It would be remiss of me not to mark the fact that today is 100 years since the Grouping and the formation of the Southern Railway, it also of course marks the demise of its constituent companies. This post attempts to provide a simplified potted history of the Grouping and the Southern Railway.
The Southern Railway coat of arms incorporated heraldic elements from the main constituent companies.
Although the actual Grouping occurred on 1st January 1923, it’s instigation can be traced back to the First World War where all railways were under state control until 1921. The Railways Act 1921, followed discussions at the time on potential nationalisation, had the aim of stemming the losses being occurred at the time by many of the 120 or so railway companies.
The form of Grouping originally proposed in 1920, by former North Eastern Railway executive, the Minister of Transport, Eric Geddes, was for five English and one Scottish regional companies, by 1921 this was amended to four English and two Scottish companies before the Scottish routes were incorporated in the companies that we know as the ‘Big Four’. Royal Assent for the Railways Act was in August 1921.
The first SR passenger livery was a continuation of the LSWR style in Olive Green with expanded Clarendon ‘Egyptian’ style ‘Southern’ font as seen on ex LSWR Adams A12 0-4-2. From 1937 the Bulleid malachite green and ‘Sunshine’ lettering as seen on the ex LSWR M7 in the background was introduced.
Also incorporated were the three Isle of Wight railway companies and the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway (Bere Alston and Callington section).
Some non-working or joint companies that had been previously leased or worked by the main constituent companies, including for example (not an exhaustive list): the North Cornwall Railway, Sidmouth Railway, Lee-on-the-Solent Railway, Hayling Railway, Cranbrook and Paddock Wood Railway, London and Greenwich Railway, Croydon & Oxted Joint Railway and Dover & Deal Railway, were also included, as was the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway although not covered by the Railways Act 1921, it had been absorbed by the LSWR.
The Southern Railway also was to share or jointly operate a number of lines including: the East London Railway, West London Extension Railway, Weymouth & Portland Railway and of course the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway.
The Southern Railway Network
The total route mileage owned whole by the Southern Railway at Grouping was 2,186 miles, with the main constituents not surprising forming the majority with 1,020 miles ex LSWR, 457 miles ex LBSC and 637 ½ ex SECR. The SR was operated essentially as three Districts: Western, Central and Eastern based approximately on the previous main constituents.
There were two Chief Mechanical Engineers; Richard Maunsell, ex SECR, between 1923 and 1937 and Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid, ex GN / LNER, from 1937 to 1948.
And just because you can never have enough Bulleid pacifics or Southern malachite green…
Although originally three general managers were appointed from each of the main constituents, with a year Sir Herbert Walker became the single General Manager and the development of the SR was built upon many of his ex LSWR practices. Following his retirement in 1937 he was succeeded as general manager by his long-time assistant Gilbert Szlumper. In 1939, Szlumper left the Southern Railway for war service and Sir Eustace Missenden took over.
The Southern Railway officially lasted, of course until Nationalisation in 1948, although in reality, just as during the First World War, the Railways due to the outbreak of The Second World War were taken once again under Government control via The Railway Executive on 1st September 1939 and would remain so until the 1st January 1948 becoming the Southern Region of British Railways.
With the passing of the Transport Act 1947 that nationalised the Railways, Missenden became the first Chairman of the Railway Executive and John Elliot became acting General Manager of the SR and would later become Chief Regional Officer of the Southern Region of British Railways.
I hope this brief simplified history of the Southern Railway has been of interest, and appropriate to mark the 100 years since its formation. I thought it was about time that it was included on my corner of the blogsphere!
Train Times have today revealed the identities for the two exclusive models they have commissioned both in LBSC lined black livery. They will be producing number 113 which spent some time at Eastbourne in the 1910s and “Loco Dept. New Cross”.
Number 113 originally built in May 1877 named “Granville” carried this lined black livery from 1906 until 1928 when she was repainted into Southern livery and numbered B113. She latter became 2113 then 32113 and was withdrawn September 1958 having worked 1,130,888 miles!
E1 Class “Loco Dept. New Cross”
Number 111 originally built in April 1877 named “Montpelier” and became “Loco Dept. New Cross” from June 1908 until June 1922 when she was renumbered 611 and withdrawn in May 1932.
Hot on the heels of my post last month of the Rapido trains UK ex LBSC E1 class 0-6-0t Cad renders, that can be seen here, the list of the 14 ‘E1’ versions being produced so far to cover all key variations has been revealed as below.
127 ‘Poitiers’, LBSCR Goods Green
Rapido trains UK have done their best to ensure that all the detail variations are covered but, they advise: “to be brutally honest, the ‘E1’ is a nightmare when it comes to small detail changes.” The LBSC list is:
These are now available to pre-order with an RRP of £164.95 for DCC ready and £264.95 for DCC Sound fitted at Rapido trains UK and with a discount at stockists such as KMRC.
Rapido trains UK confirmed back in January that they are going to produce the LBSCR ‘E1’ 0-6-0T in ’00’ gauge, as part of their growing range, despite it no longer being a commission by Model Rail magazine. My friends at Rapido trains UK have kindly provide me with copies of the latest CAD renders for this project and allowed me to post them here.
CAD renders of the Rapido ex LBSC E1 note the different dome and safety valve versions
They advise me that they will hopefully be confirming soon which running numbers and liveries they are going to produce and I will of course publish the details here when known. I understand it will cover a number of the class variations throughout their lifetime and geographical working area. As I model 1946 to 1949 I am hoping at least one will be in SR sunshine black, or suitable for a quick repaint and renumber to that period, as a number of members of the E1 class were often seen shunting at Southampton Docks and will be therefore be suitable motive power on my Canute Road Quay layout.
The early E1 version
It should of course be noted that these CAD renders are a work in progress and some areas in particular are known to require some amendments, such as tank tops. I am also hoping that the couplings might be revised slightly to reduce their protrusion.
It is the purpose of such renders to help evaluate the overall shape and details to confirm they are totally correct before approving the CADs for tooling to commence. Contrary to the belief of some, the first impression from tooling / the Engineering Prototype is to confirm fit and function and perhaps make some minor adjustments, not to see if the basic shape is correct…
A 3/4 rear view of the early version note the open coal rails
The class were originally introduced in 1874 by William Stroudley for local goods and piloting duties, as the E class. Many gained a Marsh type boiler from 1906-7 with a larger dome moved rearwards, encased Ramsbottom safety valves and the whistle relocated to the cab roof. The last six engines were built by RJ Billinton that also has slightly different boilers, Ramsbottom safety valves and a manhole cover, with whistle, was fixed over the firebox. These six were also given different chimneys, to Billinton’s design, (a cast-iron type in one piece) and were known as Class E1, subsequently all the earlier engines also became known as Class E1. Withdrawals commenced in 1908 and continued in SR days
The later Marsh Boiler version with revised dome position and Ramsbottom safety valves
during the 1920s, with some examples sold to industrial railways rather than scrapped. Eight examples were also rebuilt as E1/R 0-6-2 radial tank engines for use in the west of England. Four E1s were also transferred during 1932/3 for duties on the Isle of Wight and renumbered W1-W4 and given names related to the Island:136 (originally Brindisi) became W1 Medina, 152 (originally Hungary) became W2 Yarmouth, 154 (originally Madrid) became W3 Ryde and 131 (originally Gournay) became W4 Wroxall.
Thirty survived to British Railways ownership but during the 1950s they were gradually replaced by diesel shunters. The last survivor,
The tank tops, that should be recessed are an area already noted to be improved
BR no 32694, was allocated to Southampton Docks. It was withdrawn in July 1961.
Number 110 was withdrawn in February 1927, and sold to the Cannock and Rugeley Colliery Company and fitted with a revised boiler design. Withdrawn again in 1963 she was preserved and now resides on the Isle of Wight steam railway and is being restored with the identity of W2 ‘Yarmouth’
It is good to see this project progress and as soon as Rapido trains UK let me know their intended versions being produced I will post the details accordingly.
Two new publications are hitting the shelves of good purveyors of books that are worthy of any Southern Railway historian and or modeller’s reference library.
Firstly, from friends at Pen and Sword Transport is “Alfred Raworth’s Electric Southern Railway.” by Peter Steer.
There have been many books that cover and detail the history and development of the widespread and successful Southern Railway programme of electrification, built on that started by the London and South Western Railway, resulting in ‘Southern Electric’ becoming the ‘The World’s greatest suburban electrification’. Books such as GT Mooney’s Southern Electric, David Brown’s New History of Southern Electric and the South Western Circle’s The Riverside Electric by Colin Chivers, all refer to the part played the by LSWR and then SR General Manager Sir Herbert Walker and his electrical engineer Alfred Raworth.
This substantial 340 page tome, with its 25 chapters, detailing for the first time a biography of Alfred Raworth’s entire personal story and career; staring with working for his consulting engineer father John Smith Raworth, through to joining the railway, working for the LSWR and SR, the design for an electric railway, being responsible for the implementation of all its their electrification schemes, becoming Southern Railway Chief Electrical Engineer, the Southern Electric at War, the electric locomotives and Raworth’s plans for the future.
Such schemes are much more than just about rolling stock and this book also provides a look at the infrastructure required that was often hidden behind the closed walls of sub stations etc. It also looks at the business cases, innovative engineering, and politics involved in the electrification of the railways between 1918 and 1956 especially where the Southern went its own way with the use of the third rail system.
A comprehensive and informative read, that contains a wealth of previously unpublished information interspersed with a number of both black and colour photographs, illustrations and drawings. It substantially fills many gaps in the background, lifetime and work of ‘electrification genius’ Alfred Raworth. Highly recommended.
The second, is a familiar but different new periodical “Southern Times, Issue 1: Spring 2022” from Transport Treasury publishing.
Southern Times is the new quarterly periodical, edited by my friend Kevin Robertson, for followers of the Southern Railway, British Railways Southern Region, as well as the pre group companies; LSWR, SECR, LBSCR, and SECR. It is intended to be a quarterly publication.
If this sounds familiar, it will do, as it is effectively a replacement for the long established and enjoyable ‘Southern Way’ from a different publisher (whether Southern Way might continue under a new editor we will have to wait and see).
This first issue of Southern Times, follows the previous periodicals format of 80 pages of an eclectic mix of Southern related articles and images both black and white and in colour, many of which have been previously unpublished.
The great post war image of Schools class 905 in malachite at Eastleigh on the front cover must have been a late change as according the caption is Port Line leaving Victoria on the Golden Arrow in 1954!
Highlights in this issue includes: new light on the Joint LSWR/LBSC and LSWR steam railmotors, The Southern from the air, Stephen Townroe’s colour archive, David McKenna Chairman and General Manager, a photo feature on EMUs, Treasures from the Bluebell Railway Museum and more to dip into. If you were an ardent collector of the Southern Way then this latest incarnation Southern Times will be a sure winner.
Rapido Trains UK have announced today that they are producing two new ‘OO’ gauge South Eastern & Chatham Railway wagons, the Diagram 1426 van and the Dia. 1744 ballast wagon. These vans were introduced in 1918 and they lasted well into BR days, setting the standard for future Southern Railway vans. They shared the same 9ft 6in wheelbase with the five and seven plank open wagons that Rapido Trains UK announced in May last year.
D1426 van with straight gutters over the doors
The D1426 van with curved gutter strips
The Diagram 1426 covered van sports the following features: Two types of rain strip: curved and straight, separately-fitted end ventilators, split-spoked wheels running in metal bearings and highly detailed body and under frame.
There are eleven Diagram 1426 covered vans being produced:
927001: No. 15782, SECR grey
927002: No. 16737, SECR grey
927003: No. 45784, SR brown (Pre 1936)
927004: No. 47162, SR brown (Pre 1936)
927005: No. 45779, SR brown (Post 1936)
927006: No. 47159, SR brown (Post 1936)
927007: No. S45819, BR grey
927008: No. S47144, BR grey
927009: No. DS47182, Departmental black
927010: No. DS776, Departmental brown
927011: No. 15750, SECR grey (preserved)
The D1744 2 plank Ballast wagon
The D1744 with the floor planks extending out from under the side doors.
The D1744 where the extended planks have been cut flush with the sides.
The SECR used the same underframe for the two-plank ballast wagon. It introduced the first in 1919 and 120 were built over the next four years. Incredibly, BR didn’t withdraw the last until 1971. The Diagram 1744 two plank ballast wagons feature: Two floor versions: curve-ended planks and straight-ended planks, split-spoked wheels running in metal bearings and highly detailed bodies and underframes.
There are eleven Diagram 1744 vans being produced:
928001: No. 567, SECR grey (preserved)
928002: No. 11835, SECR grey
928003: No. 1789, SECR grey
928004: No. 62454, SR red oxide (Pre 1936)
928005: No. 62398, SR red oxide (Pre 1936)
928006: No. 62371, SR red oxide (Post 1936)
928007: No. 62466, SR red oxide (Post 1936)
928008: No. 62444, BR Departmental
928009: No. DS62402, BR Departmental black
928010: No. S62433, SR red oxide with BR(S) number
Rapido Trains UK have also confirmed that they are going to produce the ‘OO’ gauge LBSCR ‘E1’ 0-6-0T, that was first mooted by Model Rail magazine. They have not yet confirmed what running numbers or liveries they are going to produce, although I am advised it will cover as number of variations throughout their lifetime and geographical working area, but I will post the details as soon as further progress is advised.
The first five members of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSC) E2 class 0-6-0 tanks were introduced by L Billinton in June 1913. In service they were found to be powerful but slightly lacking in water and therefore a further batch of 5 were ordered, although delayed by the war, and built between June 1915 and October 1916 with extended side tanks, These extended tanks increased water capacity from 1,090 to 1,256 gallons.
They were used on shunting and short distance goods trips, their small capacity coal bunkers made them unsuitable for longer trips. They were also used on empty stock workings at Victoria and London Bridge.
E2 No. 2104 shunts at the Quay
Work in progress front 3/4 view
Work in Progress rear 3/4 view
The bulk of the E2 can be seen in comparison with the B4 class. The body is yet to be lowered on the chassis slightly.
The later style chassis with added guard irons and sandboxes. The front fixing lugs are yet to be filed smaller to lower the body (The rear lug is likewise reduced)
The front 3/4 view RH side
the RH Side 3/4 view, she awaits some weathering now
Further shunting at the Quay
Following the onset of electrification a number were used as shunters at Southampton Docks and despite their 16ft wheelbase restricting their use in some areas of the docks they stayed working the docks until 1962 when the Class 07 diesels arrived.
Withdrawal of took place between 1961 and 1963.
The Hornby model of the E2 0-6-0 first appeared in 1979 and following 4 versions, LBSC Umber (2 versions) , SR lined Black and SR olive green, production ceased in 1984. After which the tooling was altered used for the production of some other blue model… dam I wasn’t going to mention that…
Many years ago in my yoof I simply repainted into SR ‘Sunshine’ black, now with Canute Road Quay being an ideal setting for an E2 I decided to dig the E2 out again and give her a quick win makeover, so finescale modellers look away now…
The original chassis was the standard at the time Hornby generic 0-6-0 X04 motor fitted chassis. As this is a quick win project I have decided to not at this stage built a new chassis but simply swap it for the later style of Hornby 0-6-0 generic chassis with its closed frames and smaller motor and slightly greater level of detail. This later chassis is a direct replacement and also gives better running.
To this chassis I have added front sandboxes, made from plastic rectangular section and filed to shape with wire sand pipes, and added front and rear guard irons from plasticard.
The body itself generally matches the correct dimensions for the E2 which was certainly one of the larger 0-6-0 tanks. I have added new brass buffers, pipework, clack valves and lamp irons from various bits and bobs kicking around from the spares / scrap box.
In keeping with the Brighton Style, dating from when the water in the tanks was pre heated, the tank sides were clad and the fixing bolts for the cladding were a visible feature and the E2 was no different. To represent these visible fixings I drilled then glued in 0.45mm wire before cutting the wire almost flush with the tankside.
Just underneath the running plate I have added the long horizontal air tanks on each side, made from plastic rod and some of the piping from brass wire.
The E2 is a large tank when compared to other tanks such as the B4 class, however the body as new does sit slightly too high on the chassis, and this is simply remedied by filing the underside of the front two fixing lugs and also the underside of the single rear sprung lug.
After a dusting with primer from a Halfords aerosol can she received a coat of Halfords Satin Black again from a rattle can before the smokebox and cab roof were brush painted matt black and the bufferbeam of course in red. Her identity as 2104 was added using HMRS Pressfix transfers to complete the look.
I admit she would benefit from a proper finescale chassis, but as a quick win project I think it fits the bill and will extend the life of the Hornby model seeing occasional use on canute Road Quay. A nice 3D print of the E2 with the extended tanks is available and so this might form the basis of a future project…
The William Stroudley designed A1 / A1x class first introduced by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSC) in 1872 and eventually the class comprised of 50 locomotives. Most were withdrawn in the very 1900s, however 21 gained a new lease of life and were fitted with new boilers and other modifications between 1912 and 1920 and became designated the A1X class. A few members of the original A1 class were sold by the LBSC to other railway companies, including the SECR, LSWR and Kent & East Sussex Railway and Isle of Wight Central Railway, and survived in A1 form, although even these were subject to many other modifications throughout their lifetime. Many of the class in various guises and conditions have survived into preservation.
32655 at Canute Road Quay. The firebox glow / flicker can be seen.
It is the many modifications, including boilers, smokeboxes, boiler fittings, air and or vacuum braking, wooden and metal brakes and rigging, a multitude of coal bunker sizes and shapes, coal rails, sandboxes and lamp iron positions to name a few, that provides such a challenge for any manufacturer.
The front 3/4 view
It should also be noted that as with ‘Brighton’ Tradition the side tanks were clad, which stood slight proud of the actual tanks, hence the visible recess in the tank top and the visible bolts on the outside cladding (that varied in number at different times).
The rear 3/4 view including the coal rails
The first 00 R-T-R Terrier was produced by Dapol in 1989, it was something of a compromise both dimensionally and also and hybrid of A1 and A1X details. One of the most obvious being both above and below footplate sand boxes.
The LH side
Dapol sold the tooling, along with others, to Hornby in 1996 and it has been as staple in their range since 1998, although latterly in the their ‘Railroad’ range. Dapol have since produced R-T-R version in both N and 0 gauges since.
Hornby then announced in January 2019 that they were including a brand tooling version of the Terrier in its own 2019 range. This is believed by many to have been a rushed ‘spoiler’ by Hornby and also £30 cheaper. Hornby had considered and dropped the idea of retooling before, however I can advise my understanding, that, this new tooling was already being worked on, although not by the actual Hornby team direct, but via another associated brand. Under the new Hornby management team, it was decided to move it in to the Hornby brand instead. This new Hornby version first reached the retailers back in April 2019, showing just how far advanced the development of the model was.
The front face, smokebox number plate too high and printed shed code plate
This post is look at the latest version from Rails of Sheffield and although not intending to be a direct comparison between the two manufacturers but in some cases, it is difficult not to make mention of both versions. Although I only have the one version myself so far, as illustrated, some of my comments are based on viewing other examples.
The Rails of Sheffield / Dapol version features: a die cast chassis and running plate along with plastic wheel centres (despite die cast being within the original advertised specification), the centre axle being sprung and pick-ups on each axle via fine wipers on the rear of each wheel, a 5 pole screw wound motor, a Next-18 DCC socket and also a firebox glow ./ flicker is included (very obvious, possibly too bright, even on DC) . Etched components are used for items such as the wing plates on the A1 version and for the different coal rails.
I will generally let the photographs speak for themselves however I make the following observations and comments. The model when checked against my available drawings matches all the key dimensions correctly (unlike the Hornby model that is approx. 1mm short along the length of the footplate). My model arrived missing its top smokebox lamp iron and there was no evidence of it being in the box, however she ran smoothly straight out of the box. The livery application is crisp, but perhaps not quite as well applied as the Hornby standard.
The chassis is well detailed with the correct style brakes and rods depending on the version, separate sand pipes are fitted, and the guard irons are a much better representation than the first batch of the new Hornby models (which is area I believe they have now retooled). A representation of the top of inside valve gear is nicely represented between the frames. The wheels are moulded with the correct spoke profile and the tyres chemically blackened which adds nicely to the look.
NEM coupling pockets are mounted on a sprung arm similar to the Dapol B4, I feel this possibly gives slightly to much side to side travel.
A close up of the cab interior and those coal rails
The inside of the cab features a back head with gauges that have printed dials, but none of the other items or pipework are painted. This appears to be a common single moulding across all versions, based on the earlier A1 cab, and does not include vacuum brake controls that should be present on my version. Hornby also appears to utilise a single backhead moulding but is based on the later A1X cab fittings. The The Rails of Sheffield / Dapol model is also fitted with a working firebox glow / flicker which is very effective (although possibly too bright) even on DC control.
A close up of the front and correct relationship between the buffer stocks and the running plate
The spectacle windows are nicely individually glazed (rather than and much better than a single glazing piece across both spectacles), the rims are picked out in brass paint, although they would have been painted body colour in BR days. I am still not convinced that they are not inset slightly too close together when looked at straight on. The rear spectacles have finely moulded glazing bars on my example.
The front generally captures the face nicely, especially well represented are the way the buffer stocks are mounted to and within the running plate, that is a very visible feature of the Terriers.
The smoke box number plate whilst nicely moulded to stand proud of the smokebox door is fitted to high compared to all the pictures I have seen, also the shed code plate is simply printed with no relief. All models appear to have a common air pipe, that on my version should be a spiral wound vacuum pipe.
The cab rear join within the cab roof can be seen
The tank tops are correctly recessed (unlike the first batch of the new Hornby model, see retool comment above) and all boiler mounted pipe work and lubricators and safety valves are nice separately applied items.
Looking at the rear, this is possibly the most disappointing area of the model. To enable the variations in the cab rear such as centre joint seam plate and rivets etc. the rear of the cab is a separate moulding and for some reason, unlike any other model I have seen this protrudes through the cab roof, rather than be joined under the roof. This join is visible even on the black version, let alone those earlier liveries with a white roof. I do not believe any version of the cab rear includes the bunker coal hole and shovel plate and neither is any representation of a coal load included.
By comparison the Hornby version, note the A1X cab interior, single glazing piece for both spectacles, missing guard irons, and incorrect buffer stock mounting, but better positioned coal rails. The top lamp iron and spectacle guards slightly over scale.
Probably the most obvious compromise area are the coal rails, although etched they are positioned within the bunker, rather than flush with the bunker outside edges and leaving an obvious and incorrect lip. I also believe the finely etched open coals on other versions to also be inset too much and under size. The rear top lamp iron position is fitted in the correct A1 position, which is possibly partly why, but not wholly why, such a compromise on the coal rail was required for those so fitted. The transition curve between the cab rear and bunker seems to be too larger a radius, when compared to photographs and drawings.
The same comments from the front view regarding the buffer stocks and air / vacuum pipe also applies to those on the rear.
Another view at Canute Road Quay
Overall, the A1 / A1X Terriers are a very complex prototype due to the longevity, alterations and multitude of detail differences that present such a challenge to manufactures to get the most out their tooling options verses compromises that have to be made.
It is certainly not as easy some people think or might have thought to make a perfect R-T-R model to cover all prototype modifications and variations within the constraints of mass production tooling.
In my view the version from Rails of Sheffield / Dapol might not be the ‘perfect’ or ‘pedigree’ Terrier, but it has the slight edge over the current competing product; being generally dimensionally correct and overall slightly finer. This is despite the cab rear / roof join / coal rails that I will amend when I repaint into SR ‘Sunshine’ black livery.
From a Southern perspective this includes a couple of new livery’s to their newly tooled ex LBSC A1/A1x 0-6-0t ‘Terrier’ range.
R3811 /R3811x (DCC fitted) LB&SCR A1 class ‘Terrier’ – Introduced by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) in 1876, No. 48 Leadenhall was allocated first to New Cross then in the mid 1880s the locomotive was transferred to Eastbourne for the Hailsham and Lewes local services. before being transferred to Portsmouth in 1890, 48 Leadenhall worked the East Southsea and Hayling Island branch line services until August 1901.
R3812 / R3812x (DCC fitted) SR A1X Class ‘Terrier’ W10 ‘Cowes’ – Numbered as 69 and named Peckham, the Isle of Wight Central Railway (IWCR) took possession of the locomotive on 18 April 1900 and it retained this combination until 1925, two years after being taken into Southern Railway stock. Repainted into Maunsell Green and given the running number of W10, in October 1928 the locomotive received the name ‘Cowes’ which it retained until May 1936 when it was recalled to the mainland to be stored.
Delivery of these new versions is expected to be January 2020.
The first H1 Class Atlantics were built to haul express trains between London and Brighton. They were designed by D.E. Marsh, who had been deputy to the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Northern Railway, H.A. Ivatt, for 10 years until he was promoted to the top job at Brighton in January 1905. Such was the urgency for express motive power on the Brighton line that Marsh, with the full support of his former chief, borrowed a set of Doncaster drawings and made a few amendments. The result was five H1 Class locomotives which were built December 1905 and February 1906.
ex LBSC H2 Class Atlantic (picture courtesy of Bachmann)
The second batch known as the H2 Class, as depicted in this Bachmann model, although essentially to Marsh’s design it was modified by his deputy L. Billinton. These modifications included superheating, larger cylinders, a reduced boiler pressure (although this was later increased between 1936 – 1940 up to 200psi to match the H1 class) and probably and the most visible aspect being the running plate which maintained a continuous line above driving wheels and cylinders.
Six H2 Class locomotives were built at Brighton Works between 1911 and 1912 and remained on front line Brighton express work until the arrival of the King Arthur Class 4-6-0s in 1925. They were named by the SR publicity department during 1925/6 after geographical features on the South Coast. The Atlantics then continued to operate other express trains and boat trains to the ferries at Newhaven until the outbreak of World War 2 in 1939.
The class continued to work secondary services after the war but there was less work for them and some were put into store. The first H2 Class withdrawal was No. 32423 ‘The Needles’ which took place in May 1949. The last to survive was No. 32424 ‘Beachy Head’ which was withdrawn on 24th April 1958. The Bluebell Railway is currently progressing well with its project to reconstruct a Brighton H2 Atlantic, utilising a suitable ex GN boiler as the basis. (see http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/locos/atlantic/ for more details)
Although originally built to the ‘Brighton’ generous loading gauge the H2 Class were subsequently modified by the Southern Railway to its composite loading gauge between 1935 and 1937 with a revised cab, cut down boiler fittings and the whistle position relocated away from being on the cab roof.
A 3/4 rear view of No. 2421 with the original Brighton loading gauge cab and boiler fittings, and open coal rails
The 31-920 version number 2421 as modelled by Bachmann is in the condition she was in post renumbering from B421 in 1931 and prior to February 1937 when she received both the SR composite loading gauge changes and being fitted with a Maunsell type superheater and therefore receiving snifting valves on the smokebox.
The 31-921 version as number 32424 ‘Beachy Head’ in BR Black Early livery incorporates the loading gauge changes, revised front lamp iron positions and filled in coal rails on the tender.
The model matches extremely well the dimensions, look, details and elegant lines of the prototype when compared to drawings and contemporary pictures.
A close up showing the cab of No. 2421
Separately applied fittings to the body includes handrails, pipework, smokebox dart, the characteristic LSBSC lamp irons on the front buffer beam. The open cab is well detailed with a number of separately applied parts and nicely painted with pipework, gauges, valves, regulator, reverser and tip up seats all represented. The tender also includes open coal rails, fire iron stands and a cast metal full coal load to add additional weight. Other than those on the buffer beam itself the middle and top lamp irons on the tender body are moulded rather than separate fitted items.
A view of the innards showing the 3 pole motor located in the firebox area and the location of the 21 pin DCC socket in the tender with spadce for a 23mm speaker behind
The diecast metal locomotive chassis is fitted with a 3 pole motor, located within the firebox driving the rear driver axle via a gear tower although no flywheel is fitted. The boiler is packed with weight to ensure good adhesion of the four coupled driving wheels which themselves are like the prototype impressively close, although this has been achieved by them being very slightly under the scale 6’7½”.
The joggle in the connecting rod is clearly visible in this view of 2421
Due to the tight clearances between the driving wheels, footsteps, cylinders and front bogie the connecting rod has an obvious joggle in it, which is probably more obvious in its pristine finish due to reflections than it would be if slightly weathered. This is of a course a something of a compromise to ensure the ability to run round round second radius curves, but other options such as having to leave off the middle set of steps for those tighter curves is I believe a worse option.
The graceful lines of the H2 class are very apparent
Both the front bogie and the rear trailing axle are slightly sprung, the latter being a pony truck style with plenty of swing allowed between the fixed dummy side frames.
Running on my sample was smooth and quiet across all speed ranges and in a test she hauled 8 Bachmann Mk1 coaches on the level with relative ease and no wheel slip on starting.
Electrical pickups are fitted to all driving wheels and the front and rear tender wheels, the tender is permanently connected to the locomotive via a fixed length drawbar (although the locating pin on the tender is slightly adjustable to reduce the loco to tender gap) and a four-wired connection that is plugged into the tender.
A 21 Pin socket is located in the tender along with space for a 23mm diameter sound speaker, a speaker mount bracket and screws are included within the accessory pack.
Brake blocks and factory fitted brake rigging are fitted to both locomotive and tender (although the latter along with the first wheelset will require to be removed to enable the tender body to be removed to access the DCC socket) with the locomotive chassis also featuring sand boxes and fine sand pipes that complete the chassis details.
Yet another view of No. 2421 just to show how pretty the the H2 class is
The model matches extremely well the dimensions, look, details and elegant lines of the prototype when compared to drawings and contemporary photographs.
Separately applied fittings to the body includes handrails, pipework, smokebox dart, the characteristic LSBSC lamp irons on the front buffer beam. The open cab is well detailed with a number of separately applied parts and nicely painted with pipework, gauges, valves, regulator, reverser and tip up seats all represented.
The tender also includes open coal rails, fire iron stands and a metal moulded full coal load to add additional weight. Other than those on the buffer beam itself the middle and top lamp irons on the tender body are moulded rather than separate fitted items.
An accessory pack is included which includes: vacuum pipes, steam pipes, engine head signal discs, a nice option of open or closed cab doors and the cab weather sheet uprights. Also included are cosmetic screw couplings and front guard irons if no tension lock coupling is fitted and front cylinder corner infills for fitting if being used as a static display model. It is good to see that the supplied comprehensive owners information sheet details the positioning of all the separate items.
The livery application for the Southern Railway Maunsell Olive Green with white and black lining is well applied including the rear trailing truck side frames (although not all the class has these frames so lined). The tender frames are correctly plain black. The lubricator boxes atop of the splashers are picked out in brass and the cast nameplates and cabside number plates are neatly printed although a nice touch from Bachmann is that etched name and number plates are included for the owner to fit.
The introduction of these elegant looking locomotives with their distinct character, being of pre-grouping origin, with further future livery possibilities and details, that were long lived are certainly to prove popular with LBSR, SR and BR(s) modellers and gives Bachmann options for a variety of further liveries in due course, including LBSC Umber, SR malachite Green, wartime black, BR numbered malachite green and of BR lined black, as it is understood that provision has been included within the tooling for a number of the details changes that took place over time.
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The model railway world and mainly Southern Railway meanderings of Graham 'Muz' Muspratt
