LNER Class K4
Encyclopedia
The London and North Eastern Railway
(LNER) Class K4 is a class of 2-6-0
steam locomotive
s designed by Nigel Gresley
for the steep grades of the West Highland Line
.
West Highland line to Mallaig
via Fort William
, presented a combined triple operating challenge of: steep gradients; severe curves; and restrictive axle loading limits. Having used D34 'Glen' 4-4-0s, increased loads led to regular double-heading. Locomotive engineers proposed use of LNER Class K3, but they would not have been permitted to operate between Fort William and Mallaig.
Having proposed a new design based on a K3 boiler, in October 1924 a loan was made of a single LNER Class K2
, which provided the required increase in power and adhesion. As K3s replaced K2 on the network, more K2s were loaned to the line, with the loan becoming permanent from October 1925.
With further increases in load and needs for additional traffic speed, in September 1934 Gresley instructed Doncaster Works
to investigate the possibility of increasing the tractive effort of the K2s. After recommending against a design which increased boiler pressure 220 psi (1.52 MPa) and cylinder diameter to 21 inches (533 mm), in 1935 the Joint Traffic & Locomotive Committee signed off provision of a new design by reducing the 1936 build of K3s from 21 to 20.
The eventual May 1936 design was based on the 1924 proposal for a 2-6-0 with 5 in 2 in (1.57 m) diameter coupled wheels, but with K3 cylinders, a K2 boiler, and a B17
firebox. The frame was 5 inches (12.7 cm) longer than the K3, with a design boiler pressure of 180 psi (1.24 MPa) giving a tractive effort of 32939 lbf (146.5 kN), and an estimated factor of adhesion of 3.92.
, Glasgow
on 28 January 1937. After five weeks of crew training and being confined to goods work it made its début on a passenger train on 4 March. It soon became apparent that the 180 psi (1.24 MPa) boiler pressure brought little improvement in average speeds over the existing K2, and that No.3441 responded sluggishly when up against the gradients of the West Highland line. Gresley reacted by raising the steam pressure to 200 psi (1.38 MPa) which saw the tractive effort leap to 36598 lbf (162.8 kN), with a corresponding reduction in the factor of adhesion to 3.54. The K4 could now demonstrate its true capabilities handling 300 ton trains and with maximum speeds around 60 mph (96.6 km/h) on level ground. An advantage of the newcomer was that it used only marginally more coal in working 300 ton trains than the K2s did with considerably lighter loads.
The successful trials with No.3441 led to five more being built. Apart from the prototype Loch Long all were named after Highland
chieftains and grandees.
The K4s quickly endeared themselves to the Scottish crews and, apart from some heavily loaded summer trains, eliminated uneconomic double-heading
over the West Highland. However, as with all Gresley 2-6-0s it could be a rough ride at speed, and a locomotive designed to climb was not suited to the flat straight stretches of the line into Glasgow Queen Street railway station
, or the 8.5 miles stretch alongside Loch Eil
. Ride induced vibration was a problem on these stretches, and the middle big-end bearing would require regular nut tightening, with the middle connecting rod dropping off on one occasion: this resulted in increased maintenance inspections.
Crews began to prefer the LNER Class V4
, but their lower power restricted their use and the K4s retained their pre-eminence on the West Highland line until the 1947 arrival of the first B1
4-6-0
s, which replaced the K4s from Glasgow to Fort William
. These were followed after nationalisation by an influx of Stanier
5MT
4-6-0s and the new K1s, that left the K4s increasingly confined to goods workings.
During the 1950s, the K4s' sphere of operation enlarged and they began to appear at locations such as Edinburgh
, Perth
, Forfar
, Ayr
and Tweedmouth
. In 1959 all were concentrated at Thornton
in Junction depot in Fife
and all were withdrawn in October 1961.
In 1945 Edward Thompson
rebuilt 3445 MacCailin Mor into the first LNER Thompson Class K1
. LNER 1946 numbers 1993–6/8 and BR numbers 61993–6/8.
No.3442 undertook railtour work until forced into retirement by the ban imposed on steam working by BR in 1968. From 1972 No.3442 was stored on the Severn Valley Railway
(SVR) until 1980 when it was overhauled. In the mid 1990s No.3442 was bought by John Cameron
, and the locomotive left the SVR for overhaul at Crewe. It has moved North back to Scotland where it currently (April 2009) operates special trains on the national rail network.
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
(LNER) Class K4 is a class of 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...
steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s designed by Nigel Gresley
Nigel Gresley
Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers, who rose to become Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway . He was the designer of some of the most famous steam locomotives in Britain, including the LNER Class A1 and LNER Class A4...
for the steep grades of the West Highland Line
West Highland Line
The West Highland Line is considered the most scenic railway line in Britain, linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban on the west coast of Scotland to Glasgow. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the iconic...
.
West Highland Line challenge
The North British Railway (NBR)North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
West Highland line to Mallaig
Mallaig
Mallaig ; is a port in Lochaber, on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. The local railway station, Mallaig, is the terminus of the West Highland railway line , completed in 1901, and the town is linked to Fort William by the A830 road – the "Road to the Isles".The village of Mallaig...
via Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
, presented a combined triple operating challenge of: steep gradients; severe curves; and restrictive axle loading limits. Having used D34 'Glen' 4-4-0s, increased loads led to regular double-heading. Locomotive engineers proposed use of LNER Class K3, but they would not have been permitted to operate between Fort William and Mallaig.
Having proposed a new design based on a K3 boiler, in October 1924 a loan was made of a single LNER Class K2
GNR Class H3
The Great Northern Railway Class H4 was a class of 2-6-0 steam locomotive designed for mixed-traffic work.The type was a more powerful development of the earlier H3 class and was notable at the time, as the boilers were the largest fitted to any British locomotive to that date...
, which provided the required increase in power and adhesion. As K3s replaced K2 on the network, more K2s were loaned to the line, with the loan becoming permanent from October 1925.
With further increases in load and needs for additional traffic speed, in September 1934 Gresley instructed Doncaster Works
Doncaster Works
Doncaster railway works is in the town of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.Always referred to as "the Plant", it was established by the Great Northern Railway in 1853, replacing the previous works in Boston and Peterborough...
to investigate the possibility of increasing the tractive effort of the K2s. After recommending against a design which increased boiler pressure 220 psi (1.52 MPa) and cylinder diameter to 21 inches (533 mm), in 1935 the Joint Traffic & Locomotive Committee signed off provision of a new design by reducing the 1936 build of K3s from 21 to 20.
The eventual May 1936 design was based on the 1924 proposal for a 2-6-0 with 5 in 2 in (1.57 m) diameter coupled wheels, but with K3 cylinders, a K2 boiler, and a B17
LNER Class B17
The London and North Eastern Railway Class B17, also known as "Sandringham" or "Footballer" class was a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotive designed by Sir Nigel Gresley for hauling passenger services on the Great Eastern Main Line...
firebox. The frame was 5 inches (12.7 cm) longer than the K3, with a design boiler pressure of 180 psi (1.24 MPa) giving a tractive effort of 32939 lbf (146.5 kN), and an estimated factor of adhesion of 3.92.
Prototype
The prototype K4 No.3441 left Darlington for Eastfield depotEastfield TMD
Eastfield TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Glasgow, Scotland. Eastfield was a steam shed under British Railways with the depot code 65A; the depot code of the diesel depot under BR was ED....
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
on 28 January 1937. After five weeks of crew training and being confined to goods work it made its début on a passenger train on 4 March. It soon became apparent that the 180 psi (1.24 MPa) boiler pressure brought little improvement in average speeds over the existing K2, and that No.3441 responded sluggishly when up against the gradients of the West Highland line. Gresley reacted by raising the steam pressure to 200 psi (1.38 MPa) which saw the tractive effort leap to 36598 lbf (162.8 kN), with a corresponding reduction in the factor of adhesion to 3.54. The K4 could now demonstrate its true capabilities handling 300 ton trains and with maximum speeds around 60 mph (96.6 km/h) on level ground. An advantage of the newcomer was that it used only marginally more coal in working 300 ton trains than the K2s did with considerably lighter loads.
The successful trials with No.3441 led to five more being built. Apart from the prototype Loch Long all were named after Highland
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
chieftains and grandees.
Operations
Double-heading
In railroad terminology, double-heading or double heading indicates the use of two locomotives at the front of a train, each operated individually by its own crew. The practice of triple-heading involves the use of three locomotives....
over the West Highland. However, as with all Gresley 2-6-0s it could be a rough ride at speed, and a locomotive designed to climb was not suited to the flat straight stretches of the line into Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...
, or the 8.5 miles stretch alongside Loch Eil
Loch Eil
Loch Eil is a sea loch in Lochaber, Scotland that opens into Loch Linnhe near the town of Fort William.Loch Eil Outward Bound railway station and Locheilside railway station are both situated on the northern shore of the loch....
. Ride induced vibration was a problem on these stretches, and the middle big-end bearing would require regular nut tightening, with the middle connecting rod dropping off on one occasion: this resulted in increased maintenance inspections.
Crews began to prefer the LNER Class V4
LNER Class V4
The London and North Eastern Railway Class V4 was a class of 2-6-2 steam locomotive designed bySir Nigel Gresley for mixed-traffic use. It was to be Gresley's last design for the LNER as he died in 1941....
, but their lower power restricted their use and the K4s retained their pre-eminence on the West Highland line until the 1947 arrival of the first B1
LNER Thompson Class B1
The London and North Eastern Railway Thompson Class B1 is a class of steam locomotive designed for medium mixed traffic work. It was designed by Edward Thompson.- Overview :...
4-6-0
4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
s, which replaced the K4s from Glasgow to Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
. These were followed after nationalisation by an influx of Stanier
William Stanier
Sir William Arthur Stanier, FRS was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.- Biography :...
5MT
LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0
The London Midland and Scottish Railway's Class 5 4-6-0, almost universally known as the Black Five, is a class of steam locomotive. It was introduced by William Stanier in 1934 and 842 were built between then and 1951...
4-6-0s and the new K1s, that left the K4s increasingly confined to goods workings.
During the 1950s, the K4s' sphere of operation enlarged and they began to appear at locations such as Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, Forfar
Forfar
Forfar is a parish, town and former royal burgh of approximately 13,500 people in Angus, located in the East Central Lowlands of Scotland. Forfar is the county town of Angus, which was officially known as Forfarshire from the 18th century until 1929, when the ancient name was reinstated, and...
, Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
and Tweedmouth
Tweedmouth
Tweedmouth may refer to*The River Tweed*Berwick-upon-Tweed*Baron Tweedmouth...
. In 1959 all were concentrated at Thornton
Thornton, Fife
Thornton is a village in Fife, Scotland. It is between Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes, and stands between the River Ore and Lochty Burn, which are at opposite ends of the main street.- Transport :...
in Junction depot in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
and all were withdrawn in October 1961.
Numbering
| LNER Number | British Railways Number |
Name | Build Date at Darlington |
Withdrawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3441 | 61993 | Loch Long Loch Long Loch Long is a body of water in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The sea loch extends from the Firth of Clyde at its southwestern end. It measures approximately 20 miles in length, with a width of between one and two miles... |
||
| 3442 | 61994 | The Great Marquess | ||
| 3443 | 61995 | Cameron Of Lochiel | ||
| 3444 | 61996 | Lord Of The Isles Lord of the Isles The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of... |
||
| 3445 | — | MacCailin Mor | (rebuilt) | |
| 3446 | 61998 | MacLeod of MacLeod | ||
In 1945 Edward Thompson
Edward Thompson (engineer)
Edward Thompson was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway between 1941 and 1946.- Biography :Edward Thompson was the son of an assistant master at Marlborough College. He was educated at Marlborough before taking the Mechanical Science Tripos at Pembroke College,...
rebuilt 3445 MacCailin Mor into the first LNER Thompson Class K1
LNER Thompson/Peppercorn Class K1
The London and North Eastern Railway Class K1 is a type of 2-6-0 steam locomotive designed by Edward Thompson. Thompson preferred a simple two-cylinder design instead of Gresley's three cylinder one...
. LNER 1946 numbers 1993–6/8 and BR numbers 61993–6/8.
Preservation
Only one of the six strong class has survived into preservation, following the efforts of the late Viscount Garnock who bought No.61994 The Great Marquess from British Railways (BR), and had the engine overhauled to working order. Based at LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
No.3442 undertook railtour work until forced into retirement by the ban imposed on steam working by BR in 1968. From 1972 No.3442 was stored on the Severn Valley Railway
Severn Valley Railway
The Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England. The line runs along the Severn Valley from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route...
(SVR) until 1980 when it was overhauled. In the mid 1990s No.3442 was bought by John Cameron
John Cameron (farmer)
John B. Cameron of Balbuthie CBE FRAgS is a Scottish farmer, with significant interest in railways.-Farming:Widely credited as the one-time largest sheep farmer in Europ], Cameron owned seven farms in Fife and West Perthshire...
, and the locomotive left the SVR for overhaul at Crewe. It has moved North back to Scotland where it currently (April 2009) operates special trains on the national rail network.