Drummond T9 "Greyhound" class 4-4-0

N Class Nº31845 waits at Halwill as T9 Nº30709 runs in with a train for Padstow and Bude on 21st April 1960.

photograph reproduced with kind permission of Joanes Publications

Of all of Dugald Drummond's designs for the LSWR his T9 express passenger class could probably be described as his most successful. They were popular with their crews and nicknamed "greyhounds" due to their sprightly acceleration. This was due to the design being remarkably free-running with a well steaming boiler, substantial firegrate and masterfully applied Stephenson link motion.

The first twenty engines, to be numbered 113 to 122 and 280 to 289 were built at Nine Elms between June 1899 and February 1900. These had ordinary fireboxes. Simultaneously Dubs & Co built thirty engines numbered 702 to 719 and 721 to 732 with cross water tubes in their fireboxes. This arrangement increased the heating surface and became the standard for all future Drummond passenger engines. Engine 720 was built as an experimental 4-2-2-0. A further fifteen engines were built at Nine Elms between December 1900 and October 1901. This batch were identifiable by having wider cabs and splashers which enclosed the throw of the coupling rods - the earlier batches having separate "outboard" splashers for the rods. Although the class is most associated with tenders of the Drummond "watercart" pattern the first two batches were originally supplied with six wheeled tenders before being paired with a watercart and subsequently after grouping a number of engines re-gained six wheeled tenders for working on the central section.

30338 waits at Wadebridge with a train for Padstow.

photograph: Roy Vandersteen collection

During World War Two four members of the class were loaned to the LMS for use on the Somerset and Dorset. In 1947 thirteen were converted to oil burners. When this experiment ended in 1948 they were not converted back and were instead withdrawn. Otherwise the majority survived into British Railways ownership. Prior to this a few were repainted into Bullied malachite green livery including the celebrated Royal Engine number 119. In BR days they wore initially plain black but later lined black livery. The last member of the class, 30287, was withdrawn in August 1961. We are fortunate that one member of such a successful design number 120 (30120) survives as part of the NRM collection. It was restored to running condition and from May 1983 was running in BR mixed traffic black livery on the Mid Hants Railway. It subsequently moved to the Swanage Railway where it ran until its boiler certificate expired. It is currently stored as a static display on the Bluebell Railway though plans to restore her to running condition have been halted and a new display home is being sought.

30726 at Exeter St. Davids during August 1958 on a train facing towards Cowley Bridge Junction.

photograph by Mike Morant

Nº30313 photographed in ex-works condition and without a crest on the tender at Eastleigh, June 1949.

photograph: Mike Morant collection

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This page was last updated 2 May 2003