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LBSCR E5 / 5x Classes

photograph: John Wills Photographic Collection

E5 N°32574 looking replendent in shiny BR black.

The third of RJ Billinton's 0-6-2 radial tanks was the E5 class of 1902 which was intended for working semi-fast outer suburban and country trains. Although outwardly very similar to the E4 class they were given larger, 5' 6" driving wheels and a longer firebox than the E4. Water and coal capacities were also greater at 1,665 gallons and 3½ tons. Weighing some 60 tons in all they were the largest tank engine to date to be owned by the LB&SCR.

Most of the class of thirty engines were identical (quite a feat for the LB&SCR!) although two, Farncombe and Nutbourne were subsequently fitted with different boilers made with three rings, with the safety valves on the dome, in place of the original two rings. In later years these two odd boilers were fitted to N°399 and N°587. One locomotive, N°591 Tillington, worked the Grand Vitesse van trains from London Bridge to Newhaven for many years and was also the last engine to wear the yellow Brighton livery, keeping it until 1917. Of the thirty original E5s, all bar two lasted into British Railways ownership.<

The E5s were capable of fast, steady running and one regular turn was the "Managing Directors' Train", so called from its arrival time at London Bridge of 10:48 am. Another long-forgotten E5 turn was the morning train from Chichester to Victoria via Midhurst and Pulborough. Rumour has it that this train was run expressly to please the influential inhabitants of Cowdray Park and Petworth House!

During 1906 some of the engines were modified by Marsh to 2-4-2T by the simple means of removing the front coupling rods but there was nothing to be gained from this and the coupling rods were replaced in 1909. Then, in 1911, four of the class were fitted with Marsh's C3 boilers, with 170 lb pressure, which were then re-classified as E5x.

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E5 32588

As with so many locomotives in the early BR days, E5 N°32588 has her old owner's name and her new owner's number!
Photograph: John Wills Photographic Collection.
E5 32405
Redhill
One of the two final members of the class to be built, and during her last year in service, N°32405 seen on shed at Redhill on 24th February 1951. Note the use of a loco headlamp, probably due to a shortage of head signal discs.
Photograph by Les Darbyshire.
E5x 32586

E5x N°32586. The larger boiler has the effect not of this seeming bigger than on the E5 but more of making the E5x cab seem smaller than that on the E5! Note also the smokebox that is now extended forward and sits on a saddle.
Photograph: Mike Morant collection.
E5x 32401
Double dome
E5x N°32401 was one of the Brighton locos that was fitted with a two ring, double domed boiler.
Photograph: Mike Morant collection.

Technical Details

Introduced:	May 1911
Driving Wheel:	5 ft 6 ins
Total Weight:	60 tons 0 cwt
Water Capacity:	1,665 gals
Coal Capacity:	3 tons 10 cwt
Cylinders (2):	18 in x 26 in)
Boiler Pressure:	E5: 160 lb sq in, E5x: 170 lb sq in
Tractive Effort:	E5: 17,355 lb, E5x: 18,440 lb

Data

LBSC N°	Name	SR N° #	BR N°	Built	Rebuilt as E5x	Withdrawn
567 568 569 § 570 § 571 § 572 573 574 575 576 583 § 584 585 § 586 § 587 § 588 589 § 590 § 591 592 593 § 594 399 § 400 401 402 § 403 404 § 405 406	Freshwater Carisbrook Kensington Armington Hickstead Farncombe Nutbourne Copthorne Westergate Brenchley Handcombe Lordington Crowborough Maplehurst Brighton Hawkenbury Ambersham Lodsworth Tillington Eastergate Hollington Shortbridge Middleton Winchelsea Woldingham Wanborough Fordcombe Hardham Fernhurst Colworth	2567 2568 2569 2570 2571 2572 2573 2574 2575 2576 2583 2584 2585 2586 2587 2588 2589 2590 2591 2592 2593 2594 2399 2400 2401 2402 2403 2404 2405 2406	32567 N° 32568 - 32570 32571 32572 N° 32573 32574 32575 32576 32583 32584 32585 32586 32587 32588 32589 N° 32590 32591 32592 32593 32594 32399 32400 32401 32402 - 32404 32405 32406	Nov 1902 Dec 1902 Dec 1902 Dec 1902 Jan 1903 Jan 1903 Feb 1903 Mar 1903 Apr 1903 Apr 1903 Nov 1903 Nov 1903 Dec 1903 Dec 1903 Dec 1903 Dec 1903 Mar 1904 Apr 1904 Apr 1904 Apr 1904 May 1904 Jun 1904 Jul 1904 Jul 1904 Jul 1904 Sep 1904 Oct 1904 Oct 1904 Nov 1904 Nov 1904	- - - Mar 1911 - - - - - Jul 1911 - - - Jan 1911 - - - - - - - - - - May 1911 - - - - -	Nov 1949 Feb 1955 May 1936 Jan 1956 Jan 1956 Feb 1949 Jul 1953 Jun 1951 Nov 1951 Jul 1955 Jan 1956 Jan 1951 May 1954 Mar 1955 Oct 1954 Dec 1953 Jan 1949 Aug 1951 Nov 1954 Apr 1953 Jan 1956 Feb 1951 Jun 1953 Dec 1951 Jul 1954 Feb 1951 Aug 1944 Sep 1951 Nov 1951 Aug 1951
§ # N°	Between 1906 and 1909 ran as 2-4-2T Between 1923 and 1928 Southern numbers were LB&SCR numbers with the prefix B Locomotive didn't carry the British Railways number

This page was last updated 16 October 2008