SR Q1 class

SR Q1 class[1]
Sole-preserved Q1 no. 33001 at Horsted Keynes
Power type	Steam
Designer	Oliver Bulleid
Builder	SR Brighton Works (20), SR Ashford Works (20)
Build date	1942
Total produced	40
Configuration	0-6-0
UIC classification	C h2
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver diameter	5 ft 1 in (1.549 m)
Length	54 ft 10.5 in (16.73 m)
Locomotive & tender combined weight	89 tons 5 cwt (199,900 lb or 90.7 t)
Fuel type	Coal
Fuel capacity	5 tons 0 cwt (11,200 lb or 5.1 t)
Water capacity	3,700 imp gal (16,800 l; 4,440 US gal)
Boiler pressure	230 lbf/in² (1.59 MPa)
Firegrate area	48.5 sq ft (4.51 m2)
Cylinders	Two, inside
Cylinder size	19 × 26 in (483 × 660 mm)
Tractive effort	30,080 lbf (133.80 kN)
Career	SR » BR(SR)
Power class	5F
Number	SR: C1 – C40 BR: 33001–33040
Withdrawn	1963–1966
Disposition	One preserved, remainder scrapped

The SR Q1 class is a type of austerity steam locomotive constructed during the Second World War. The class was designed by Oliver Bulleid for use on the intensive freight turns experienced during wartime on the Southern Railway network. A total of 40 locomotives were built. Bulleid incorporated many innovations and weight-saving concepts to produce a highly functional design. The class lasted in service until July 1966, and the first member of the class, number C1, has been preserved by the National Railway Museum.

The highly unusual and controversial design represents the ultimate development of the British 0-6-0 freight engine, capable of hauling trains that were usually allocated to much larger locomotives on other railways. Among other nicknames, the class were known as "Coffee Pots" ^[2] and "Charlies"^{[citation needed]}.

Background

In late 1939, the Southern Railway, until then primarily a high-density commuter railway serving London and South-East England, found itself on the British front line of the Second World War with a severe lack of modern freight handling capability.^[3] The newest freight design was the Q Class 0-6-0 of 1938, the last locomotive designed by Richard Maunsell, built to essentially Victorian era principles;^[4] these had been designed as replacements for many of the older 0-6-0s inherited by the Southern Railway in 1923,^[5] and entered service in January 1938,^[6] Maunsell having retired at the end of October 1937 to be replaced by Bulleid.^[7]

The Southern Railway became an essential strategic war asset because of its proximity to continental Europe, and needed to equip itself with adequate freight handling capability to transport the vast quantities of supplies and troops required for the conflict.^[8] The brief stipulated a high route availability and high tractive effort.

Construction history

The answer to this problem came from the drawing board of the Southern Railway's innovative Chief Mechanical Engineer, Oliver Bulleid in the shape of the Q1. Using the minimum amount of raw materials, and with all superfluous features stripped away, he produced in 1942 the most powerful 0-6-0 steam locomotive ever to run on Britain's railways.^[9] The first twenty locomotives were constructed at Brighton works and the remaining twenty at Ashford. Powerful and light, the Q1s formed the backbone of the Southern's heavy freight capability. The engine weighed less than 90 tons (90.6 tonnes) so could be used over more than 97% of the Southern Railway's route mileage.^[9]

Design

The class was one of several built under the wartime austerity regime, which stressed pure functionality above any considerations of style or decoration.^[3] This austere approach to the design explains its functional appearance. One aspect of their shape was that, like Bulleid's SR Merchant Navy class and SR West Country and Battle of Britain classes, they could be simply driven through a coach-washer for cleaning at a time when manpower for this time-consuming chore could not be spared.

The unusual shape was also dictated by the use of materials; the lagging was made of a material known as 'idaglass', which, although cheap and plentiful during the war years, could not support any weight, and therefore the boiler rings had to be adapted to lend the lagging the support needed.^[9] A copper, rather than steel, firebox was utilised, unlike Bulleid's Pacific designs.^[10] The wheels were smaller, 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m) adaptations of the Bulleid-Firth-Brown type utilised on the Pacifics. The locomotive had two cylinders with Stephenson link outside admission piston valves, and was provided with a five-nozzle blast-pipe.^[11]

Operational details

The Q1 represented the final development of the British 0-6-0 main line steam locomotive. Later designs of medium-powered freight locomotives, such as the LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 and LMS Ivatt Class 4 Moguls all had a 2-6-0 wheel arrangement; the 0-6-0 wheel arrangement was not used again in the BR Standard designs of locomotive.^[12]

BR classified the Q1 class in the power classification 5F. This represented a rarity, as few other 0-6-0s exceeded the classification of 4F, with notable exceptions being the LNER Class J20 (5F), LNER Class J39 (4P5F) and LNER Class J38 (6F).^[9]

The Q1's route availability meant that although they were primarily freight locomotives, they also frequently deputised on secondary passenger services. However, the class gained a reputation for poor braking on unfitted freight trains due to the light construction of the tender braking system.^[9]

The Q1s thrived on their intended duties during World War II, where the class had proved that they were an indispensable addition to the Southern locomotive fleet.^[8] This was achieved to such an extent that they all remained in service until the 1960s, long after they were intended to cease operation as an "austerity" design.^[9] Withdrawals began in 1963, during the implementation of the BR Modernisation Plan which saw the end of steam operations on Britain's railways, the last example of the class being withdrawn in 1966.^[13]

Livery and numbering

Southern Railway and Bulleid numbering system

Livery of the Q1 Class was plain freight black, with Sunshine Yellow numbering on the cabside, and "Southern" lettering on the tender, shaded in green.^[14] Bulleid advocated a continental style of locomotive nomenclature, based upon his experiences at the French branch of Westinghouse Electric before the First World War, and those of his tenure in the rail operating department during that conflict. The Southern Railway number followed an adaptation of the UIC classification system where "C" refers to the number of coupled driving axles – in this case three. All these locomotives therefore carried numbers which started "C" followed by the individual identifier from C1 to C40.^[15]

33038 at Bricklayers Arms in London during BR era.

Post-1948 (nationalisation)

After nationalisation, the original Southern livery was in continued use, although with "British Railways" on the tender in Sunshine Yellow. From 1950 onwards, livery remained plain, although in the guise of British Railways Freight Black without lining of any description. The British Railways crest was located on the tender side.^[3] Given the British Railways power classification 5F, the locomotives were also renumbered to the British Railways' standard numbering system as 33001–33040.^[16]

Preservation

Only one locomotive of the class survived into preservation. First-of-class 33001 (C1) has been preserved, and now resides at the National Railway Museum in York, where it carries its original SR livery and number. Before its return to York in 2004, the locomotive worked on the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex.^[9]

In fiction

The locomotive Neville in the Thomas and Friends children's television series is based on the Q1 class.^[17]

Models

In 2004 Hornby introduced a 00 gauge model of the Q1.^[18]

Polly Model Engineering market the castings etc. to make the Nick Feast -designed 3¹⁄₂" gauge live steam model.^[19]

References

Notes

1. ^ Scott-Morgan 2003, p. 19
2. ^ Glasspool, David. "Bulleid Class Q1". Kent Rail. http://www.kentrail.org.uk/bulleid_q1_class.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-31. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Longworth, section "Q1 class"
4. ^ Scott-Morgan 2003, p. 9
5. ^ Haresnape 1977, p. 112
6. ^ Bradley 1975, p. 54
7. ^ Chacksfield 1998, p. 146
8. ^ ^{a b} Whitehouse & Thomas 2002, p. 6
9. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Herring 2000, pp. 150–151
10. ^ Scott-Morgan 2003, pp. 17–19
11. ^ Scott-Morgan 2003, p. 10
12. ^ Scott-Morgan 2003, p. 72
13. ^ Bradley 1975, pp. 64–65
14. ^ Scott-Morgan 2003, p. 25
15. ^ Bulleids in Retrospect
16. ^ Ian Allan ABC of British Railways 1958–59
17. ^ "Thomas and the New Engine."
18. ^ http://www.hornby.com/locomotives-89/r2355ab/product.html
19. ^ http://www.pollymodelengineering.co.uk/sections/practical-scale/bulleid-q1.asp

Bibliography

• Bradley, D.L. (October 1975). Locomotives of the Southern Railway: Part 1. London: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-30-4. 
• Bulleids in Retrospect, Transport Video Publishing, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
• Burridge, Frank (1975). Nameplates of the Big Four. Oxford: Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN 0-902888-43-9. 
• Chacksfield, John E. (1998). Richard Maunsell: An Engineering Biography. The Oakwood Library of Railway History. Usk: Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-526-8. OL102. 
• Haresnape, Brian (1977). Maunsell Locomotives: A Pictorial History. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0743-8. CX/0183. 
• Herring, Peter (2000). "Q1 Class". Classic British Steam Locomotives. London: Abbeydale Press. ISBN 1-86147-057-6. 
• Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, winter 1958–59 edition
• Longworth, Hugh (2005). British Railway Steam Locomotives: 1948–1968. Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN 0-86093-593-0. 
• Scott-Morgan, John (2003). The Story of the Q1s. Bishop's Waltham: KRB Publications. ISBN 0-9544859-1-2. 
• Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (HIT Entertainment, 2006), season 9, episode 11: "Thomas and the New Engine."
• Whitehouse, Patrick & Thomas, David St.John (2002). SR 150: A Century and a Half of the Southern Railway. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. 

External links

• SEMG 'Q1' pages
• Preserved locomotive database for C1