The LCDR R1 class was a class of

0-4-4T Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-4 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles. This type was only used ...

locomotives on the

South Eastern and Chatham Railway The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee (SE&CRCJMC),Awdry (1990), page 199 known as the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR), was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Easter ...

(SECR), which were based on an existing

London, Chatham and Dover Railway The London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR or LC&DR) was a railway company in south-eastern England created on 1 August 1859, when the East Kent Railway was given parliamentary approval to change its name. Its lines ran through London and nor ...

(LCDR) design.

History

For many years, the two constituents of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway SECR - the London, Chatham and Dover Railway and the South Eastern Railway (SER) - had both favoured the

wheel arrangement for suburban and stopping passenger trains. The SER's most recent design was James Stirling's Q class 0-4-4T, which had been produced between 1881 and 1897, whereas the LCDR had the more modern R class 0-4-4T of William Kirtley's design, which dated from 1891. When more 0-4-4T engines were required soon after the formation of the SECR in 1899, the company had two options: to build more of either or both of the existing designs, or to produce a new design. It was intended that a range of standard designs would be produced which would be suitable for use across the whole SECR system, however until these were ready, it was decided to order more of the LCDR's existing R class design, but with modifications.

Numbering

Fifteen of these locomotives were built by

Sharp, Stewart and Company Sharp, Stewart and Company was a steam locomotive manufacturer, initially located in Manchester, England. The company was formed in 1843 upon the demise of Sharp, Roberts & Co.. It moved to Glasgow, Scotland, in 1888, eventually amalgamating wit ...

in 1900; their SECR numbers were 696–710 – nos. 696–705 were for use on the former LCDR routes, whilst nos. 706–710 were for the old SER system. Originally they were included in the R class, but were separated into a new R1 class in January 1901. No more were built, because by the time that further 0-4-4Ts were required, Wainwright's H class design was ready; it owed much to the R1 class. ;Renumbering The R1 class locos were renumbered three times: to A696-710 by the Southern Railway (SR) from 1923; to 1696-1710 by the SR from 1931; and to 31696-31710 by

British Railways British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...

from 1948.

Withdrawal

Two (nos. A701 and A702) were withdrawn in 1929, and withdrawal of the rest occurred between 1949 and 1956.

Notes

References

* * * {{SECR locomotives R1 0-4-4T locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1900 Sharp Stewart locomotives Scrapped locomotives Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain