SREmG
 

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SECR E Class 4-4-0

photograph: Mike Morant collection.

E class N°1547 photographed in Southern days, believed to be at Brighton.
Following on from his D Class 4-4-0 express tender engines of 1901, Wainwright built a further 26 4-4-0 tender locomotives of class E. Easily distinguishable from the D Class by their Belpaire firebox and smooth-sided splashers, they had a 6" longer wheelbase, 2" smaller wheels and marginally larger cylinders. In all some 26 E class were built between 1905 and 1909, with superheating commencing in 1912 when numbers 26 and 275 were altered. These two locomotives' boiler pressure was reduced from 180 to 160lb. per sq. in. with N°26 receiving a Robinson superheater and N° 275 a Schmidt superheater, whilst both were fitted with larger cylinders. Other members of the class were subsequently fitted with the Maunsell pattern of superheater.

From 1908 the locomotives were fitted with extended smokeboxes. N°516 was exhibited at the Franco-British Exhibition held in 1908 and was also used frequently on royal train duties. In 1919 N°165 was fitted for oil-burning, using the "Mexican Trough" system. From 10th August 1910 N°19 had the chimney lowered by 4" to 13' 0" for working over the East London line. The dome casing and whistle were also lowered.
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  • 275
    Petts Wood
    N°275 with Pullman train. This is the footbridge between Towncourt Lane and Beaumont Road (Petts Wood) between Chislehurst and Orpington stations, before Petts Wood station was built.
    Photograph: Mike Morant collection.
  • A587
    Rye
    E class N°A587 is crossing the bridge at Rye with an Ashford to Brighton train during the 1920s or 30s.
    Photograph: David Lord collection.
  • 1166
    Bricklayer's Arms
    E class N°1166 seen without her tender attached at Bricklayer's Arms during 1936.
    : Mike Morant collection.
  • 31166
    Ashford
    N°31166 and now preserved D class N°31737 photographed at Ashford on 12th September 1954 prior to hauling the R.C.T.S. (London Branch) "Invicta Special" from Ashford to Blackfriars.
    : Mike Morant collection.
  • 31315
    Ashford
    N°31315, looking very much as if at the end of its days, photographed minus coupling rods and tender at Ashford.
    : Mike Morant collection.

Technical Details

Introduced:
Driving Wheel:
Bogie Wheel:
Length:
Water Capacity:
Cylinders (2):
Boiler Pressure:
Tractive Effort:
Coal Capacity:		 1905
6 ft 6 ins
3 ft 6 ins
55 ft 15/8 ins
3,450 gals
19¼ in x 26 in ¶
180 lb sq in §
19,000 lb #
4 ton 10 cwt
¶: 36 & 275 increased to 20½ in x 26 in on superheating in 1912.
§: 36 & 275 reduced to 160 lb sq in on superheating in 1912.
#: 36 & 275 increased to 19,050 lb superheating in 1912.
 
The SECR was prone to allocate their numbers in any old fashion! The following table is set out in order of build:
SECR N° SR N° # BR N° Built Rebuilt to Class E1 Withdrawn
273 1273 31273 Feb 1906 - Oct 1951
275 1275 31275 Feb 1906 - Feb 1951
504 - - Feb 1906 1920 -
506 - - Mar 1906 1920 -
511 - - Mar 1906 1920 -
160 - - Jul 1907 1920 -
166 1166 31166 Jul 1907 - May 1955
491 1491 31491 Jul 1907 - Feb 1953
497 - - Sep 1907 1920 -
515 1515 31515 Sep 1907 - Jul 1951
587 1587 31587 Nov 1907 - Jul 1951
157 1157 31157 Dec 1907 - Feb 1951
176 1176 31176 Dec 1907 - Sep 1951
165 - - Jan 1908 1920 -
514 1514 31514 Jan 1908 - Oct 1951
516 1516 31516 Apr 1908 - Sep 1951
19 - - Jul 1908 1920 -
67 - - Aug 1908 1920 -
175 1175 31175 Aug 1908 - Sep 1951
507 - - Sep 1908 1920 -
547 1547 31547 Sep 1908 - Dec 1950
159 1159 31159 Nov 1908 - Nov 1951
36 1036 31036 Dec 1908 - Mar 1951
179 - - Dec 1908 1919 -
163 - - Apr 1909 1920 -
315 1315 31315 Apr 1909 - Mar 1954
# Between 1923 and 1928 SR numbers were the SECR numbers with the added prefix 'A' although the new number may not have been applied until some time later.

This page was last updated 10 November 2011

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