LB&SCR E2 Class
Encyclopedia
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
(LB&SCR) E2 Class was a class of 0-6-0
T steam locomotives designed by Lawson Billinton
, intended for shunting and short distance freight trains. Ten examples were built between 1913 and 1916, and were withdrawn from service between 1961 and 1963.
E1 class
locomotives were worn out or inadequate for the heavier duties required of them. D. E. Marsh
intended to rebuild some examples with a larger boiler, but only one E1X rebuild had been completed by the time of his unexpected retirement. Marsh's successor Billinton reversed this policy and instead ordered five new, more powerful locomotives from Brighton works
. The new class included several features found on other LB&SCR classes including an I2 class
boiler. They were delivered between June 1913 and January 1914.
area and on the south coast, as their small coal bunkers made them unsuitable for long trips. These included empty stock workings at Victoria and London Bridge Station
s.
Two were tried in 1914 as passenger locomotives on push-pull
duties with the locomotives in the middle of a rake of six coaches, but the experiment was abandoned during the same year as they had insufficient coal capacity.
Following the electrification of the Brighton line in 1936 the class was used as replacements for the former London Chatham and Dover Railway T class at the Herne Hill
marshalling yard, around Victoria station and at Dover
harbour. During the Second World War they also replaced the SR Z class
at Hither Green
marshalling yard.
In the mid-1950s the class were tried out as shunters
at Southampton Docks, and found to be useful, and six examples were retained for this purpose until their replacement by British Rail Class 07
diesel shunters in 1962.
Withdrawal of the class took place between February 1961 and April 1963. None has survived to preservation.
in the second book of The Railway Series
by the Reverend W. Awdry. According to some sources Thomas was originally going to be modelled on one of the L.N.E.R. J tank classes.
produced the locomotive in its earliest form as an 00 gauge model. Production lasted from 1979 to 1985, and the model was later used as the basis for the Thomas the Tank Engine
model.
Bachmann
have also produced several different-coloured E2-based models in their Junior Range, based on their Thomas model. These are considerably smaller than the Hornby variant, as Bachmann's models were based on the engines of the TV series instead of the "real" loco.
London, 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...
(LB&SCR) E2 Class was a class 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...
T steam locomotives designed by Lawson Billinton
L. B. Billinton
Lawson Boskovsky Billinton was the locomotive engineer of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from 1912 for ten years until his retirement in 1922....
, intended for shunting and short distance freight trains. Ten examples were built between 1913 and 1916, and were withdrawn from service between 1961 and 1963.
Background
By 1910 many of the StroudleyWilliam Stroudley
William Stroudley was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers of the nineteenth century, working principally for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway...
E1 class
LB&SCR E1 class
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway E1 Class were 0-6-0T steam locomotives designed by William Stroudley in 1874 for short-distance goods and piloting duties. They were originally classified E, and generally known as "E-tanks"; They were reclassified E1 in the time of D. E...
locomotives were worn out or inadequate for the heavier duties required of them. D. E. Marsh
D. E. Marsh
Douglas Earle Marsh was the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from November 1904 until his early retirement on health grounds in July 1911.-Early career:...
intended to rebuild some examples with a larger boiler, but only one E1X rebuild had been completed by the time of his unexpected retirement. Marsh's successor Billinton reversed this policy and instead ordered five new, more powerful locomotives from Brighton works
Brighton railway works
Brighton railway works was one of the earliest railway-owned locomotive repair works, founded in 1840 by the London and Brighton Railway in Brighton, England, and thus pre-dating the more famous railway works at Crewe, Doncaster and Swindon...
. The new class included several features found on other LB&SCR classes including an I2 class
LB&SCR I2 class
The LB&SCR I2 class was a class of 4-4-2 steam tank locomotives designed by D. E. Marsh for suburban passenger service on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway...
boiler. They were delivered between June 1913 and January 1914.
Second Series
The new design was judged to be successful, except that they were found to have inadequate water supply. Thus when a further order for five locomotives was placed they were given extended side tanks. The second batch were delayed by the onset of the war but were eventually delivered between June 1915 and October 1916.Use
The E2 class locomotives were mainly used for the heavier shunting and short distance freight duties in the LondonLondon
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...
area and on the south coast, as their small coal bunkers made them unsuitable for long trips. These included empty stock workings at Victoria and London Bridge Station
London Bridge station
London Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
s.
Two were tried in 1914 as passenger locomotives on push-pull
Push-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
duties with the locomotives in the middle of a rake of six coaches, but the experiment was abandoned during the same year as they had insufficient coal capacity.
Following the electrification of the Brighton line in 1936 the class was used as replacements for the former London Chatham and Dover Railway T class at the Herne Hill
Herne Hill
Herne Hill is located in the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London. There is a road of the same name which continues the A215 north of Norwood Road and was called Herne Hill Road.-History:...
marshalling yard, around Victoria station and at Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
harbour. During the Second World War they also replaced the SR Z class
SR Z Class
The SR Z class was an 0-8-0T 3-cylinder tank engine designed by Richard Maunsell and intended for heavy shunting on the Southern Railway, the first eight entering into service in 1929...
at Hither Green
Hither Green
Hither Green is a district in south east London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated 6.6 miles south east of Charing Cross, and on the Prime Meridian....
marshalling yard.
In the mid-1950s the class were tried out as shunters
Dock shunter
A Dock shunter, or "Dock tank", is a locomotive used for shunting wagons in the vicinity of docks. It is usually of 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 wheel arrangement and has a short wheelbase and large buffers...
at Southampton Docks, and found to be useful, and six examples were retained for this purpose until their replacement by British Rail Class 07
British Rail Class 07
The British Rail Class 07 diesel locomotive is an off-centre cab dock shunter used in Southampton Docks, to replace SR USA Class steam locomotives. It is a 0-6-0 diesel-electric shunter built by Ruston & Hornsby in 1962...
diesel shunters in 1962.
Withdrawal of the class took place between February 1961 and April 1963. None has survived to preservation.
Locomotive summary
| LB&SCR No. | Date Built | S.R. No. | B.R. No. | Date Withdrawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 2100 | 32100 | ||
| 101 | 2101 | 32101 | ||
| 102 | 2102 | 32102 | ||
| 103 | 2103 | 32103 | ||
| 104 | 2104 | 32104 | ||
| 105 | 2105 | 32105 | ||
| 106 | 2106 | 32106 | ||
| 107 | 2107 | 32107 | ||
| 108 | 2108 | 32108 | ||
| 109 | 2109 | 32109 | ||
Thomas the Tank Engine
In 1946, Reginald Payne used the later series of E2 locomotives as the basis for the character Thomas the Tank EngineThomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
in the second book of The Railway Series
The Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
by the Reverend W. Awdry. According to some sources Thomas was originally going to be modelled on one of the L.N.E.R. J tank classes.
00 gauge models
HornbyHornby Railways
Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. Its roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, Hornby launched its first 00 gauge train...
produced the locomotive in its earliest form as an 00 gauge model. Production lasted from 1979 to 1985, and the model was later used as the basis for the Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
model.
Bachmann
Bachmann Branchline
Bachmann Branchline is a brand name of Bachmann Industries used for British outline 00 gauge model railways.Bachmann, a US company founded in 1835, was purchased by Kader Industries in 1987. Kader had previously produced models for Palitoy under the 'Mainline' brand...
have also produced several different-coloured E2-based models in their Junior Range, based on their Thomas model. These are considerably smaller than the Hornby variant, as Bachmann's models were based on the engines of the TV series instead of the "real" loco.