LSWR Class T9
Encyclopedia
The London and South Western Railway
T9 class was a class of 66 4-4-0
steam locomotive
designed for express passenger work by Dugald Drummond
and introduced to services on the LSWR in 1899. One example has been preserved after British Rail
ways ownership.
ensured a free-steaming locomotive.
Construction was shared between Nine Elms and Glasgow: 20 at the LSWR's own workshops at Nine Elms
, London
, and 30 were built by Dübs and Company
in Glasgow. These were constructed between 1899 and 1900 and supplied with six wheel tenders.
A second batch was ordered, and 15 more were constructed at Nine Elms, while a final, solitary example was constructed at Dübs and Company for the Glasgow Exhibition of 1901. Detail improvements on this final batch were a wider cab and revised wheel splasher that hid the 'throw' of the connecting rod, with cross-water tubes fitted into the firebox. This was an attempt to increase the heat surface area of the water, which was achieved, though at a cost in boiler complexity. This batch was also fitted with the Drummond "watercart" eight-wheel tender for longer running, whilst the previous was retrofitted with the design.
Upon Drummond's death in 1912, his successor, Robert Urie
, supplied the class with superheater
s, and from 1922, the entire class was so treated. Their sterling performance as a class precluded any further modifications, apart from the removal of the cross-water tubes, an enlarged smokebox
, addition of a stovepipe chimney, and an increase of the cylinder bore to 19 inches (482.6 mm). These had been completed by 1929.
's darker version of the LSWR Sage Green with yellow lettering on the tender, with black and white lining.
This livery was continued under Bulleid despite his experimentations with Malachite Green, though the 'Southern' lettering on the tender was changed to the 'Sunshine Yellow' style. During the Second World War, members of the class outshopped form overhaul were turned out in wartime black.
The class was haphazardly numbered by the LSWR. The Nine Elms batch was numbered 113 to 122 and 280 to 289, whilst the Glasgow batch was allocated 702 to 719 and 721 to 732. A final locomotive, 773, was constructed in Glasgow. With one exception, numbering under the Southern retained the LSWR allocations.
Locomotive numbering was per BR standard practice, from 30113–30122; 30280–30289; 30300–30305;30307;30310-30314; 30336–30338; 30702–30719; and 30721-30733. Numbering was based upon the batches built. However, thirteen of the locomotives had been withdrawn by the end of 1948, resulting in gaps in the sequence.
s early in their operational career due to the good turn of speed that these locomotives were capable of on LSWR expresses. They proved of great use west of Salisbury
where their light axle loadings and short frame lengths were better suited to the tight curves of the Southern's Western Section. In 1947, 13 locomotives were converted to oil burning
. This experiment ended in 1948, and all locomotives involved were withdrawn
LSWR/SR 119 (BR 30119) was used by the Southern Railway and early British Railways as a Royal engine
and as such was painted in malachite green
livery
The class remained intact throughout Southern Railway ownership 1923–1947 and 20 still remained on BR's books in 1959, being used on lighter duties in the westcountry. All, however, had been withdrawn by 1963 upon the advent of the BR Modernisation Plan.
One engine, LSWR/SR 120 (BR 30120), was saved for preservation by the National Railway Museum
. Withdrawn from Exmouth Junction
shed, Exeter
in 1961 it remained in capital stock. In March 1962 it was outshopped from Eastleigh Works following a heavy casual repair and returned to service in LSWR green working ordinary services as well as special trains. It was finally withdrawn from capital stock in July 1963 but continued to work special trains until October of that year. Following lengthy periods in store at Fratton, Stratford, Preston Park,Tyseley and York It was again overhauled in the early 1980s on the Mid Hants Railway and returned to steam in 1983. However, because of the steep gradients on the Mid Hants,it moved to the Swanage Railway in 1991 and remained there until its boiler certificate expired in 1993. It then moved to the Bluebell Railway, where it remained as a static exhibit until 2009. It then moved to the Bodmin and Wenford Railway, and was returned to steam in August 2010 following a heavy overhaul including repairs to the cylinder block at the Flour Mill Workshop in the Forest of Dean.
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...
T9 class was a class of 66 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...
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...
designed for express passenger work by Dugald Drummond
Dugald Drummond
Dugald Drummond was a Scottish steam locomotive engineer. He had a career with the North British Railway, LB&SCR, Caledonian Railway and London and South Western Railway...
and introduced to services on the LSWR in 1899. One example has been preserved after British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways ownership.
Background
Intended for express passenger work in South-West England, 66 were eventually built and saw several improvements throughout their service careers. The class operated until 1963 when the last example,No 30120, was withdrawn. 30120 was happily preserved by the National Railway Museum, and is currently on long term loan to the Bodmin and Wenford RailwayConstruction history
The design spawned from the relative failure of Drummond's C8 Class of 1898, utilising many lessons learned from this design. A larger boiler was implemented, and such confidence was placed in Drummond's design that an order of 50 locomotives was placed straight off the drawing board. Large fireboxes and Stephenson link valve gearStephenson valve gear
The Stephenson valve gear or Stephenson link or shifting link is a simple design of valve gear that was widely used throughout the world for all kinds of steam engine. It is named after Robert Stephenson but was actually invented by his employees....
ensured a free-steaming locomotive.
Construction was shared between Nine Elms and Glasgow: 20 at the LSWR's own workshops at Nine Elms
Nine Elms
Nine Elms is a suburb of London, situated in the far north-eastern corner of the London Borough of Wandsworth between Battersea and Vauxhall.It is primarily an industrial area, dominated by Battersea Power Station, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, railway lines, a major Royal Mail sorting office and...
, 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...
, and 30 were built by Dübs and Company
Dûbs and Company
Dübs & Co. was a locomotive works in Glasgow, Scotland, founded by Henry Dübs in 1863 and based at the Queens Park Works in Polmadie. In 1903 it became part of the North British Locomotive Company.-Preserved locomotives:...
in Glasgow. These were constructed between 1899 and 1900 and supplied with six wheel tenders.
A second batch was ordered, and 15 more were constructed at Nine Elms, while a final, solitary example was constructed at Dübs and Company for the Glasgow Exhibition of 1901. Detail improvements on this final batch were a wider cab and revised wheel splasher that hid the 'throw' of the connecting rod, with cross-water tubes fitted into the firebox. This was an attempt to increase the heat surface area of the water, which was achieved, though at a cost in boiler complexity. This batch was also fitted with the Drummond "watercart" eight-wheel tender for longer running, whilst the previous was retrofitted with the design.
| Year | Order | Builder | Quantity | LSWR numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899 | Nine Elms Nine Elms Locomotive Works Nine Elms locomotive works were built in 1839 by the London and South Western Railway adjoining their passenger terminus near the Vauxhall end of Nine Elms Lane, in the district of Nine Elms in the London Borough of Battersea. They were rebuilt in 1841 and remained the principal locomotive... |
113–122 | |||
| 1899 | Nine Elms | 280–284 | |||
| 1899 | Dübs & Co. Dûbs and Company Dübs & Co. was a locomotive works in Glasgow, Scotland, founded by Henry Dübs in 1863 and based at the Queens Park Works in Polmadie. In 1903 it became part of the North British Locomotive Company.-Preserved locomotives:... 3746–3775 |
702–719, 721–732 | |||
| 1900 | Nine Elms | 285–289 | |||
| 1900 | Nine Elms | 300–304 | |||
| 1901 | Nine Elms | 305, 307, 310–312 | |||
| 1901 | Nine Elms | 313, 314, 336–338 | |||
| 1901 | Dübs & Co. 4038 | 773 | renumbered 733 in 1924 | ||
Upon Drummond's death in 1912, his successor, Robert Urie
Robert Urie
Robert Wallace Urie was a Scottish locomotive engineer who was the last chief mechanical engineer of the London and South Western Railway....
, supplied the class with superheater
Superheater
A superheater is a device used to convert saturated steam or wet steam into dry steam used for power generation or processes. There are three types of superheaters namely: radiant, convection, and separately fired...
s, and from 1922, the entire class was so treated. Their sterling performance as a class precluded any further modifications, apart from the removal of the cross-water tubes, an enlarged smokebox
Smokebox
A smokebox is one of the major basic parts of a Steam locomotive exhaust system. Smoke and hot gases pass from the firebox through tubes where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. The smoke then enters the smokebox, and is exhausted to the atmosphere through the chimney .To assist...
, addition of a stovepipe chimney, and an increase of the cylinder bore to 19 inches (482.6 mm). These had been completed by 1929.
LSWR and Southern
Livery under the LSWR was Drummond's LSWR Passenger Sage Green, with purple-brown edging and black and white lining. Under Southern Railway ownership from grouping in 1923, the locomotives were outshopped in Richard MaunsellRichard 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....
's darker version of the LSWR Sage Green with yellow lettering on the tender, with black and white lining.
This livery was continued under Bulleid despite his experimentations with Malachite Green, though the 'Southern' lettering on the tender was changed to the 'Sunshine Yellow' style. During the Second World War, members of the class outshopped form overhaul were turned out in wartime black.
The class was haphazardly numbered by the LSWR. The Nine Elms batch was numbered 113 to 122 and 280 to 289, whilst the Glasgow batch was allocated 702 to 719 and 721 to 732. A final locomotive, 773, was constructed in Glasgow. With one exception, numbering under the Southern retained the LSWR allocations.
Post-1948 (nationalisation)
Livery after Nationalisation was initially Southern livery with 'British Railways' on the tender, and an 'S' prefix on the number. The class was subsequently outshopped in BR Mixed Traffic Black with red and white lining, with the BR crest on the tender.Locomotive numbering was per BR standard practice, from 30113–30122; 30280–30289; 30300–30305;30307;30310-30314; 30336–30338; 30702–30719; and 30721-30733. Numbering was based upon the batches built. However, thirteen of the locomotives had been withdrawn by the end of 1948, resulting in gaps in the sequence.
Operational details
The T9 Class locomotives were well liked by their crews, and gained the nickname GreyhoundGreyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
s early in their operational career due to the good turn of speed that these locomotives were capable of on LSWR expresses. They proved of great use west of Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
where their light axle loadings and short frame lengths were better suited to the tight curves of the Southern's Western Section. In 1947, 13 locomotives were converted to oil burning
Oil burner (engine)
An oil burner engine is a steam engine that uses oil as its fuel. The term is often used with reference to a locomotive or ship engine that burns oil, to heat water, to produce steam which drives the pistons, or turbines, from which the power is derived. Some engines of this form were originally...
. This experiment ended in 1948, and all locomotives involved were withdrawn
LSWR/SR 119 (BR 30119) was used by the Southern Railway and early British Railways as a Royal engine
Royal Train
A royal train is a set of carriages dedicated for the use of the monarch or other members of that particular royal family. Most monarchies with a railway system employ a set of royal carriages.-Australia:...
and as such was painted in malachite green
Malachite green
Malachite green is an organic compound that is used as a dyestuff and has emerged as a controversial agent in aquaculture. Malachite green is traditionally used as a dye for materials such as silk, leather, and paper...
livery
The class remained intact throughout Southern Railway ownership 1923–1947 and 20 still remained on BR's books in 1959, being used on lighter duties in the westcountry. All, however, had been withdrawn by 1963 upon the advent of the BR Modernisation Plan.
Preservation
One engine, LSWR/SR 120 (BR 30120), was saved for preservation by the National Railway Museum
National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
. Withdrawn from Exmouth Junction
Exmouth Junction
Exmouth Junction is the railway junction where the Exmouth branch line diverges from the London Waterloo to Exeter main line in Exeter, Devon, England. It was for many years the location for one of the largest engine sheds in the former London and South Western Railway...
shed, Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
in 1961 it remained in capital stock. In March 1962 it was outshopped from Eastleigh Works following a heavy casual repair and returned to service in LSWR green working ordinary services as well as special trains. It was finally withdrawn from capital stock in July 1963 but continued to work special trains until October of that year. Following lengthy periods in store at Fratton, Stratford, Preston Park,Tyseley and York It was again overhauled in the early 1980s on the Mid Hants Railway and returned to steam in 1983. However, because of the steep gradients on the Mid Hants,it moved to the Swanage Railway in 1991 and remained there until its boiler certificate expired in 1993. It then moved to the Bluebell Railway, where it remained as a static exhibit until 2009. It then moved to the Bodmin and Wenford Railway, and was returned to steam in August 2010 following a heavy overhaul including repairs to the cylinder block at the Flour Mill Workshop in the Forest of Dean.