LSWR S15 class
LSWR/SR S15 class lbf/in2 (1.24 MPa); Saturated Boiler: 175 lbf/in2 (1.21 MPa); Maunsell locomotives: 200 lbf/in2 (1.38 MPa) | |
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Cylinders | Two, outside |
Cylinder size | Urie: 21 in × 28 in (533 mm × 711 mm); Maunsell: 20+1⁄2 in × 28 in (521 mm × 711 mm) |
Valve gear | Walschaerts |
Performance figures | |
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Tractive effort | Urie: 28,200 lbf (125.4 kN); Maunsell: 29,860 lbf (132.8 kN) |
Career | |
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Operators | |
Class | S15 |
Power class |
|
Numbers |
|
Nicknames | "Goods Arthurs" |
Locale | Southern Region |
Withdrawn | 1962–1966 |
Disposition | 6 preserved or extant, 1 cannibalised, remainder scrapped |
The LSWR S15 class is a British 2-
Following the
The new locomotives were built in three batches at Eastleigh, and were in service with the Southern Railway for 14 years. The locomotives continued in operation with the Southern Region of British Railways until 1966. Seven examples have been preserved for use on heritage railways, and are currently in varying states of repair. These locomotives were given the nickname "Goods Arthurs" due to their similar appearance to the N15 Class locomotives.[4]
Background
During the
Construction history
The S15 class were all built by Eastleigh Works in three discrete batches between February 1920 and December 1936.
Year | Order | Quantity | LSWR / SR numbers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1920 | S15 | 5 | 497–501 | |
1920 | A16 | 5 | 502–506 | |
1920 | C16 | 5 | 507–511 | |
1921 | E16 | 5 | 496, 512–515 | |
1927 | E90 | 10 | 823–832 | |
1927 | E158 | 5 | 833–837 | |
1936 | E630 | 10 | 838–847 | Final batch of 4-6-0 locomotives built by the Southern Railway. |
First batch – Urie 1920–21
This was the third design by Robert Urie for the LSWR. The outline was made during the First World War, and incorporated lessons learned from the operation of his H15 class, a design that was to provide the basis for future standardisation on the LSWR.
By May 1921, sixteen were in service, and were mostly allocated to the London area, including the new marshalling yard at Feltham.[7] Despite being mechanically sound, changes were made to Urie's original design after the Grouping of railway companies in 1923.[1]
Urie retired as Locomotive Superintendent when the LSWR was amalgamated into the Southern Railway in 1923. Richard Maunsell was given the newly created post of CME to the Southern Railway, and decided to revise the cylinder arrangement of the locomotive. In doing so, he delayed the construction of further locomotives until the modifications had been made.[10] When the modifications were trialled in service, it became evident amongst locomotive crews that Maunsell had taken a sound design and made it better, achieving a consistent locomotive capable of undertaking all the tasks for which it was intended.[8] With the successful implementation of the modifications, permission was given by the management of the Southern Railway for a second batch of locomotives to be constructed.[10]
In November 1941 during World War II, Nos. 496-499 were loaned to the Great Western Railway to assist with increased freight traffic on that railway. They were returned to the SR between March and July 1943.[11]
Second batch – Maunsell 1927–28
Maunsell's modifications included increasing the boiler pressure from 180 psi (1.24 MPa) to 200 psi (1.38 MPa), and the reduction of the cylinder bore by half an inch.
Other modifications included the lengthening of valve travel, and fitting larger outside steam pipes to streamline the flow of steam into the cylinders.[13] Fifteen locomotives of this revised design were built in 1927, and some were given 4,000-imperial-gallon (18,000 L; 4,800 US gal) six-wheeled tenders for use on the Southern Railway's Central section.[12] This allowed the locomotive to be turned on the shorter turntables found on this part of the network.[12] From new, the rest of the class was equipped with the Urie 5,000-imperial-gallon (23,000 L; 6,000 US gal) eight-wheel bogie tender, which allowed the class to operate on the extended freight routes of the Southern Railway's Western section.[14] The standardisation measures undertaken by both Urie and Maunsell were soon vindicated by the fact that tenders and other parts were swapped with those of other classes on the Southern Railway when locomotives were under overhaul.[1]
Third batch – Maunsell 1936
The benefits gained by Maunsell's modifications showed in the improved performance of the first batch of Maunsell S15s over their Urie-built predecessors.[1] A third batch was ordered in 1931, coinciding with a downturn in the volume of freight due to the Great Depression. This meant that the last of the S15 class was not completed until 1936, although weight-saving modifications were undertaken to this batch.[1] A final modification was also applied to the class at this time, when all locomotives were equipped with smoke deflectors to improve visibility from the footplate when travelling at speed.[15] This modification was a feature that became common to most Maunsell-influenced designs.
Operational details
After modification by Maunsell, the S15 class was regarded by locomotive crews as an excellent goods engine best known for working heavy night express goods trains between Exeter, Southampton and Nine Elms. The S15s were also very capable passenger engines, being able to deputise in situations where there was a shortage of passenger locomotives during peak holiday periods.[1] Both Urie and Maunsell S15s spent most of their working lives on the Southern Railway's Western section, although they were sometimes used on inter-regional freights.[16] In order to increase maintenance efficiency, all Urie S15 locomotives (which had the lower boiler pressure) were concentrated at the Southern Railway's London freight depot at Feltham.[17] This yard also featured the Maunsell S15s, which were allocated to Exmouth Junction, Hither Green and Salisbury, demonstrating the "go anywhere" nature of the class.[1] Despite the design being only a year newer, the S15s outlasted their N15 King Arthur class counterparts because of their dual freight/passenger abilities, though they were retired between 1962 and 1966 as part of the British Railways Modernisation Plan.[15] Maunsell S15 number 30837 became the final member of the class in operation, returning to Feltham in January 1966 to work a farewell rail tour.[1]
Year | Quantity in service at start of year |
Quantity withdrawn |
Locomotive numbers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1962 | 45 | 4 | 30502/04–05, 30826 | |
1963 | 41 | 18 | 30496–98, 30500–01/03/07–11/13–15, 30829/31/45–46 | |
1964 | 23 | 17 | 30499, 30506/12, 30823/25/27–28/30/32/34–36/40–41/43–44/47 | 30512 was the last ex-LSWR loco withdrawn |
1965 | 6 | 6 | 30824/33/37–39/42 |
Accidents and incidents
- In the summer of 1946, locomotive No. 502 was hauling a freight train that overran signals and was derailed by trap points at Wallers Ash, Hampshire.[18]
Preservation
Seven S15s have been preserved, two Urie examples and five by Maunsell, which can be seen at several heritage railways around the country. All the surviving members of the class were purchased from
Number | Image | Built | Withdrawn | Service Life | Home Line | Owner | Status | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SR | BR | ||||||||
499 | 30499 | May 1920 | Jan 1964 | 43 Years, 8 months | Mid-Hants Railway | Urie Locomotive Society.[20] | Undergoing restoration. | Being restored to original LSWR (London & South Western Railway) design. | |
506 | 30506 | Oct 1920 | Jan 1964 | 43 Years, 3 months | Mid-Hants Railway | Urie Locomotive Society [20] | Operational, boiler ticket expires: 2029 | Returned to service 2 June 2019 after an 18-year overhaul including front frame replacement. | |
825 | 30825 | Jun 1927 | Jan 1964 | 36 Years, 9 months | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Essex Locomotive Society | Operational, boiler ticket expires: 2029 | Returned to service September 2019. Main line certified (Whitby to Grosmont and Battersby only). Running with the boiler and tender from 30841.[21] | |
828 | 30828 | Jul 1927 | Jan 1964 | 36 Years, 6 months | Watercress Line | Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society[22] | Undergoing overhaul. | Named Harry A Frith during its preservation career.[23] | |
830 | 30830 | Aug 1927 | Jul 1964 | 36 Years, 11 months | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Essex Locomotive Society | Stored awaiting restoration | Used to be based at the Bluebell Railway.[24] | |
841 | 30841 | Jul 1936 | Jan 1964 | 27 Years, 6 months | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Essex Locomotive Society | Cannibalised, Frames Stored | The locomotive's boiler and tender are currently in use on 825. Frames are stored in a field near Grosmont headshunt. Carried the name Greene King during its preservation career.[25] | |
847 | 30847 | Dec 1936 | Jan 1964 | 27 Years, 1 month | Bluebell Railway | Maunsell Locomotive Society | Out of service | The locomotive appeared in the 2017 film Goodbye Christopher Robin and in the 2018 film Christopher Robin.[26] |
Livery and numbering
LSWR and Southern Railway
Under LSWR ownership the S15s were painted in the late LSWR dark Holly Green livery, with the same black and light green lining applied to most of the LSWR's freight designs. Gilt lettering and numbering was located on the tender and cabside respectively.[27] The initials "LSWR" were located on the tender.
The first Southern Railway livery continued that of the LSWR, but with the number displayed on the tender. However from 1925, a darker Olive-type green was substituted, and the entire class was so painted.[27] Wheels were green with black tyres, and the cabside numbers were replaced by a cast oval plate with "Southern Railway" around the edge and the number in the centre.[12] Primrose Yellow "Southern" and locomotive number transfers were placed on the tender tank. From 1927, the Maunsell locomotives were given black livery with green lining, and remained in that guise with little modification until nationalisation.[27]
The only slight livery modification occurred before the
British Railways
After a period in
References
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Herring (2000). pp. 100–101.
- ^ Duggan, Jamie (9 December 2018). "LSWR/SR S15 Class steam locomotives - Class Information". RailAdvent. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ^ OCLC 1033440846.
- ^ Harbridge, Len (21 October 2016). "Goods Arthur". Unseen Steam. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ Russell (1991). p. 257.
- ^ Clarke (April 2008). p. 48.
- ^ a b Bradley (1987). Section "S15 class".
- ^ a b c Clarke (April 2008). p. 49.
- ^ Russell (1991). pp. 257–260.
- ^ a b Russell (1991). p. 293.
- ^ Sterndale et al. 1974, pp. M41–M42
- ^ a b c d Haresnape (1977). Section "S15 class".
- ^ Russell (1991). p. 294.
- ^ Russell (1991). p. 296.
- ^ a b Russell (1991). p. 383.
- ^ Russell (1991). p. 382.
- ^ Russell (1991). p. 295.
- ISBN 0-946184-06-2.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b Langston (2008). pp. 104–105.
- ^ "30825 (SR 825 & BR 30825)". Preserved British Steam Locomotives. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ "Home | Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society". Archived from the original on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- ^ "30828 (SR 828 & BR 30828)". Preserved British Steam Locomotives. 21 June 2017. Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ "Profile of S15 Class No.830". Maunsell Society. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
- ^ "30841 (SR 841 & BR 30841)". Preserved British Steam Locomotives. 21 June 2017. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ "Goodbye Christopher Robin". HD\HQMOVIE SCREENCAPS GALLERY. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d Swift (2006). p. 50.
- ^ Swift (2006). p. 56.
- ^ Longworth (2005). Section "Southern Locomotives".
- ^ Ian Allan ABC (1958–59). "S15".
Bibliography
- Bradley, D.L. (1987). LSWR Locomotives: The Urie classes. Didcot, Oxon: Wild Swan Publications. ISBN 0-906867-55-X.
- Clarke, Jeremy (April 2008). "The Locomotives of R. E. L. Maunsell". Steam World (250).
- Haresnape, Brian (1977). Maunsell Locomotives: A Pictorial History. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Limited. ISBN 0-7110-0743-8.
- Herring, Peter (2000). Classic British Steam Locomotives. Section "S15 Class". London: Abbeydale Press. ISBN 1-86147-057-6.
- Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives (Winter 1958–59 ed.). Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Limited.
- Langston, Keith (2008). British Steam Preserved: Illustrated Comprehensive Listing of Ex-British Railways Steam Locomotives. Horncastle: Morton's Media Group Limited.
- Longworth, Hugh (2005). British Railway Steam Locomotives: 1948–1968. Hinckley: Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN 0-86093-593-0.
- Russell, J. H. (1991). A Pictorial Record of Southern Locomotives. Hinckley: Oxford Publishing Company.
- Sterndale, A.C.; Parker, L.T.; Smith, C.; Reed, P.J.T.; Tabor, F.J.; Davies, F.K.; Allcock, N.J.; Lucking, J.H. (May 1974). White, D.E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part twelve: A Chronological and Statistical Survey. Kenilworth: OCLC 499807460.
- Swift, Peter (2006). Maunsell 4-6-0 King Arthur Class. Locomotives in Detail, volume 4. Hinckley: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0-7110-3086-3.
Further reading
- Allan, Ian (1949). ABC British Railways Locomotives Part 2: Nos. 10000–39999. Ian Allan Limited.
External links
- Urie/Maunsell S15 class 4-6-0 Southern E-Group
- Class S15 Details at Rail UK