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In the autumn of 1918 the LSWR's works at Eastleigh
turned out the first three of a new express passenger 4-6-0 class designed by
Robert Urie. A further seven appeared between February and November 1919. With
6 ft 7 in drivers, carrying the characteristic Urie stove pipe chimney and
retaining a Drummond style cab the N15 class was otherwise styled along H15
lines. The new locomotives were initially welcomed by the operating department,
however at that time the schedules of the principal expresses they were working
were undemanding with a maximum speed of 60mph. When timings were accelerated,
though, they proved to be poor performers since they were not free steamers and
were unable to sustain high power outputs.
Upon assuming the job of C.M.E. of the Southern Railway Richard Maunsell undertook a review of the existing locomotive stock. Although he had his own new designs planned the need to maintain services before they became available led to an improvement programme on existing designs. A revised front end design applied to the N15s including increasing the area of the steam and exhaust ports, fitting a modified chimney and blastpipe significantly improved the class' performance. As Maunsell's new express passenger design was not going to be ready in time for the summer 1925 timetable and this was going to leave the railway short of suitable locomotives the Southern placed an order for 20 engines to the N15 design with the North British Locomotive Company. These were built and supplied in record time. This batch became nicknamed by crews as "Scotchmen". Simultaneously Eastleigh built a batch of ten N15s to replace the Drummond G14 class and they adopted their numbers and tenders. These and later batches differed to the original Urie design in that they had smaller cylinders, a higher boiler pressure (200 psi instead of 180 psi), front end features from the N Class and an Ashford style cab to the composite SR loading gauge. During this time the Board of the Southern Railway decided that all express passenger locomotives would be named. In view of the Southern's connections with the West Country and the class' association with West of England expresses the N15 class was named after personalities and places associated with the King Arthur and the Round Table Legend. With such romantic associations this went down well with the public and it was the first example of the sort of inspired marketing which would come from the Southern Railway. The first of the G14 replacement engines E453 was named King Arthur, and all members of the class including the original Urie builds and the Scotchmen received names. The order with the North British was extended to a total of thirty and a further fourteen Arthurs were built at Eastleigh in 1926 and coupled with six wheeled tenders for use on the Brighton section (where the turntables were smaller). Following experiments with 772 Sir Percivale in 1926 smoke deflectors were fitted to all of the class, the first UK locomotives to be so equipped, during the mid 1930s. Early batches came originally with 4300 gallon Drummond "watercart" tenders, a design which was modified by Urie with outside bearing bogies and an increased 5000 gallon capacity. The six wheeled tenders for Brighton line had a capacity of 3500 gallons and these required a higher intermediate draw gear than the bogie tenders. Over time tenders were swapped around not only within the class but also with S15s, the Schools class (which received their six wheeled tenders) and with the Lord Nelson class (some lost their newer flat sided bogie tenders and received an earlier Urie version). After a poor start this class emerged as one of the greatest designs of its day. They were popular with their crews and had a reputation for both being reliable and having an impressive performance. Introduction of electrification, particularly on the Brighton lines, the introduction of the Lord Nelson class and ultimately the Bulleid Pacifics relegated them from top express work after only a comparatively short time. The first withdrawal was in 1953 and all had been withdrawn by 1962. Only one engine 30777 (777) Sir Lamiel owned by the National Railway Museum survives in preservation. |
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Introduced: Driving Wheel: Bogie Wheel: Length: Weight: Water Capacity: Cylinders (2): Boiler Pressure: Tractive Effort: Coal Capacity: Power Classification: |
September 1918 6 ft 7 ins 3 ft 7 in 66 ft 5¼ ins 138 tons 3 cwt 5,000 gals 20½ in x 28 in # 180/200 lb sq in 26,245 lb 5 tons 5-P |
# 755/30755 only, 22in x 28in cylinders |
SR N° | BR N° | Name | Date Built | Withdrawn | Name to | Date | Notes |
448 | 30448 | Sir Tristram | May 1925 | Aug 1960 | R | ||
449 | 30449 | Sir Torre | Jun 1925 | Dec 1959 | R | ||
450 | 30450 | Sir Kay | Jun 1925 | Sep 1960 | R | ||
451 | 30451 | Sir Lamorak | Jun 1925 | Jun 1962 | R | ||
452 | 30452 | Sir Meliagrance | Jul 1925 | Aug 1959 | R | ||
453 | 30453 | King Arthur | Feb 1925 | Jul 1961 | R | ||
454 | 30454 | Queen Guinevere | Mar 1925 | Nov 1958 | R | ||
455 | 30455 | Sir Launcelot | Mar 1925 | Mar 1959 | R | ||
456 | 30456 | Sir Galahad | Apr 1925 | May 1960 | R | ||
457 | 30457 | Sir Bedivere | Apr 1925 | May 1961 | R | ||
736 | 30736 | Excalibur | Sep 1918 | Nov 1956 | 73081 | Feb 1961 | U |
737 | 30737 | King Uther | Oct 1918 | Jun 1956 | 73111 | Feb 1961 | U |
738 | 30738 | King Pellinore | Dec 1918 | Mar 1958 | 73115 | Jan 1960 | U |
739 | 30739 | King Leodegrance | Feb 1919 | May 1957 | 73118 | Feb 1960 | U |
740 | 30740 | Merlin | Apr 1919 | Dec 1955 | 73080 | Feb 1961 | U |
741 | 30741 | Joyous Gard | May 1919 | Feb 1956 | 73088 | May 1961 | U |
742 | 30742 | Camelot | Jun 1919 | Feb 1957 | 73082 | Aug 1959 | U |
743 | 30743 | Lyonnesse | Aug 1919 | Oct 1955 | 73113 | Dec 1959 | U |
744 | 30744 | Maid of Astolat | Sep 1919 | Jan 1956 | 73089 | May 1959 | U |
745 | 30745 | Tintagel | Nov 1919 | Feb 1956 | 73084 | Oct 1959 | U |
746 | 30746 | Pendragon | Jun 1922 | Oct 1955 | 73083 | Oct 1959 | U |
747 | 30747 | Elaine | Jul 1922 | Oct 1956 | 73119 | Jul 1959 | U |
748 | 30748 | Vivien | Aug 1922 | Sep 1957 | 73117 | Apr 1961 | U |
749 | 30749 | Iseult | Sep 1922 | Jun 1957 | 73116 | Sep 1962 | U |
750 | 30750 | Morgan Le Fay | Oct 1922 | Jul 1957 | 73112 | Apr 1960 | U |
751 | 30751 | Etarre | Nov 1922 | Jun 1957 | 73114 | Mar 1960 | U |
752 | 30752 | Linette | Dec 1922 | Dec 1955 | 73087 | May 1961 | U |
753 | 30753 | Melisande | Jan 1923 | Mar 1957 | 73085 | Aug 1959 | U |
754 | 30754 | The Green Knight | Feb 1923 | Jan 1953 | 73086 | Dec 1959 | U |
755 | 30755 | The Red Knight | Mar 1923 | May 1957 | 73110 | Jan 1960 | U |
763 | 30763 | Sir Bors de Ganis | May 1925 | Oct 1960 | NB | ||
764 | 30764 | Sir Gawain | May 1925 | Jul 1961 | NB | ||
765 | 30765 | Sir Gareth | May 1925 | Sep 1962 | NB | ||
766 | 30766 | Sir Geraint | May 1925 | Dec 1958 | NB | ||
767 | 30767 | Sir Valance* | Jun 1925 | Jun 1959 | NB | ||
768 | 30768 | Sir Balin | Jun 1925 | Oct 1961 | NB | ||
769 | 30769 | Sir Balan | Jun 1925 | Feb 1960 | NB | ||
770 | 30770 | Sir Prianius | Jun 1925 | Nov 1962 | NB | ||
771 | 30771 | Sir Sagramore | Jun 1925 | Mar 1961 | NB | ||
772 | 30772 | Sir Percivale | Jun 1925 | Sep 1961 | NB | ||
773 | 30773 | Sir Lavaine | Jun 1925 | Feb 1962 | NB | ||
774 | 30774 | Sir Gaheris | Jun 1925 | Jan 1960 | NB | ||
775 | 30775 | Sir Agravaine | Jun 1925 | Feb 1960 | NB | ||
776 | 30776 | Sir Galagars | Jun 1925 | Jan 1959 | NB | ||
777 | 30777 | Sir Lamiel | Jun 1925 | Oct 1961 | NB, Pr | ||
778 | 30778 | Sir Pelleas | Jun 1925 | May 1959 | NB | ||
779 | 30779 | Sir Colgrevance | Jul 1925 | Jul 1959 | NB | ||
780 | 30780 | Sir Persant | Jul 1925 | Jul 1959 | NB | ||
781 | 30781 | Sir Aglovale | Jul 1925 | May 1962 | NB | ||
782 | 30782 | Sir Brian | Jul 1925 | Sep 1962 | NB | ||
783 | 30783 | Sir Gillemere | Aug 1925 | Feb 1961 | NB | ||
784 | 30784 | Sir Nerovens | Aug 1925 | Oct 1959 | NB | ||
785 | 30785 | Sir Mador de la Portte | Aug 1925 | Oct 1959 | NB | ||
786 | 30786 | Sir Lionel | Aug 1925 | Aug 1959 | NB | ||
787 | 30787 | Sir Menadeuke | Sep 1925 | Feb 1959 | NB | ||
788 | 30788 | Sir Urre of the Mount* | Sep 1925 | Feb 1962 | NB | ||
789 | 30789 | Sir Guy | Sep 1925 | Dec 1959 | NB | ||
790 | 30790 | Sir Villiars | Sep 1925 | Oct 1961 | NB | ||
791 | 30791 | Sir Uwaine | Sep 1925 | May 1960 | NB | ||
792 | 30792 | Sir Hervis de Revel | Oct 1925 | Feb 1959 | NB | ||
793 | 30793 | Sir Ontzlake | Mar 1926 | Aug 1962 | M | ||
794 | 30794 | Sir Ector de Maris | Mar 1926 | Aug 1960 | M | ||
795 | 30795 | Sir Dinadin | Apr 1926 | Jul 1962 | M | ||
796 | 30796 | Sir Dodinas le Savage | May 1926 | Feb 1962 | M | ||
797 | 30797 | Sir Blamor de Ganis | Jun 1926 | Feb 1962 | M | ||
798 | 30798 | Sir Hectimere | Jun 1926 | Jun 1962 | M | ||
799 | 30799 | Sir Ironside | Jul 1926 | Feb 1961 | M | ||
800 | 30800 | Sir Meleaus de Lile | Sep 1926 | Aug 1961 | M | ||
801 | 30801 | Sir Meliot de Logres | Oct 1926 | Apr 1959 | M | ||
802 | 30802 | Sir Durnore | Oct 1926 | Jul 1961 | M | ||
803 | 30803 | Sir Harry le Fise Lake | Oct 1926 | Jul 1961 | M | ||
804 | 30804 | Sir Cador of Cornwall | Dec 1926 | Feb 1962 | M | ||
805 | 30805 | Sir Constantine | Jan 1927 | Nov 1959 | M | ||
806 | 30806 | Sir Galleron | Jan 1927 | Apr 1961 | M |
Notes Pr |
30777 Sir Lamiel is preserved as part of the National Collection. |
R | 448 - 457 were the Maunsell "G14 rebuilds", essentially new engines with the G14 Drummond watercart tenders. |
U | 736 - 755 were the Urie locomotives with Urie pattern tender. |
NB | 763 - 792 were the (incorrectly named) "Scotch Arthurs" built by North British with Urie pattern tender. |
M | 793 - 806 were equipped by Maunsell with Ashford 6 wheel tenders for use on the Central section with its shorter turntables and were sometimes also called "Scotch Arthurs", despite the fact that they were built by the Southern Railway! |
* | 767 Was originally to have been named Sir Mordred until it was realised that he was the traitor and 788 was to have been named Sir Beaumains until it was realised that this was the nickname of Sir Gareth |
This page was last updated 15 April 2012