SR USA Class

Infobox Locomotive
powertype=Steam
name = Southern Railway USA class Longworth, Hugh: "British Railway Steam Locomotives: 1948-1968" (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 2005) ISBN 0860935930]


caption = DS238 "Wainwright", a preserved example in British Railways departmental livery.
designer =
builder = Vulcan Iron Works, USA (13)
H. K. Porter, Inc., USA (1)
builddate = 1942-43
numinclass = 14 (plus one bought for spares)
whytetype = 0-6-0T
uicclass = Ct
gauge = RailGauge|ussg
driversize = convert|54|in|m|3|abbr=on
length = convert|29|ft|8|in|m|2|abbr=on
wheelbase = convert|10|ft|0|in|m|2|abbr=on
weight = 41 tons 9 cwt (42.3 tonnes)
fueltype = Coal
fuelc
cwt (0.9 tonnes)
waterc
convert|1000|impgal|abbr=on
cylindercount = Two, outside
cylindersize = 16½ × 24 in (419×610 mm)
valvegear=Walschaerts, 8 in piston valves
boilerpressure = convert|210|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on|lk=on
tractiveeffort = convert|21600|lbf|kN|2|abbr=on|lk=on
retiredate = 1962–1967 The SR USA class were ex-United States Army Transportation Corps S100 Class steam locomotives purchased by the Southern Railway after the end of the Second World War.

Construction history

The Southern's 15 locomotives (14 for traffic plus one for spares) were built at the Vulcan Iron Works in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 1942 to the design specifications of the USATC by Col. Howard G. Hill. Overall, 382 of the class were ordered from Davenport Locomotive Works of Davenport, Iowa, H. K. Porter, Inc of Pittsburgh and Vulcan Iron Works. Longworth, Hugh: "British Railway Steam Locomotives: 1948-1968" (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 2005) ISBN 0-86093-5930] They were shipped to Great Britain in 1943 and stored awaiting the invasion of Mainland Europe, after which they were shipped to Europe.

The key to their success, after being acquired by the Southern Railway, was their short wheelbase, which was able to negotiate the tight curves found at Southampton Docks. They were also powerful, able to haul heavy freight trains as well as full-length passenger trains in the harbour area. Longworth, Hugh: "British Railway Steam Locomotives: 1948-1968" (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 2005) ISBN 0-86093-5930]

After the war they replaced ageing B4, D1 and E1 class tanks in Southampton Docks at the recommendation of Oliver Bulleid. Steam heating, vacuum ejectors, sliding cab windows, additional lamp irons and new cylinder drain cocks had to be added for them to operate on British metals. Longworth, Hugh: "British Railway Steam Locomotives: 1948-1968" (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 2005) ISBN 0-86093-5930] More modifications became necessary once the locomotives started to enter traffic, including large roof-top ventilators, British-style regulators (as built they had US-style pull-out ones), three rectangular cab-front lookout windows, extended coal bunkers, separate steam and vacuum brake controls and wooden tip-up seats. This meant that it took until November 1947 for the entire class to be ready for work. Longworth, Hugh: "British Railway Steam Locomotives: 1948-1968" (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 2005) ISBN 0-86093-5930]

Others found industrial uses in Great Britain with the National Coal Board, Longmoor Military Railway and Austin Motors.

Livery and numbering

War Department and Southern

Livery during the Second World War was USATC black with white numbering and lettering 'Transportation Dept.' on the watertank sides. Prior to nationalisation, the locomotives were painted in Southern black livery with 'Southern' in "Sunshine Yellow" lettering.

Thirteen of the locomotives were re-numbered 61-73 by the Southern; 4326 retained its War Department number instead of being renumbered 74, while the locomotive used for spares was not numbered.

Post-1948 (nationalisation)

The class was allocated the BR power classification 3F, whilst the lettering on the tank sides was changed to 'British Railways' during 1948 as a transitional measure. Finally, the class was outshopped in BR Departmental Malachite livery, with BR crests on the watertank sides and numbers on the cab sides.

Under the BR Standard numbering system they were renumbered 30061-30074.

Operational details

They were used for shunting in Southampton Docks and replaced the elderly LSWR B4 Class 0-4-0T tank locomotives, many of which required new boilers. Although they were excellent performers, their austerity construction meant that they deteriorated very quickly. Longworth, Hugh: "British Railway Steam Locomotives: 1948-1968" (Oxford Publishing Company: Oxford, 2005) ISBN 0-86093-5930] Their steel fireboxes rusted and fatigued quickly, and this came to a head in 1951 when several had to have new fireboxes constructed.

Telephones were installed on the footplate to improve communication on the vast network of sidings at Southampton. They were replaced by British Rail Class 07 diesel-electric shunters, introduced in 1962. Nine remained in departmental use within the military and National Coal Board, and five survived until the end of steam on the Southern Region, in 1967, in departmental use at workshops and loco sheds.

Preservation

Four examples have been preserved in England:

* 30064 Bluebell Railway
* 30065 Kent and East Sussex Railway
* 30070 Kent and East Sussex Railway
* 30072 Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

plus two ex-JZ Class 62 locomotives, built to a broadly similar design, which are to be converted to British USA Class specifications.

The Locomotive in fiction

An engine of this prototype featured in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends TV Series as Rosie, introduced in Season 10.

Footnotes

Further reading

*Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, winter 1959-60 edition

External links

* http://www.semgonline.com/steam/usa_01.html
* http://ukhrail.uel.ac.uk/cgi-bin/rlylocos?NO=&NA=&CL=USA&CO=ANY&BL=&WN=&LO=
* http://www.kesr-operating.org.uk/LocoTrust.htm
* http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/loco_static.html#usa