SECR E Class 4-4-0
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photograph: Mike Morant collection E class Nº1547 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 Nº26 receiving a
Robinson superheater and Nº 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. Nº516 was exhibited at the Franco-British Exhibition held in 1908 and was also used frequently on royal train duties. In 1919 Nº165 was fitted for oil-burning, using the "Mexican Trough" system. From 10th August 1910 Nº19 had the chimney lowered by 4" to 13' 0" for working over the East London line. The dome casing and whistle were also lowered. |
 |
Nº275 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 |
| E class NºA587 is crossing the bridge at Rye with an Ashford to Brighton train during the
1920s or 30s.
photograph: David Lord collection |
 |
 |
E class Nº31166 and now preserved D class Nº31737
photographed at Ashford on 12th September 1954 prior to hauling the R.C.T.S. (London Branch) "Invicta
Special" from Ashford to Blackfriars.
photograph: Mike Morant collection |
| Nº31315, looking very much as if at the end of its days,
photographed minus coupling rods and tender at Ashford.
photograph: Mike Morant collection |
 |
Technical Details
§: 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| SECR Nº | SR Nº # | BR Nº | Built | Rebuilt to Class E1 | Withdrawn |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. | |||||
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This page was last updated 10 November 2011
