the station adjacent to the works. This was demolished in 1931, when the SR built a much larger facility on the other side of the main line. This was closed to steam locomotives in 1962, but used to service diesels until 1968. Thereafter it was used for the Ashford Steam Centre for a period, but has now been demolished.
Locomotive building at Ashford
In 1853 the Locomotive Superintendent James I. CudworthJames Cudworth
James I'Anson Cudworth was Locomotive Superintendent of the South Eastern Railway . He served in this capacity from 1845–76...
built the first of ten 'Hastings' class 2-4-0
2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels....
locomotives there. In 1855 these were followed by two freight engines. (An unusual feature of these was a dual firebox, each side fired alternately.) Over the next twenty years, Cudworth built 53 freight locomotives at Ashford and around 80 larger ones with six foot driving wheels, plus the first eight of his sixteen express passenger locos, the 'Mails', with seven foot drivers. He also produced four classes of 0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
tank locomotive
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
s.
In 1878 James Stirling
James Stirling (1835-1917)
James Stirling was a Scottish mechanical engineer. He was Locomotive Superintendent of the Glasgow and South Western Railway and later the South Eastern Railway.-Biography:...
, the brother of Patrick Stirling
Patrick Stirling
Patrick Stirling was Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Northern Railway.His father Robert Stirling was also an engineer. His brother James Stirling was also a locomotive engineer...
of the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
took over and introduced a deal of standardisation. He believed in the benefits of the bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
and produced a class of 4-4-0
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
with six foot drivers and his '0' class freight with five foot drivers. He also produced over a hundred 0-4-4
0-4-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-4 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles...
tank engines, and in 1898 the 4-4-0 'B' Class.
The first Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Superintendent for the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
South Eastern and Chatham Railway
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between...
was H.S. Wainwright
Harry Wainwright
Harry Smith Wainwright was the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway from 1899 to 1913. He is best known for a series of simple but competent locomotives produced under his direction at the company's Ashford railway works in the early years of the...
who produced a series of successful and elegant designs at Ashford. Wainwright's tender engines built at Ashford included 0-6-0 freight locomotives of the 'C' class, and the 4-4-0 passenger engines of the 'D' and 'E' classes. His tank engines built at the works included the versatile and long-lived 0-4-4 'H' class, the larger 0-6-4 'J' class and the diminutive 0-6-0 tank engines of the 'P' class. Wainwright was followed by R.E.L.Maunsell
Richard Maunsell
Richard Edward Lloyd Maunsell held the post of Chief Mechanical Engineer of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway from 1913 until the 1923 Grouping and then the post of CME of the Southern Railway in England until 1937....
, who introduced the ultimately unsuccessful 'K' class 2-6-4
2-6-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 2-6-4 locomotive has two leading wheels, six coupled driving wheels and four trailing wheels...
mixed traffic tank locomotives (which were later rebuilt into 2-6-0 tender locomotives), and the useful 'N' class 2-6-0
2-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
mixed traffic locomotives in 1917.
However, more of the 'N' class locomotives were produced at the works, and parts for 'K' class locos that were assembled by Armstrong Whitworth
Armstrong Whitworth
Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth engaged in the construction of armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles, and aircraft.-History:In 1847,...
of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. In 1942 the works also built twenty of the Bulleid
Oliver Bulleid
Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid was a British railway and mechanical engineer best known as the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Southern Railway between 1937 and the 1948 nationalisation, developing many well-known locomotives.- Early life and Great Northern Railway :He was born in Invercargill,...
'Q1' class 0-6-0, the remainder being built at Brighton Works. During the later war years the works also built a number of the LMSR
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
Stanier
William Stanier
Sir William Arthur Stanier, FRS was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.- Biography :...
type 2-8-0
2-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
freight locomotives for the War Department
War Department (UK)
The War Department was the United Kingdom government department responsible for the supply of equipment to the armed forces of the United Kingdom and the pursuance of military activity. In 1857 it became the War Office...
. The last of the 639 steam locomotives built there was LMSR 2-8-0 No. 8674.
In 1937 it was involved with in the English Electric company in the construction of three experimental diesel-electric shunters and after the war, Ashford works continued manufacturing a further series of 350 h.p. 0-6-0 diesel-electric shunters. Under British Railways Ashford works built the first two of the Southern Region prototype 1Co-Co1 diesel electric locomotives of the D16/2
British Rail Class D16/2
British Railways Class D16/2 was a class of prototype diesel locomotive built by BR at Ashford Works and introduced in 1950-1951, with a third example being introduced in 1954. They had been designed by Oliver Bulleid for the Southern Railway before the 1948 nationalisation but did not appear until...
class numbered 10201 and 10202 in 1951. In 1962 all locomotive production and repairs were moved to Eastleigh
Eastleigh Works
Eastleigh Works is a locomotive, carriage and wagon building and repair facility in the town of Eastleigh in the county of Hampshire in England.-History under the LSWR:...
.
Locomotive classes built at Ashford
| Class | Wheel arrangement |
Built | Total | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Eastern Railway: James Cudworth James Cudworth James I'Anson Cudworth was Locomotive Superintendent of the South Eastern Railway . He served in this capacity from 1845–76... (160) |
|||||
| "Coffee Pot" | 0-4-0T | 1850 | 1 | First loco completed at Ashford. Vertical boiler | |
| "Hastings" class | 2-4-0 | 1853–54 | 10 | First locos entirely built at Ashford. | |
| "Standard goods" (I) | 0-6-0 | 1855–76 | 53 | ||
| "Little Mails" | 2-2-2 | 1856–57 | 6 | ||
| "Little Sharps" | 2-4-0 | 1858–59 | 6 | some parts from old Sharp, Roberts engines | |
| Coupled Express or 118 class (E) | 2-4-0 | 1859–75 | 68 | ||
| "Mail Singles" (B) | 2-2-2 | 1861 | 2 | ||
| 205 class (G) | 0-4-2WT | 1863–64 | 2 | ||
| "Mail Singles" (P) | 2-2-2 | 1865–66 | 6 | ||
| 73 class (H) | 0-4-2WT | 1867–69 | 6 | ||
| South Eastern Railway: Richard Mansell Richard Mansell Richard Christopher Mansell was an English railway engineer.Mansell was carriage superintendent for the South Eastern Railway at Ashford by 1851, and later works manager for the SER. In 1877 he succeeded Alfred Mellor Watkin as locomotive superintendent of the SER... (15) |
|||||
| Folkestone Harbour tanks (K) | 0-6-0T | 1877 | 3 | ||
| "Gunboats" (M) | 0-4-4T | 1877-78 | 9 | ||
| 59 class (N) | 0-6-0 | 1879 | 3 | ||
| South Eastern Railway: James Stirling (239) | |||||
| A class | 4-4-0 | 1879-81 | 12 | ||
| Q class | 0-4-4T | 1881-95 | 48 | ||
| O class SECR O Class The South Eastern Railway O Class was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work, and were the main freight engines of the SER, and later the South Eastern and Chatham Railway for a number of years... |
0-6-0 | 1882-99 | 57 | last 5 built by SE&CR | |
| F class | 4-4-0 | 1883-98 | 88 | ||
| R class SER R class The SER R class was a class of 0-6-0T locomotives on the South Eastern Railway.-History:For many years the South Eastern Railway had possessed very few locomotives designed for shunting... |
0-6-0T | 1888-98 | 25 | ||
| B class SECR B1 class The SECR B1 class was a class of 4-4-0 steam tender locomotive for express passenger service on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. These engines were originally designed by James Stirling for the South Eastern Railway in 1898 and designated B class... |
4-4-0 | 1898-99 | 9 | last 5 built by SE&CR | |
| South Eastern & Chatham Railway: Harry Wainwright Harry Wainwright Harry Smith Wainwright was the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway from 1899 to 1913. He is best known for a series of simple but competent locomotives produced under his direction at the company's Ashford railway works in the early years of the... (196) |
|||||
| C class SECR C Class The South Eastern and Chatham Railway C Class is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive, designed by Harry Wainwright and built between 1900 and 1908. They were designed for freight duties, although occasionally used for passenger trains. They operated over the lines of the railway in London and... |
0-6-0 | 1900-08 | 70 | ||
| D class SECR D class The SECR D class was a class of 4-4-0 tender locomotives designed by Harry Wainwright for the South Eastern and Chatham Railway.-Overview:The construction of the initial 20 engines was shared between Ashford railway works and the Glasgow builder, Sharp, Stewart and Company. The first of the class... |
4-4-0 | 1901-07 | 21 | ||
| H class SECR H Class The South Eastern and Chatham Railway H Class is a class of 0-4-4T steam locomotive originally designed for suburban passenger work, designed by Harry Wainwright in 1904... |
0-4-4T | 1904-15 | 66 | last 2 built during Maunsell's term | |
| E class SECR E class The SECR E class was a class of 4-4-0 tender locomotives designed by Harry Wainwright for express passenger trains on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway... |
4-4-0 | 1906-09 | 26 | ||
| P class SECR P Class The South Eastern and Chatham Railway P Class is a class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive designed by Harry Wainwright.They were inspired by, and loosely based on, the more successful LB&SCR A1 Class "Terriers" and eight were built in 1909 and 1910. They were originally intended for lightweight... |
0-6-0T | 1909-10 | 8 | ||
| J class SECR J class The SECR J class was a class of 0-6-4T steam tender locomotive built for heavy freight service on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway, by Harry Wainwright.-History:... |
0-6-4T | 1913 | 5 | ||
| South Eastern & Chatham Railway, Southern Railway: Richard Maunsell Richard Maunsell Richard Edward Lloyd Maunsell held the post of Chief Mechanical Engineer of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway from 1913 until the 1923 Grouping and then the post of CME of the Southern Railway in England until 1937.... (118 steam; 3 Diesel) |
|||||
| K class | 2-6-4T | 1917 | 1 | ||
| N class | 2-6-0 | 1917-34 | 80 | 50 were commenced at Woolwich Arsenal and completed at Ashford | |
| N1 class | 2-6-0 | 1923-30 | 6 | ||
| K1 class | 2-6-4T | 1925 | 1 | ||
| U class | 2-6-0 | 1928–31 | 20 | ||
| W class | 2-6-4T | 1935-36 | 10 | ||
| SR nos. 1-3 British Rail Class D3/12 British Rail class D3/12 was a class of three experimental diesel-electric shunting locomotives designed by Richard Maunsell of the Southern Railway in 1937... |
0-6-0DE | 1937 | 3 | Diesel-electric. Power equipment manufactured and fitted by English Electric English Electric English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers... at Preston |
|
| Southern Railway and British Railways: later designs (34 steam; 29 Diesel; 3 electric) | |||||
| SR class CC | Co-Co | 1941-48 | 3 | Electric. Power equipment manufactured by English Electric English Electric English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers... |
|
| SR class Q1 | 0-6-0 | 1942 | 20 | Designed by Oliver Bulleid Oliver Bulleid Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid was a British railway and mechanical engineer best known as the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Southern Railway between 1937 and the 1948 nationalisation, developing many well-known locomotives.- Early life and Great Northern Railway :He was born in Invercargill,... |
|
| LMS class 8F LMS Stanier Class 8F The London Midland and Scottish Railway's 8F class 2-8-0 heavy freight locomotive is a class of steam locomotive designed for hauling heavy freight... |
2-8-0 | 1943-44 | 14 | Built to Railway Executive Committee Railway Executive Committee The Railway Executive Committee was a government body which controlled the operation of Britain's railways during World War I and World War II... order for use on London, Midland and Scottish Railway London, Midland and Scottish Railway The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four... |
|
| BR nos. 15211-36 British Rail Class 12 The British Rail Class 12 is a diesel locomotive built primarily for shunting duties around London.-History:This was the second batch of Southern Railway shunters based on the English Electric 6KT 350 hp diesel engine. The first experimental batch were designed by Richard Maunsell of the SR in... |
0-6-0DE | 1949-52 | 26 | Diesel-electric. Power equipment manufactured by English Electric English Electric English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers... |
|
| BR no. 11001 British Rail 11001 11001 was one of the first British Railways diesel locomotives, built in 1949 at British Railways' Ashford Works. It was designed by O. V. S. Bulleid when he was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Southern Railway. It was powered by a Paxman RPH Series 1 engine, capable of delivering at 1,250 rpm... |
0-6-0DM | 1950 | 1 | Diesel-mechanical. Power equipment manufactured by Paxman Paxman (engines) Paxman is a major British brand of diesel engines. Ownership has changed on a number of occasions since the company's formation in 1865, and now the brand is owned by MAN SE, as part of MAN Diesel & Turbo. At its peak, the Paxman works covered 23 acres and employed over 2,000 people. Engine... |
|
| BR nos. 10201-2 British Rail Class D16/2 British Railways Class D16/2 was a class of prototype diesel locomotive built by BR at Ashford Works and introduced in 1950-1951, with a third example being introduced in 1954. They had been designed by Oliver Bulleid for the Southern Railway before the 1948 nationalisation but did not appear until... |
1Co-Co1 | 1950-51 | 2 | Diesel-electric. Power equipment manufactured by English Electric English Electric English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers... |
|
The class letters were allotted to older classes by James Stirling in September 1879. Classes without such a letter were either extinct, or in the process of withdrawal at that date.
Altogether, Ashford built 711 complete steam locomotives and finished 51 which were commenced elsewhere. There were 32 Diesel and 3 electric locomotives, all of which incorporated parts made by outside contractors.