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The 'SR Class V' or '"Schools Class"' is a class of steam locomotive designed by Richard Maunsell for the Southern Railway. They represent the ultimate development of the British 4-4-0 type, the last in a long line operating on Southern metals. The class was based upon Maunsell's Lord Nelson Class, and had some interchangeable components with this class. It represented the last utilisation of this wheel arrangement in Britain, and was regarded as the most powerful class of 4-4-0 in Britain.
All 40 of the Class V were named after English public schools, and were designed to provide a powerful class of express passenger locomotive for the heavily restricted Tonbridge to Hastings line. Subjected to various modifications to improve performance, the class operated until 1963, and three examples of the class have been saved from scrapping, and can be seen on heritage railways throughout Britain.
Background
A new express passenger locomotive was required on the Tonbridge-Hastings line in South East England as there were heavy restrictions regarding the tunnels on the route.Townroe, S.C.: 'Arthurs', 'Nelsons' & 'Schools' at work'' (London: Ian Allan, 1973) In order to improve performance over this stretch of line, Maunsell had to design a new locomotive that could operate within the loading gauge of the tunnel, and operate over sharp curves. In this respect, a short wheelbase was needed, with the 4-4-0 arrangement being favoured.
Construction history
The basic layout of the class was heavily influenced by his existing Lord Nelson 4-6-0 design. The design utilised many of the same parts for standardization, but the design brief called for a smaller engine than the Lord Nelson Class for use on the Eastern Section's more restricted routes, namely the Tonbridge-Hastings line.
In anticipation of this, Maunsell specifically designed the cab's curved profile to fit the restricted gauge of bridges and tunnels on the Hastings line. The resultant short frame length of the 4-4-0 locomotive also meant very little overhang on the tight curves of this line. In order to maintain a high power rating required of express passenger engines, Maunsell opted for a three-cylinder design. This was a compromise, as a large two-cylinder layout was regarded as being out-of-gauge for the restrictions of the Tonbridge-Hastings route.
The resultant design had a higher tractive effort than the King Arthur Class, though at a cost in high axle-loading, which weighed in at 21 tons. The track work on the Hastings line therefore had to be upgraded to accept the new locomotive. The first batch of ten locomotives was released for service at Eastleigh in 1930, and 30 more were constructed until 1935, as demand for the locomotive's excellent characteristics were made on other parts of the Southern Railway network.
Naming the locomotives
With this class, the Southern Railway continued its 1923 policy of naming its express passenger locomotives. Since several public schools were located in the vicinity of Hastings and further afield on the Southern network, the locomotives were named after the schools. This was another marketing success for both railway and schools concerned, continuing in the tradition of the ''King Arthur'' and ''Lord Nelson'' Class' relevance to the people of the Southern's Western Section.
Where possible, the Southern sent the freshly built locomotive to a railway station near the school it was named after for official naming, where pupils were allowed to view the cab of "their" engine. Extension of the class meant that school names from "foreign" areas outside the Southern Railway catchment were used, including ''Rugby'' and ''Malvern.''
Livery and numbering
Southern Railway
When built, the Class V were outshopped in Maunsell's darker version of the LSWR Passenger Sage Green livery lined in black and white, with cabside numbers and 'Southern' on the tender in yellow. During the Second World War, the locomotives were painted black with yellow lettering and numbers. Later adaptations of the Southern Railway livery upon Bulleid's arrival as Chief Mechanical Engineer entailed Malachite Green livery, again with 'Sunshine Yellow' picking out numbers and 'Southern' on the tender. The smoke deflectors were also treated with this livery. Numbers allocated to the locomotives were 900–939.
Post-1948 (nationalisation)
Initial livery after nationalisation in 1948 was modified Southern Railway Malachite Green and "Sunshine Yellow" with "British Railways" on the tender, and the Southern numbering system was temporarily retained with an "S" prefix such as S900. Initially, the locomotives were repainted British Railways Mixed Traffic lined black and granted the power classification 5P, though the choice of livery proved an unpopular decision considering the locomotive's duties. The locomotives were subsequently outshopped in British Railways Brunswick Green livery with orange and black lining as they became due for overhaul. By this stage, the class had been renumbered under standard British Railways procedure, from 30900–30939.Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, winter 1958–59 edition
Operational details
932 ''Blundells'' at Eastleigh in 1948.
The Class V was regarded as the most powerful 4-4-0 ever built in Britain, and was well liked by crews. When built, the class did not sport smoke deflectors, and were modified by Bulleid with Lemaître multiple jet blastpipes. However, no discernible improvement to draughting was experienced with this modification.
The class was frequently regarded by locomotive crews to be the finest locomotive constructed by the Southern Railway up until 1930, and could turn in highly spectacular performances for its size.Haresnape, Brian: ''Maunsell Locomotives - a pictorial history'' (Ian Allan Ltd, 1977), ISBN 0711007438
The fastest recorded speed for these locomotives was 95 mph achieved by ''Repton'' in 1938, pulling four coaches. However, there was a drawback with such high power and relatively low weight. When starting the locomotive from a standstill, wheelslips frequently occurred, calling for skilled handling on the footplate.
The reception given by footplate crews was such that more of the class was constructed for other parts of the network, though the electrification of the Southern's Eastern Section meant that they were dispersed from their original stamping grounds.
When operated by British Railways, two locomotives (30902 and 30921) were supplied with Lord Nelson tenders for use on the long runs through the Western Section.
Preservation
Three have been fully preserved:
★ 'Engine 928 ''Stowe''' was built in 1934 at a cost of £5,000 by the Eastleigh locomotive works of the Southern Railway. It recorded more than 1 million miles of passenger service operation during 38 years of Southern main line use.[1] It was purchased from British Railways for the National Motor Museum when it was assigned to be scrapped in 1962. It was moved to the East Somerset Railway, and then to the Bluebell Railway, where it was put into running order. It was purchased from the motor museum by the Maunsell Locomotive Society, who intend to comprehensively rebuild the locomotive.[2]
★ 'Engine 926, ''Repton'',' is owned by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It was completed in May 1934 and entered service on the Bournemouth route, with some time operating between Waterloo and Portsmouth before that line was electrified. It was one of the last engines to be overhauled by British Railways in 1960, so was considered a good choice for preservation. In December 1963 the engines were withdrawn from service, and in 1966 it was purchased and overhauled at Eastleigh, before moving to the USA.[3] It was donated by the purchaser to Steamtown in Vermont. Steamtown loaned the engine to the Cape Breton Steam Railway in Canada, where it operated a regular passenger service. In 1989 it was sold again, and returned to the UK to the NYMR, where it was again overhauled and found to be in good condition. It now runs on the NYMR.
★ 'Engine 925 ''Cheltenham''' is owned by the National Railway Museum at York.
Remaining artefacts of other class members
Certain relics such as nameplates, have survived the scrapping of the locomotives.
★ The nameplate from 907 ''Dulwich'' is now displayed by the Model Railway Society within Dulwich College.
★ The nameplate from 908 ''Westminster'' is now displayed in the science block of Westminster School.
★ The nameplate from 912 ''Downside'' is now displayed in Downside School.
★ The nameplate from 918 ''Hurstpierpoint'' is now displayed in the science block of Hurstpierpoint College.
★ The nameplate from 930 ''Radley'' is now displayed in the shop's stationery department of Radley College.
★ The nameplate from ''Uppingham'' is now displayed in the Undercroft under the great hall of Uppingham School.
Gallery
References
1. Maunsell Society Website [1], Retrieved May. 16, 2007. For information on Stowe's preservation history.
2. Southern E-Group (2003)[2], Retrieved May. 16, 2007. For further information on Stowe's preservation history.
3. North Yorkshire Moors Railway (2000) [3] , Retrieved May. 16, 2007. For information on Repton's post-BR history.
Further reading
★ Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, winter 1958–59 edition
See also
★ SR Class V Locomotive List
External links
★ Southern e-group page
★ Railuk database
★ NYMR locomotives, ''Repton''
★ Maunsell Locomotive Society, ''Stowe''
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