SREmG
 

Please be aware of our copyright notice. If you have a good reaon for using a photo from this site ask permission from first - it is frequently given.

LSWR A12/O4 Class 0-4-2

photograph: Mike Morant collection

An unidentified locomotive at an unknown location! The tender points to it being an A12.

Prior to 1887 Adams had sourced all his locomotives for the L&SWR from outside contractors, but in that year he recommenced locomotive construction at the L&SWR's Nine Elms Works, and the first to be constructed were the A12 (or 527) class 0-4-2s that were popularly referred to as "Jubilees" due to the fact that they were introduced during the fiftieth year of Queen Victoria's reign.

The engines were quite different from any that had yet been seen on a Britsh railway, with the exception of the L&BSCR's "Gladstone" class and were mainly used for heavy excursions and troop train movements, fast goods services to the west of England, Weymouth and Southampton and passenger train services in north and central Devon. They were also a first for the L&SWR in being provided with cast brass number plates rather than the individual numbers that had been used previously. These handsome plates, with their red background and highly polished state, continued throughout Adams' and Beattie's days, though were discarded when Drummond came on the scene.

They had 18" x 26" cylinders with the steam chest placed, as with Stroudley's "Gladstones", underneath. 6' diameter coupled wheels were provided, together with 4' diameter trailing wheels running in outside axleboxes. The first of the class, N°527, had trailing springs situated outside the frames whilst the remainder had them placed behind the frames.

Built in two batches, the first 30 engines had screw reversing gear and, for all bar the final three, second-hand tenders from Beyer, Peacock goods engines purchased by Adams' predecessors, with their water capacity increased to 3,000 gallons by adding a well tank. Many years later most of these tenders were replaced by Adams tenders from locomotives that had been scrapped. The three new tenders had a capcity of 3,300 gallons.

The first 30 locomotives were so successful that Adams decided to order another 60, of which 40 were built by Neilson & Co. of Glasgow. These locomotives were officially known as class O4 and had certain differences from the A12 class such as the steam chest placed between rather than below the cylinders and the motion reversible by lever rather than by screw. The splashers were adorned with brass beading but when dour Drummond came on the scene he had this frivilous decoration removed! Depite the great success of these 90 engines they were the only ones of 0-4-2 wheel arrangement that were ever built by or for the L&SWR.

Withdrawals started in 1928 but four of the Neilson engines survived into British Railways ownership - just! One of these, 629, was one of seven locomotives withdrawn in January 1939 but reprieved in October of that year due to the increased demand for locomotives following the outbreak of war in September 1939. None of these four survivors carried a British Railways number.

Click on the thumbnails for a larger image. Clicking again will close the window.
If there is a larger version, clicking on the 'F' key will display it.
  • 617
    Nine Elms?
    N°617 photographed in Southern Railway days, location uncertain but possibly Nine Elms???
    Photograph: Mike Morant collection.
  • 643
    Raynes Park
    N°643 photographed with an up train at Raynes Park. Date not known..
    Photograph: Mike Morant collection.
  • 536
    Withdrawn?
    Looking as if it may have been taken after withdrawal, this photograph is of A12 N°536 at an unknown location.
    Photograph: Mike Morant collection.

Technical Details

 

Introduced:
Driving Wheel:
Trailing Wheel:
Water Capacity:
Cylinders (2):
Boiler Pressure:
Tractive Effort:

A12

1887
6 ft 0 in
4 ft 0 in
3,000 gals *
18in x 26in
160 lb sq in
15,900 lbs

O4

1892
6 ft 0 in
4 ft 0 in
3,300 gals
18in x 26in
160 lb sq in
15,900 lbs
* Locos 554, 555 & 556 - 3,300 gals.

Data

The L&SWR was better than the other Southern Companies in keeping locomotive classes more or less in consecutive numbers, though not perfect! The following table is set out in order of build:

L&SWR and SR N° # Built Builder Withdrawn
527 May 1887 Nine Elms Jul 1930
528 Oct 1887 Nine Elms Oct 1929
529 Oct 1887 Nine Elms Nov 1928
530 Nov 1887 Nine Elms Apr 1931
531 Nov 1887 Nine Elms Oct 1929
532 Dec 1887 Nine Elms Oct 1929
533 Dec 1887 Nine Elms Oct 1929
534 Dec 1887 Nine Elms Dec1931
535 Dec 1887 Nine Elms Apr 1928
536 Dec 1887 Nine Elms Oct 1929
537 Mar 1888 Nine Elms Oct 1929
538 Mar 1888 Nine Elms Jan 1931
539 Apr 1888 Nine Elms Aug 1930
540 Apr 1888 Nine Elms Jan 1929
541 May 1888 Nine Elms Jan 1931
542 Jun 1888 Nine Elms Oct 1928
543 Jun 1888 Nine Elms Jun 1929
544 Jun 1888 Nine Elms Oct 1929
545 Jun 1888 Nine Elms 1931?
546 Jun 1888 Nine Elms 1930?
547 Jun 1889 Nine Elms Apr 1929
548 Jun 1889 Nine Elms Apr 1928
549 Jun 1889 Nine Elms Dec 1929
550 Oct 1889 Nine Elms Dec 1929
551 Oct 1889 Nine Elms Jan 1932
552 Nov 1889 Nine Elms Apr 1928
553 Dec 1889 Nine Elms Nov 1928
554 Dec 1889 Nine Elms Nov 1931
555 Dec 1889 Nine Elms 1944?
556 Dec 1889 Nine Elms Apr 1929
607 Nov 1892 Neilson & Co. Apr 1932
608 Nov 1892 Neilson & Co. 1932?
609 Nov 1892 Neilson & Co. Apr 1947
610 Nov 1892 Neilson & Co. Mar 1932
611 Nov 1892 Neilson & Co. Nov 1937
612 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. Jun 1946
613 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. Aug 1946 *
614 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. Jan 1947
615 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. Jun 1946
616 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. May 1936
617 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. Oct 1936
618 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. Jan 1948
619 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. 1936?
620 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. Nov 1946 *
621 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. May 1935
623 Dec 1892 Neilson & Co. Mar 1946
622 Jan 1893 Neilson & Co. Jan 1936
624 Jan 1893 Neilson & Co. Jan 1947 *
625 Jan 1893 Neilson & Co. Jan 1947 *
627 Jan 1893 Neilson & Co. Dec 1948
628 Jan 1893 Neilson & Co. 1938?
629 Jan 1893 Neilson & Co. Dec 1948 *
632 Jan 1893 Neilson & Co. Aug 1937
626 Feb 1893 Neilson & Co. May 1933
630 Feb 1893 Neilson & Co. Jan 1947
631 Feb 1893 Neilson & Co. May 1933
633 Feb 1893 Neilson & Co. Aug 1933
634 Feb 1893 Neilson & Co. Mar 1947
635 Feb 1893 Neilson & Co. Apr 1935
636 Feb 1893 Neilson & Co. Oct 1948
637 Mar 1893 Neilson & Co. Mar 1946
638 Mar 1893 Neilson & Co. Mar 1947 *
639 Mar 1893 Neilson & Co. May 1933
640 Mar 1893 Neilson & Co. Nov 1937
641 Mar 1893 Neilson & Co. Jun 1945
642 Mar 1893 Neilson & Co. Jun 1947 *
643 Mar 1893 Neilson & Co. Jul 1947
644 Mar 1893 Neilson & Co. Mar 1946 *
645 Apr 1893 Neilson & Co. Sep 1933
646 Apr 1893 Neilson & Co. Mar 1939
597 Dec 1893 Nine Elms May 1947
598 Dec 1893 Nine Elms Mar 1947
599 Dec 1893 Nine Elms Mar 1946
600 Dec 1893 Nine Elms Aug 1946
601 Feb 1894 Nine Elms Dec 1934
602 Mar 1894 Nine Elms Jul 1933
603 Mar 1894 Nine Elms Aug 1935
604 Mar 1894 Nine Elms May 1933
605 Mar 1894 Nine Elms Apr 1936
606 Apr 1894 Nine Elms Mar 1946
647 Nov 1894 Nine Elms Feb 1933
648 Nov 1894 Nine Elms Jul 1947
649 Nov 1894 Nine Elms Mar 1946
650 Jan 1895 Nine Elms Apr 1938
651 Mar 1895 Nine Elms Feb 1933
652 Mar 1895 Nine Elms Jan 1947
653 Apr 1895 Nine Elms Apr 1932
654 Apr 1895 Nine Elms May 1947
655 Apr 1895 Nine Elms Apr 1936
656 May 1895 Nine Elms Apr 1932

# Between 1923 and 1928 SR numbers were the L&SWR numbers with the added prefix 'E' although the prefix may not have been removed until some time later!
* These six engines were originally withdrawn in January 1939, but were re-instated in October 1939.
* This engine was originally withdrawn in January 1939, but was re-instated in October 1939. It was used as an air raid shelter, being placed over pits at Eastleigh.
* This engine was also used as an air raid shelter at Eastleigh.

This page was last updated 19 February 2012

SR Target