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Ex-LMS Fairburn Class 4 2-6-4T

photograph by John Wills

Is this proof that at least some of the Fairburns qualify as truly Southern locomotives? A shot taken in January 1950 of N°42096 under construction in Brighton Works
With the abandonment of Bulleid's "Leader" project the issue of the introduction of intermediate range tank engines in the Southern Region had still not been resolved. Whilst memories of the use of heavy tank engines with leading pony trucks lingered on after the Sevenoaks disaster it was clear that the lastest LMS 2-6-4T locomotives seemed to have a good pedigree starting with the Fowler, through Stanier to the current design by Charles Fairburn. It was decided then that the Fairburn class 4 engines should be built at Brighton for use on the Southern.

Of the total number of 277 Fairburn engines 41 of them were built at Brighton in 1950 and 1951. They were classified by the LMS as 4P and by British Railways as 4MT and formed the basis for the British Railways Standard class 4 2-6-4T engines. The most obvious difference between the Fairburns and the Standards was the curved profile of the Standards' tanks, cab and bunker where they followed Bulleid's least controvercial innovaton of designing his locomotives so that the profile followed the curved profile of his coaching stock. Many of them were stationed at Stewarts Lane in Battersea, Dover and Ashford(Kent) for use on the South Eastern Section. One of the routes which became a favorite stamping ground was the Maidstone to Ashford line on which one notorious derailment of one of Maunsell's River class had taken place at Bearsted. Two of the Brighton-built locomotives, N°42073 and N°42085, survive in preservation on the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway.
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  • 42098
    Faversham
    N°42098 Calling at Faversham on a Victoria to Ramsgate service in April 1958. It seems that electrification is in progress with the conductor rail only installed on the up line.
    Photograph by John Wills.
  • 42088
    Faversham
    N°42088 Also calling at Faversham but on a Victoria to Dover service in March 1959. Since the conductor rail is in place on both lines this photograph seems to have been taken shortly before the withdrawal of steam services.
    Photograph by John Wills.
  • 42069
    East Croydon
    N°42069 passing Hall & Co's yard at East Croydon in July 1955 on its way from Victoria to Tunbridge Wells West via Oxted.
    Photograph by John Wills.
  • 42066
    Stewarts Lane
    N°42066 Awaiting its next turn at Stewarts Lane MPD in Battersea in March 1960.
    Photograph by John Wills.
  • 42085
    Horsted Keynes
    A Photo of Fairburn 2-6-4T N°42085 taken on 21st February 2010 during a visit to the Bluebell Railway at the Branch Line Weekend. The loco is seen at Horsed Keynes in typical February weather for the time of year.
    Photograph by Neil Walkling.
  • 42085
    Sheffield Park
    N°42085 again but this time at Sheffeild Park on the Bluebell Line at the end of March 2010.
    Photograph by Chris Reeve.

Technical Details

Introduced (on LMS):
Introduced (on BR[S]):
Driving Wheel:
Pony and Trailing Wheels:
Length:
Weight:
 
Water Capacity:
 
Cylinders (2):
Boiler Pressure:
Tractive Effort:
Coal Capacity:
Power Classification (LMS/BR):
Power Classification (BR[S]):		 1945
1950
5ft 9ins)
3ft 3 1/2ins
45ft 9 3/4ins
42050 - 146 84 tons 14cwt
remainder 85tons 5cwt
42050 - 146 1,875 gals
remainder 2,000 gals
9 5/8 x 26ins
200 psi
24,670 lb
3 1/2 tons
4MT
4P/4FA

This page was last updated 3 October 2012

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