List of SECR K and SR K1 class locomotives

A list of the names and numbers of the SECR K and SR K1 classes of 2-6-4 tank engines that formed the River class: locomotives initially running on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR), and subsequently operated by its successor, the Southern Railway (SR) from 1923. The majority of the class consisted of 2-cylinder locomotives built to an SECR design by Richard Maunsell, but one 3-cylinder version, the K1 class, was constructed by the Southern Railway in 1925. They were given the names of various rivers by the Southern Railway in a publicity measure to advertise the area that the railway served.[1]

In 1928 the class was converted to the 2-cylinder U class and 3-cylinder U1 class 2-6-0 specifications after crews reported instability when running fast over the lightly laid rails of the former SECR network. The poor running culminated in the 1927 Sevenoaks railway accident, following which the locomotives were withdrawn. Once rebuilt, the former members of the K and K1 classes subsequently lost their names due to the bad publicity attached to them after this accident.[1] All the rebuilt locomotives saw service with British Railways (BR), and all were withdrawn from service by 1966.

Tables of locomotive details

SECR and Southern Railway-built K class 2-cylinder locomotives

SECR
No.		 SR No
(before/after
rebuilding)		 BR No.
(as U class)		 Name[2]
 Builder Date built Date Rebuilt
as U class		 Rebuilt at Withdrawn Notes
790 A790/1790 31790 River Avon Ashford June 1917 June 1928 Eastleigh May 1965
— A791/1791 31791 River Adur Armstrong Whitworth May 1925 July 1928 Eastleigh June 1966
— A792/1792 31792 River Arun Armstrong Whitworth May 1925 July 1928 Eastleigh September 1964
— A793/1793 31793 River Ouse Armstrong Whitworth May 1925 June 1928 Eastleigh May 1964
— A794/1794 31794 River Rother Armstrong Whitworth May 1925 June 1928 Eastleigh June 1963
— A795/1795 31795 River Medway Armstrong Whitworth June 1925 June 1928 Eastleigh June 1963
— A796/1796 31796 River Stour Armstrong Whitworth June 1925 July 1928 Eastleigh January 1964
— A797/1797 31797 River Mole Armstrong Whitworth June 1925 June 1928 Ashford January 1964
— A798/1798 31798 River Wey Armstrong Whitworth June 1925 August 1928 Ashford September 1964
— A799/1799 31799 River Test Armstrong Whitworth June 1925 July 1928 Ashford February 1965
— A800/1800 31800 River Cray Brighton July 1926 December 1928 Ashford October 1965 Involved in the 1927 Sevenoaks railway accident
— A801/1801 31801 River Darenth Brighton July 1926 July 1928 Ashford June 1964
— A802/1802 31802 River Cuckmere Brighton August 1926 July 1928 Ashford September 1964
— A803/1803 31803 River Itchen Brighton August 1926 June 1928 Brighton March 1966
— A804/1804 31804 River Tamar Brighton September 1926 June 1928 Brighton June 1964
— A805/1805 31805 River Camel Brighton October 1926 March 1928 Ashford July 1963
— A806/1806 31806 River Torridge Brighton October 1926 June 1928 Brighton January 1964 Converted to a U class locomotive, preserved on the Swanage Railway; Operational
— A807/1807 31807 River Axe Brighton November 1926 September 1928 Brighton January 1964
— A808/1808 31808 River Char Brighton November 1926 July 1928 Brighton January 1964
— A809/1809 31809 River Dart Brighton December 1926 July 1928 Brighton January 1966

Southern Railway-built K1 class 3-cylinder locomotive

SR No.
(before/after
rebuilding)		 BR No.
(as U1 class)		 Name[2] Builder Date built Date Rebuilt
as U1 class		 Rebuilt at Withdrawn Notes
A890/1890 31890 River Frome Ashford December 1925 June 1928 Ashford June 1963 U1 class prototype

Unbuilt locomotives

A further 20 K class locomotives were projected, but the order was cancelled after the derailment of No. A800 River Cray at Sevenoaks, Kent in August 1927 and subsequent withdrawal of the class for rebuilding.[3] The projected names were selected as thus:

A610 River Beaulieu, A611 River Blackwater, A612 River Bourne, A613 River Bray, A614 River Creedy A615 River Ebble, A616 River Eden, A617 River Anton, A618 River Hamble, A619 River Taw, A620 River Lymington, A621 River Parret, A622 River Medina, A623 River Exe, A624 River Allen, A625 River Seaton, A626 River Tiddy, A627 River Tavy, A628 River Lynher, A629 River Titchfield.

These unused K class numbers, but not the names, were later allocated to the first production batch of the U class 2-6-0 from 1928. Although a batch of ten K1 class locomotives was also ordered during 1927, no names had been allocated before cancellation. [3]Out of these unbuilt K class members, nos. A618 and A625 are preserved as U Class locomotives

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b Burridge, p. 48
  2. ^ a b Burridge, p. 49
  3. ^ a b Rowledge (1976), p. 22

Bibliography

  • Burridge, Frank (1975). Nameplates of the Big Four. Oxford: Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN 0-902888-43-9.
  • Rowledge, Peter (1976). Maunsell Moguls. Blandford Forum: The Oakwood Press.
  • [1] – Table showing key dates, mileage, running numbers, etc for the K and K1 locomotives
  • [2] – Table showing key dates, mileage, running numbers, etc for the U class locomotives
  • [3] – Table showing key dates, mileage, running numbers, etc for the U1 class locomotives