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The B4 class were 4-4-0 steam locomotives for express passenger work on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. They were designed by R. J. Billinton and were either built at Brighton works 1899–1902 or else by Messrs Sharp, Stewart and Company in 1901. Twelve members of the class were rebuilt from 1922 to 1924 by L. B. Billinton with a larger boiler, cylinders and a superheater. The rebuilt locomotives were classified B4X.

Construction[]

The performance of Robert Billinton's B2 class 4-4-0 locomotives of 1895–1897 had proved to be disappointing and they had not been able to replace the earlier Stroudley's B1 class 0-4-2 on the heaviest London to Brighton express trains. Billinton therefore sought authority for the construction of twenty-five larger and more powerful 4-4-0 B4 class locomotives. The first two of these, Nos. 52 and 53, were completed at Brighton works between December 1899 and January 1900, both of which performed well and demonstrated that the new design was sound. However, during the spring of 1900 a backlog of repair work at Brighton meant that the third (No. 54) was not completed until May 1900. The railway therefore approached Sharp, Stewart and Company to supply twenty-five further examples over the next twelve months. These were all delivered between June and October 1901. By 1901 Brighton had overcome the backlog of repair work and five further locomotive boilers were ordered from Sharp, Stewart and Company to be used on additional locomotives to be built at Brighton between June and September 1902.

Use[]

The B4 class successfully hauled the heaviest express trains on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway until around 1912 when they were gradually replaced by the larger H1, H2, J1 and J2 classes. Thereafter they were regularly used on slower and lighter services. According to O. S. Nock, the B4 class "were among the finest passenger locomotives of their day".

Rebuilds[]

In 1918, No. 46 was rebuilt by Lawson Billinton with a new boiler including a Robinson superheater. Unfortunately the resulting locomotive was not tested before Billinton decided to rebuild other members of the class, using his K class superheated boiler. The rebuilt locomotives were classified B4X. However, since the original frames could not be used (as the K class firebox was too long to fit between the axles, new frames, new piston valve cylinders), they were virtually new engines. Unfortunately the original motion and motion plate was retained to save costs, which meant that the piston valves were in the constricted space below the cylinders at an angle to the axis of the cylinders. Only 8 inch-diameter valves could be fitted in, and combined with the restricted exhaust arrangement ensured that they were unable to use the steam available from the excellent K class boiler.

Acceleration from stops was very leisurely and they could only be coaxed up to 70 mph (110 km/h) while newly outshopped, with great difficulty in places, where the Atlantics, J class and Baltics could reach 80 mph (130 km/h). Twelve members of the class were 'rebuilt' between August 1922 and January 1924, but further modifications were deferred by Richard Maunsell of the Southern Railway when it became apparent that their performance was not satisfactory. Harold Holcroft found, when he was tasked by Maunsell to report on the post grouping loco stock, that class B4x were very expensive compared to the SECR rebuilds (D1/E1) and far less competent. It was to be 1929 before their services on express work could be dispensed with. Henceforth the class was deployed on secondary duties.

The B4 and B4x classes continued with secondary duties, but thirteen members of the class were withdrawn between 1934 and 1939. The remainder would have followed soon after if World War II had not brought about a temporary reprieve. Six B4s and twelve B4Xs passed to British Railways in 1948. All had been withdrawn by 1951, and none were preserved.

Locomotive summary[]

LB&SCR
No.
Build Date Builder Rebuilt B4X LBSCR Name Renamed/date 1st SR
No.
2nd SR
No.
BR No. Date
withdrawn
42 June 1902 Brighton His Majesty B42 2042 April 1947
43 June 1902 Brighton June 1923 Duchess of Fife B43 2043 32043 November 1951
44 June 1902 Brighton Cecil Rhodes B44 2044 September 1948
45 June 1902 Brighton April 1923 Bessborough B45 2045 December 1951
46 September 1902 Brighton Prince of Wales B46 2046 June 1936
47 June 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Canada B47 2047 July 1939
48 July 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Australia B48 2048 January 1936
49 July 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Queensland* Duchess of Norfolk/1904 B49 2049 January 1936
50 July 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. June 1923 Tasmania B50 2050 September 1951
51 July 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Wolferton B51 2051 February 1949
52 December 1899 Brighton May 1923 Siemens Sussex/1908 B52 2052 December 1951
53 January 1900 Brighton Sirdar Richmond/1906 B53 2053 November 1935
54 May 1900 Brighton Empress Princess Royal/1906 B54 2054 May 1951
55 July 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. August 1922 Emperor B55 2055 November 1951
56 July 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. August 1923 Roberts B56 2056 October 1951
57 August 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Buller B57 2057 August 1936
58 August 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Kitchener B58 2058 August 1936
59 August 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Baden Powell B59 2059 August 1935
60 August 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. September 1922 Kimberley B60 2060 s2060 November 1951
61 August 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Ladysmith B61 2061 November 1935
62 August 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Mafeking B62 2062 May 1951
63 August 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Pretoria B63 2063 May 1951
64 August 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Windsor Norfolk/1908 B64 2064 April 1935
65 August 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Sandringham B65 2065 May 1934
66 August 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Balmoral Billinton/1906 B66 2066 May 1935
67 September 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. October 1923 Osborne B67 2067 September 1951
68 September 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Marlborough B68 2068 May 1951
69 September 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Bagshot B69 2069 August 1951
70 September 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. May 1923 Holyrood Devonshire/1907.03 B70 2070 August 1951
71 September 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. June 1923 Goodwood B71 2071 32071 October 1951
72 September 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. January 1924 Sussex B72 2072 32072 December 1951
73 October 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. November 1923 Westminster B73 2073 August 1951
74 October 1901 Sharp, Stewart & Co. Cornwall B74 2074 February 1950

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