Highland Railway X Class Explained

HR X class
Powertype:Steam
Designer:Peter Drummond
Builder:North British Locomotive Company
Serialnumber:18805–18808, 19013–19016
Builddate:1909–1911
Totalproduction:8
Whytetype:0-6-4T
Uicclass:C2′ n2t
Driverdiameter:5feet
Locoweight:69LT
Trailingdiameter:3feet
Fueltype:Coal
Fuelcap:4.5LT
Watercap:1970impgal
Boiler:4feet
Boilerpressure:1802NaN2
Firearea:22.5square feet
Tubearea:1148square feet
Fireboxarea:120square feet
Totalsurface:1268square feet
Cylindercount:Two, inside
Cylindersize:NaNx
Tractiveeffort:220822NaN2
Operator:HRLMS
Operatorclass:HR: X
Powerclass:LMS: 4P
Withdrawndate:1932–1936
Disposition:All scrapped

The Highland Railway Drummond 0-6-4T or X class were large tank engines originally intended for banking duty. They were designed by Peter Drummond.

Construction

The first four were built by the North British Locomotive Company and delivered in 1909. A second batch of four was delivered in 1911.

Design

The design was derived from that of the class K (0-6-0) tender engines and leading dimensions were very similar although the boiler and firebox are recorded as being 'larger' but by an unspecified amount.

Reputation

They were not popular with their crews, many thought them heavy and clumsy, and several crews had problems with water capacity. It seems their axleboxes were not well-proportioned either as there are reports of consistent hot box problems.

Numbering

HR No.Built LMS No.Withdrawn !Notes
39 1909 15300 align=left
64 1909 15301 align=left Renumbered 66 in 1909
65 1909 15302 align=left Renumbered 68 in 1909
69 1909 15303 align=left
29 1911 15304 align=left Renumbered 43 in 1913
31 1911 15305 align=left
42 1911 15306 align=left
44 1911 15307 align=left

Transfer to LMS

They all survived to be taken over by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) at the 1923 Grouping. The last was withdrawn in 1936.

References