Maunsell Q class 0-6-0
| Richard Maunsell's last design for the Southern Railway, and the Southern's first own 0-6-0 design, was to meet the requirement of a replacement for a number of ageing pre-Grouping 0-6-0 goods classes which had remained to serve on various secondary routes and branches from which heavier and more powerful engines were barred. It was very much an expediency and did not form part of his envisaged standard range of locomotives, though the design did use parts in common with the N Class 2-6-0 and L1 class 4-4-0. In fact the first sample did not appear in 1938 until after Maunsell had retired and Oliver Bulleid had taken over as his successor. Bulleid was reported to have been appalled that what was essentially a Victorian design had been constructed and had he arrived earlier he would have stopped its production. However his response was perhaps an over-reaction because in reality the Q class proved to be an inexpensive and useful type with a wide route availability which fulfilled its intentionally modest remit well. Indeed being fitted with vacuum brake and steam heating connections they could work light passenger duties and when called to do so with their 5ft 1in drivers they could be relied upon for some sprightly running! |
 Nº30549 in Three Bridges yard. Behind is N Class Nº31833. photograph by Keith Harwood |
| The superheated boiler, which had a maximum working pressure
of 200 p.s.i., fed two 19in by 26in inside cylinders which drove a solid crank
axle. Tractive effort at 85% working pressure was 26,157 lb. Stephenson's
link motion, an Ashford type steam reverser and Ross pop safety valves were
fitted. The total engine weight was no more than forty nine and a half tons
with the maximum axle load being a modest eighteen tons.
Twenty engines were constructed in total, numbers 530-540 in 1938 at Eastleigh and numbers 541-549 in 1939, again at Eastleigh. The first engines received 3500 gallon/5 ton/3 axle tenders off the U class (which then received 4000 gallon tenders) though some Qs later also received the 4000 gallon pattern tender and 545 had a 4000 gallon tender from new. Bulleid subsequently improved the draughting performance of some of the class by fitting a multiple jet blastpipe and BR also later had a go by fitting an improved single blastpipe. In BR days at least six of the class received BR standard class 4 chimneys. |
| Nº30536 photographed at Eastleigh on 23rd August 1950.
photograph by Les Darbyshire |
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Passenger trains on the Redhill to Reading line were usually worked by
Maunsell Class U or N 2-6-0s, although standard locomotives were also seen
regularly. Occasionally freight engines took a turn on passenger duties and Q
class Nº30543 is seen here at Betchworth with a 3 coach Bulleid set,
heading for Guildford and Reading on 28th August 1964.
photograph by Keith Harwood |
| Nº30545 running light engine was photographed as it passed
Wimbledon 'C' Signalbox on 3rd January 1965. One of the engines that
worked that day's "Maunsell Commemorative" rail tour, it has been
detached at Wimbledon and is now following the train to Staines, where it took
over the train for the final run to Reading.
photograph by Mike Morant |
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All photographs are copyright
This page was last updated 24 October 2008
