LSWR 330 class explained

LSWR 330 class
Powertype:Steam
Builder:Beyer, Peacock and Company
Serialnumber:BP 1591–1596, 1698–1699, 2125–2136
Builddate:1876 (6), 1877 (2), 1882 (12)
Totalproduction:20
Uicclass:Cnt
Driverdiameter:4feet
Length:27feet
Height:13feet
Axleload:12LT
Weightondrivers:37.6LT
Locoweight:34.975LT
Fueltype:Coal
Watercap:800impgal
Boilerpressure:1502NaN2
Cylindercount:Two, inside
Cylindersize:17x
Tractiveeffort:173401NaN1
Operator:LSWR SR
Operatorclass:330
Powerclass:LSWR / SR: not classified
Nicknames:Saddlebacks
Withdrawndate:1924–1933
Numinclass:1 January 1923: 20
Disposition:All scrapped

The LSWR 330 class or Saddlebacks was a class of goods steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway. Twenty were constructed by Beyer, Peacock and Company between 1876 and 1882.

William George Beattie ordered the first six of the Beyer, Peacock-designed 330 class in October 1875. Intended for shunting work, prior to their arrival the LSWR had relegated old locomotives to shunting duties, a task they were unsuitable for and frequently caused delays.[1] Delivered in May 1876, the success of these in the yards near Nine Elms led to two more being ordered the following January, which were delivered in June 1877. Beattie resigned in early 1878, and his successor, William Adams, later ordered twelve more which were delivered in May–June 1882.

While the first six and last six members of the class were numbered in blocks of new numbers from 330 to 335 and 409 to 414, the eight locomotives built in between these re-used numbers of withdrawn or duplicated locomotives.

Table of locomotive orders
Year Builder Quantity LSWR Numbers Notes
1876 Beyer, Peacock & Co. 1591–1596 6 330–335
1877 Beyer, Peacock & Co. 1698–1699 2 227–228 Renumbered 316 and 328 in 1899
1883 Beyer, Peacock & Co. 2125–2136 12127–128, 131, 149–150, 161, 409–414
Whilst the first six were sent to Nine Elms depot when new, no. 332 was tried out at various locations on the LSWR during 1876. The two built in 1877 went to Northam (Southampton), and later deliveries were used elsewhere on the LSWR system. By 1885 there were nine at Nine Elms; three each at Exeter and Northam; two at Basingstoke and one each at Dorchester, Guildford and Salisbury.

In order to release their numbers for new Adams O2 class locomotives, two locomotives, nos. 227 and 228, were renumbered into the duplicate list by prefixing their existing number with a "0" in 1894, becoming 0227 and 0228. They were returned to the capital list in 1899, by renumbering them 316 and 328. The other eighteen were transferred to the duplicate list between 1902 and 1911; finally, 316 and 328 went back on the duplicate list in 1912 and 1911 respectively, becoming 0316 and 0328.

All passed to the Southern Railway at the grouping in 1923. Withdrawals started the following year, and by the end of 1930 only five remained. Numbers 0128 and 0423 were withdrawn in 1931, 0335 was sold to Kent and East Sussex Railway in 1932, and 0332 and 0334 were withdrawn by the Southern Railway in 1933, after 57 years of service. All were scrapped, with K&ESR No. 4 (ex 0335) lasting until 1948.[2]

Table of withdrawals
Year Quantity in
service at
start of year
Quantity
withdrawn
Locomotive numbers Notes
1924 20 4 align=left 0131, 0330, 0409, 0414 align=left
1925 16 2 align=left E0127, E0412 align=left E0127 sold to East Kent Light Railway
1926 14 1 align=left E0161 align=left
1927 13 1 align=left E0411 align=left
1929 12 3 align=left E0150, E0328, E0333 align=left
1930 9 4 align=left E0149, E0316, E0331, E0410 align=left
1931 5 2 align=left 3128, 3413 align=left
1932 3 1 align=left 3335 align=left sold to Kent and East Sussex Railway
1933 2 2 align=left 3332, 3334 align=left

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Russell (1991). p. 141
  2. Garrett (1972).