SER O class
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (September 2011) |
SER O and O1 Classes | |
---|---|
British Railways | |
Class | O and O1 |
Locale | Southern Region |
Retired |
|
Disposition | 58 rebuilt to O1 class (one preserved), remainder scrapped. |
The
The death knell for the final few members of the class came with the
Construction
122 locomotives of the O class were built between 1878 and 1899,[1] the last five entering service after the SER locomotive stock had been pooled with that of the LCDR to form the SECR.[2] Sharp, Stewart and Company received four orders totalling 65:[3]
Order no. | Works nos. | New | Running nos. | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
E758 | 2796–2807, 2810–7 | October 1878–April 1879 | 279–298 | 20 |
E984 | 3711–20 | August–September 1891 | 369–378 | 10 |
E1024 | 3946–65 | September–December 1893 | 379–398 | 20 |
E1100 | 4302–16 | August–October 1897 | 425–39 | 15 |
The balance (57 locomotives) were built at Ashford Works between 1882 and 1899,[4] their numbers being scattered between 1 and 258, plus 299–301, 314–8, 331–4.[5]
Rebuilding
28 of the O class locomotives were given replacement boilers between 1900 and 1923, of basically similar dimensions to the originals; however, the fireboxes were deeper, and so the boiler was mounted higher in the frames.[6]
Between 1903 and 1932, 59 locomotives were given larger boilers, of the same type as was fitted to the SECR H class 0-4-4T; these rebuilds were designated the O1 class.[7]
Withdrawal
Year | Quantity in service at start of year |
Quantity withdrawn |
Locomotive numbers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1906 | 122 | 1 | 317 | |
1908 | 121 | 3 | 208/97, 315 | |
1909 | 118 | 7 | 279/87, 291/93–95/98 | |
1910 | 111 | 4 | 55, 120, 290/99 | |
1911 | 107 | 7 | 122, 284–86/88/96, 301 | |
1912 | 100 | 7 | 121/31, 282/83/89/92, 318 | 282 first O1 withdrawn |
1913 | 93 | 3 | 207, 331/34 | |
1914 | 90 | 3 | 281, 300/14 | |
1923 | 87 | 3 | A171, A332, A372 | A372 was O1 class; sold to EKLR no. 6 |
1924 | 84 | 2 | A375, A382 | |
1925 | 82 | 6 | A1, A15, 119, A144, A254, A392 | O1: A119 |
1926 | 76 | 9 | A96, A100/42, A333/87/93–94, A427/31 | O1: A393 |
1927 | 67 | 4 | A52, A99, A170, A435 | |
1928 | 63 | 4 | A8, A167, A376, A433 | sold to EKLR no. 8 |
1929 | 59 | 3 | A49, A98, A111 | |
1932 | 56 | 1 | A436 | Last O class to be withdrawn |
1935 | 55 | 1 | A383 | sold to EKLR no. 100 |
1944 | 54 | 1 | 1371 | sold to EKLR no. 1371 |
1946 | 53 | 1 | 1251 | |
1948 | 52 | (3) | EKLR 2 (ex-100), 6, 1371 absorbed | EKLR 8 withdrawn 1935 |
1948 | 55 | 11 | 1014/46/51, 31378, 1386/88/96–97, 1426/37–38 | |
1949 | 44 | 19 | 1003/07/39/80, 1106/09, 1238, 1316/74/80/84–85/89/98, 1428–29/39, EKLR 6 |
|
1950 | 25 | 2 | 1123, 1377 | |
1951 | 23 | 15 | 1041/44/66/93, 1108, 31248, 1369/71, S1373, 1379/81, 31383, 1390–91/95/32 |
|
1958 | 8 | 1 | 31064 | |
1959 | 7 | 3 | 31425/30/34 | |
1960 | 4 | 2 | 31048, 31370 | |
1961 | 2 | 2 | 31065, 31258 |
Preservation
One O1 class, SECR No. 65 (SR Nos. A65 and 1065, BR No. 31065) has been preserved, and is currently based on the Bluebell Railway in Sussex.
Pre-preservation history
No. 65 was originally built for the
Within a month of operating the special over the Hawkhurst branch, the engine was withdrawn from general traffic by
Preservation (1963-1996)
Following withdrawal the engine was purchased by Mr Lewis-Evans in 1963 for the scrap value of £850. It was moved from Ashford Works to the Ashford Steam Centre, based in the former Ashford Motive Power Depot in Kent. There, the engine worked during open days along with the former 31592 and H class tank no. 31263, both now also Bluebell Railway residents.
As well as the steam engines, the centre played host to a number of other vehicles, including 'Clan Line' and 'Sir Lamiel' as well as Pullman cars Aubrey, Sapphire, Phyliss and Lucille – three of which were to go on to join the
Preservation (1996 onwards)
During the late summer of 1996, the owner of the engine visited the Bluebell to inspect the facilities available at Sheffield Park with a view to restoring the engine properly. The rolling chassis arrived soon afterwards, and was followed by several of the other constituent parts of the engine, including the boiler, during the following months. With the impending centenary of the SECR due in 1999, work started swiftly on restoring the engine to traffic. A major overhaul ensued, as the engine had not received major work since before its withdrawal in 1961, and had been the victim of being stored outside.
The engine was returned to traffic for the centenary of the amalgamation of the SER and LCDR into the
The engine has performed regularly at the Bluebell Railway since its overhaul, often to be found operating the line's vintage trains, which is often formed of
The engine's boiler certificate expired in July 2009, but owing to the amount of work done during the last overhaul, it is not thought to require much work to restore it, and is likely to be boosted by the recent return of 592 and P class tanks nos. 178, 323 and H class 263, thus creating the potential for five ex-SECR engines to be operational together for the first time since the 1960s.
A spare SECR R1 boiler was sent away in 2013 for overhaul, and once completed was put onto No. 65. The spare boiler was used since it meant that the locomotive did not have to be dismantled until it entered the works for the mechanical work required in 2016. The frames were moved into the Bluebell's workshop at Sheffield Park in 2016 for work to commence on the rest of the locomotive. The overhaul was completed in 2017 and the locomotive is available for service once again.
In December 2021 ownership of the locomotive passed to the Bluebell Railway Trust.
Notes
- ^ Bradley 1985, pp. 144, 145.
- ^ Bradley 1985, p. 226.
- ^ Bradley 1985, pp. 144, 146, 158–9.
- ^ Bradley 1985, p. 145.
- ^ Bradley 1985, pp. 157–8.
- ^ Bradley 1985, p. 148.
- ^ Bradley 1985, p. 149.
- ^ Bradley 1985, pp. 157–159.
Sources
- Bradley, D.L. (September 1985) [1963]. The Locomotive History of the South Eastern Railway (2nd ed.). London: ISBN 0-901115-48-7.
- Casserley, H.C. (1968). Preserved Locomotives. Ian Allan.
- "Profile of O1 Class No.65". Bluebell Railway.
- "Classes O/O1". Southern E-Group. 18 June 2011.
- "The Bluebell Railway's Locomotives". Bluebell Railway.