Highland Railway W Class

The Highland Railway W class were four small 0-4-4T locomotives built by the Highland Railway in 1905–1906 to the design of locomotive superintendent Peter Drummond. They were the last engines that were built at the company's Lochgorm works in Inverness, and were used on branch line services.

Highland Railway W class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerPeter Drummond
BuilderHR Lochgorm Works
Build date1905–1906
Total produced4
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte0-4-4T
 • UICB2′ n2t
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver dia.4 ft 6 in (1.372 m)
Trailing dia.2 ft 6 in (0.762 m)
Loco weight35.75 long tons (36.32 t; 40.04 short tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity1.75 long tons (1.78 t; 1.96 short tons)
Water cap900 imp gal (4,100 l; 1,100 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		13 sq ft (1.2 m2)
Boiler3 ft 10 1⁄2 in (1.18 m) diameter
Boiler pressure150 psi (1.03 MPa)
Heating surface719.5 sq ft (66.84 m2)
 • Firebox68 sq ft (6.3 m2)
CylindersTwo, inside
Cylinder size14 in × 20 in (356 mm × 508 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort9,256 lbf (41.17 kN)
Career
OperatorsHR → LMS → BR (Sc)
ClassHR: W
Power classLMS: 0P
Withdrawn1930–1957
DispositionAll scrapped, but the locomotive this class was based on, the prototype, is preserved.

Predecessor
Main article: Dunrobin (locomotive)

Dunrobin was an 0-4-4T built in 1895 by Sharp, Stewart & Co. for the 4th Duke of Sutherland.[1] The W class were near-clones of Dunrobin.[2]

Numbers / Names
Table of locomotives
HR No.HR NameBuiltWithdrawnLMS No.BRNotes
25StrathpefferMarch 1905July 19561505155051Name removed in 1920
40Gordon LennoxSeptember 1905December 193015052—Name removed in 1920
45—December 1905January 19571505355053
46—February 1906October 194515054—

Service

All four locomotives passed to the LMS in 1923, where they were numbered 15051–15054 and given power classification '0P'. Locomotive 15052 was withdrawn in 1930, and 15054 followed in 1945, but the other two survived to become British Railways 55051 and 55053. These spent their final years based at Helmsdale for working the Dornoch Light Railway, which required locomotives with exceptionally light axle loadings. By the time they were finally withdrawn (in 1956 and 1957 respectively) they were the last former Highland Railway locomotives still in use, and were still in almost original condition.

In order to replace these locomotives, British Railways transferred two GWR 1600 Class 0-6-0PT locomotives (numbers 1646 and 1649) to Helmsdale to work the Dornoch Light Railway.

References
  1. Streeter, Tony (7 January – 3 February 2011). "Dunrobin: coming home and steaming in 2013!". Steam Railway. Peterborough: Bauer Media (384): 6, 8.
  2. Streeter, Tony (7 January – 3 February 2011). "A Highland legacy". Steam Railway. Peterborough: Bauer Media (384): 8.
  • Baxter, Bertram (1984). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 4: Scottish and remaining English Companies in the LMS Group. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. p. 199.
  • Haresnape, Brian; Rowledge, Peter (1982). Drummond Locomotives, a pictorial history. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Limited. pp. 103, 112, 127. ISBN 0-7110-1206-7.
  • Longworth, Hugh (2005). British Railways Steam Locomotives 1948-1968.
  • Vallance, H. A. (1938). The Highland Railway.
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