LSWR L11 Class
Encyclopedia
The London and South Western Railway
L11 class was a class of 4-4-0
steam locomotive
s designed for mixed traffic
work. They were introduced in 1903
and were nickname
d "Large Hoppers". As with most other Drummond productions, the locomotive had two inside cylinders and Stephenson link valve gear
.
incorporating a large proportion of standard parts that could be interchanged with other classes of locomotive. The boiler
was interchangeable with the T9 class, and likewise was equipped with water tubes fitted across the firebox combustion space, with the aim of increasing heating surface whilst facilitating water circulation; this device however also increased maintenance costs and was soon removed by Drummond's successor, Robert Urie
.
as was applied to other Drummond types. The class was coupled to a six-wheeled tender as standard, although from time to time they had the Drummond eight-wheeled 'watercart' by way of tender interchange.
Eight locomotives were converted to oil firing as part of government trials in 1947 to 1948.
None has survived to be preserved.
When transferred to Southern Railway ownership after 1923, the locomotives were outshopped in Richard Maunsell's darker version of the LSWR livery. The LSWR standard gilt lettering was changed to yellow with 'Southern' on the water tank sides. The locomotives also featured black and white lining.
Livery after Nationalisation was initially Southern freight 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, with 40 locomotives passing into British Railways ownership in 1948 and they were numbered randomly (with other LSWR classes) in the ranges 30134-30175, 30405-30414, 30435-30442. 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 However, thirteen of the locomotives had been withdrawn by the end of 1948, resulting in gaps in the sequence.
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...
L11 class was a class of 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...
s designed for mixed traffic
Mixed-traffic locomotive
A mixed-traffic locomotive is one designed to be capable of hauling both passenger trains and freight trains. The term is mostly used in the United Kingdom and those nations following British practice...
work. They were introduced in 1903
1903 in rail transport
-January events:* January 20 – The Grand Trunk Western Railroad opens a passenger depot in Lansing, Michigan.* January 28 – Esmond Train Wreck: fourteen people are killed when the Crescent City Express collides head-on with the bound Pacific Coast Express -January events:* January 20...
and were nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d "Large Hoppers". As with most other Drummond productions, the locomotive had two inside cylinders and Stephenson link valve gear
Valve gear
The valve gear of a steam engine is the mechanism that operates the inlet and exhaust valves to admit steam into the cylinder and allow exhaust steam to escape, respectively, at the correct points in the cycle...
.
Background
The L11 class was one of a number of designs by Dugald DrummondDugald 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...
incorporating a large proportion of standard parts that could be interchanged with other classes of locomotive. The boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
was interchangeable with the T9 class, and likewise was equipped with water tubes fitted across the firebox combustion space, with the aim of increasing heating surface whilst facilitating water circulation; this device however also increased maintenance costs and was soon removed by Drummond's 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....
.
Later history
The L11 class was never equipped with a superheaterSuperheating
In physics, superheating is the phenomenon in which a liquid is heated to a temperature higher than its boiling point, without boiling...
as was applied to other Drummond types. The class was coupled to a six-wheeled tender as standard, although from time to time they had the Drummond eight-wheeled 'watercart' by way of tender interchange.
Eight locomotives were converted to oil firing as part of government trials in 1947 to 1948.
None has survived to be preserved.
| Year | Batch | Quantity | LSWR numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 154–158 | |||
| 1903 | 159, 161, 163–165 | |||
| 1904 | 134, 148, 166–168 | |||
| 1904 | 169–173 | |||
| 1906 | 174, 175, 407–409 | |||
| 1906 | 410–414 | |||
| 1906 | 405, 406, 435–437 | |||
| 1907 | 438–442 | |||
LSWR and Southern
Under the LSWR, the L11s were outshopped in the LSWR Passenger Sage Green livery with purple-brown edging, creating panels of green. This was further lined in white and black with 'LSWR' in gilt on the tender tank sides.When transferred to Southern Railway ownership after 1923, the locomotives were outshopped in Richard Maunsell's darker version of the LSWR livery. The LSWR standard gilt lettering was changed to yellow with 'Southern' on the water tank sides. The locomotives also featured black and white lining.
Post-1948 (nationalisation)
Locomotive numbering was per BR standard practice, with 40 locomotives passing into British Railways ownership in 1948 and they were numbered randomly (with other LSWR classes) in the ranges 30134-30175, 30405-30414, 30435-30442. 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.