London, Brighton and South Coast Railway "Belgravia" Class
Locomotive Belgravia as built in 1872
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerWilliam Stroudley
BuilderBrighton railway works
Build date1872-1876
Total produced6
Specifications
Configuration:
  Whyte2-4-0
  UIC1'B
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.4 ft 0 in (1.22 m) (204/5)
4 ft 3 in (1.30 m) (201/2)
4 ft 1 in (1.24 m) (206/7)
Driver dia.6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Wheelbase16 ft 8 in (5.08 m)
Adhesive weight15 long tons (15.2 t; 16.8 short tons)
Loco weight39.7 long tons (40.3 t; 44.5 short tons) (201/2)
39.25 long tons (39.88 t; 43.96 short tons) (204/5)
41.2 long tons (41.9 t; 46.1 short tons) (206/7)
Fuel typeCoal
Firebox:
  Grate area18.75 sq ft (1.742 m2) (201/2/4/5)
19 sq ft (1.8 m2) (206/7)
Boiler pressure140 lbf/in2 (9.7 bar; 970 kPa)
Heating surface1,234 sq ft (114.6 m2)
1,123 sq ft (104.3 m2)
CylindersTwo, inside
Cylinder size17 in × 24 in (432 mm × 610 mm)
Career
OperatorsLondon, Brighton and South Coast Railway
ClassB
Number in class6
Numbers201/2/4–7
LocaleGreat Britain
First run1872
Withdrawn1899–1902
DispositionAll scrapped

The LB&SCR Belgravia class were 2-4-0 passenger locomotives designed by William Stroudley of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) in 1872 for secondary passenger duties.

History

When William Stroudley took up his duties as Locomotive Superintendent at the LB&SCR's Brighton railway works in 1870, he found that some locomotive components had been ordered by his predecessor, John Chester Craven. These included six sets of frames for some 2-4-0 passenger locomotives designed by Craven, and Stroudley produced a new class of that arrangement to use these frames.[1][2]

The locomotives in this class were very similar to two 2-4-0 locomotives constructed at Cowlairs railway works for the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in the early 1860s, when Stroudley was the works manager and contained many features of his later designs.[2]

Four Belgravia locomotives were constructed at Brighton in 1872, two of which were rebuilds of earlier 2-2-2 locomotives built for the LB&SCR by Robert Stephenson and Company and Brighton works.[2] The necessity to use components designed by Craven meant that the locomotives had a number of design features, such as the double frames and the 2-4-0 wheel arrangement, which were not found with Stroudley's later designs, and were the heaviest 2-4-0 locomotives of their time.[3] Two further examples later appeared, one each in 1875 and 1876, these having detail differences from the first four.[4] At first the class suffered from poor steaming,[4] but once this was rectified they went on to give reliable service on secondary passenger trains[5] as well as hauling the "business" expresses between Brighton and London Bridge until about 1881.[3]

Under Stroudley's locomotive classification scheme, the Belgravia class, being "Main Line Express" engines, were included in Class B, along with most of his 0-4-2 locomotives, and one of his 2-2-2s.[6] By the time that Class B was subdivided into B1, B2, etc. by D. E. Marsh, none of the Belgravia class remained in service.[7]

Numbering

The two rebuilds were No. 204 Westminster and No. 205 Kensington.[8] The two new engines of 1872 were No. 202 Goodwood and No. 201 Belgravia.[9] The 1875 loco was No. 206 Carisbrooke, and the 1876 loco was No. 207 Freshwater.[9] In 1897, the numbers were increased by 300; Nos. 501 and 504 were withdrawn in February 1899, but the other four had their numbers increased by a further 100 later the same year. Nos. 605–7 were withdrawn in 1901, leaving No. 602 which was withdrawn in 1902.[2] No examples have been preserved.[10]

References

  1. Haresnape 1985, p. 35.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bradley 1969, p. 133.
  3. 1 2 Ahrons 1987, p. 191.
  4. 1 2 Bradley 1969, p. 134.
  5. Haresnape 1985, p. 37.
  6. Bradley 1969, pp. 127–8.
  7. Bradley 1969, pp. 128–9.
  8. Bradley 1969, pp. 133, 136.
  9. 1 2 Bradley 1969, p. 136.
  10. Haresnape 1985, p. 38.

Sources

  • Ahrons, E.L. (1987) [1927]. The British Steam Railway Locomotive 1825-1925. London: Bracken Books. ISBN 1-85170-103-6.
  • Bradley, D.L. (June 1969). The locomotives of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway: Part 1. London: Railway Correspondence and Travel Society.
  • Haresnape, Brian (1985). Stroudley Locomotives: A Pictorial History. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1391-8.
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