The LSWR C8 class was the first class of 4-4-0 express steam locomotives designed by Dugald Drummond for the London and South Western Railway and introduced in 1898. According to Dendy Marshall[1] they "were of orthodox design, very much like engines which Drummond had put on the Caledonian". Dendy Marshall gives few other details, except to say that they were numbered 290-299 and had 18 in x 26 in cylinders. H.C. Casserley states that they were very similar to the Caledonian Railway 66 class.[2]

LSWR C8 class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerDugald Drummond
BuilderLSWR, at Nine Elms
Build date1898
Total produced10
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte4-4-0
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 7 in (1.092 m)
Driver dia.6 ft 7 in (2.007 m)
Length54 ft 11 in, later 56 ft 5+14in.
Loco weight46 tons 16 cwt
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity4 tons, later 5 tons
Water cap.3,500 gallons, later 4,000 gallons.
Boiler pressure175 lbf/in2 (1.21 MPa)
CylindersTwo, inside
Cylinder size18+12 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort16,755 lbf (74.53 kN)
Career
OperatorsLondon and South Western Railway
Southern Railway
Power classLSWR/SR: I
LocaleGreat Britain
Withdrawn1933–38
DispositionAll scrapped

They used a similar boiler to the Drummond M7 0-4-4T and 700 class 0-6-0 engines built for the LSWR. They originally used a similar tender to the 700 class, but these were later replaced with Drummond's eight-wheeled bogie "watercart" tenders. They were not particularly good steamers, due to their firebox being too small. None were ever superheated, and they were withdrawn after service lives of 35 to 40 years. In November 1898, No. 291 worked a train carrying the Grand Duke and Duchess Serge of Russia from Windsor through to Dover on the LCDR.[3]

Withdrawal

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Table of withdrawals
Year Quantity in
service at
start of year
Quantity
withdrawn
Locomotive numbers Notes
1933 10 2 290/294
1934 8 0
1935 8 4 291/293/295–296
1936 4 2 292/297
1937 2 1 299
1938 1 1 298

References

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  1. ^ Dendy Marshall, C.F. (1963). History of the Southern Railway. London: Ian Allan. p. 175. ISBN 071100059X.
  2. ^ Casserley, H.C. (1971). London & South Western Locomotives. London: Allan. pp. 114–116. ISBN 0-71100-151-0.
  3. ^ Casserley, H.C. (1971). London & South Western Locomotives. London: Allan. pp. 114–116. ISBN 0-71100-151-0.