LB&SCR B4 class

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 1922–1924 by L. B. Billinton with a larger boiler, cylinders and a superheater. The rebuilt locomotives were classified B4X.

LB&SCR B4 and B4X classes
No. 70 Holyrood B4 class as built
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerB4: R. J. Billinton
B4X: L. B. Billinton
BuilderBrighton Works: 42–46, 52–54
Sharp, Stewart & Co.: 47–51, 55–74
Build dateB4: 1899–1902
B4X: 1922–1924
Total produced33
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-4-0
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.3 ft 6 in (1.067 m)
Driver dia.6 ft 9 in (2.057 m)
Total weightB4: 86 long tons 15 cwt (194,300 lb or 88.1 t)
(97.1 short tons}
B4X: 96 long tons 6 cwt (215,700 lb or 97.8 t)
(107.8 short tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Boiler pressure180 psi (12.41 bar; 1.24 MPa)
CylindersTwo, inside
Cylinder sizeB4: 19 in × 26 in (483 mm × 660 mm)
B4X: 20 in × 26 in (508 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effortB4: 17,730 lbf (78.9 kN)
B4X: 19,645 lbf (87.4 kN)
Career
ClassB4, B4x
Power class
Withdrawn1934-1951
DispositionAll Scrapped

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".[1]

Rebuilds
B4X No. 2060 formerly named Kimberley pictured in 1948

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 - the K class firebox was too long to fit between the axles, new frames, new piston valve cylinders - they were virtually new engines.[2] Unfortunately the original motion and motion plate was retained - to save costs. This meant that the piston valves were in the constricted space below the cylinders at an angle to the axis of the cylinders. Only 8" 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), when newly outshopped, with great difficulty in places where the Atlantics, J class and Baltics could do 80 mph (130 km/h). Twelve members of the class were 'rebuilt' between August 1922 and January 1924, but further 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 the Second World War had not brought about a temporary reprieve. Six B4s and twelve B4Xs passed to British Railways in 1948. All had been withdrawn by 1951. None has survived.

Locomotive summary
LB&SCR
No.		Build DateBuilderRebuilt B4XLBSCR NameRenamed/date1st SR
No.		2nd SR
No.		BR No.Date
withdrawn
42June 1902Brighton—His MajestyB422042–April 1947
43June 1902BrightonJune 1923Duchess of FifeB43204332043November 1951
44June 1902Brighton—Cecil RhodesB442044—September 1948
45June 1902BrightonApril 1923BessboroughB452045—December 1951
46September 1902Brighton—Prince of WalesB462046—June 1936
47June 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—CanadaB472047—July 1939
48July 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—AustraliaB482048—January 1936
49July 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—Queensland*Duchess of Norfolk/1904B492049—January 1936
50July 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.June 1923TasmaniaB502050—September 1951
51July 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—WolfertonB512051—February 1949
52December 1899BrightonMay 1923SiemensSussex/1908B522052—December 1951
53January 1900Brighton—SirdarRichmond/1906B532053—November 1935
54May 1900Brighton—EmpressPrincess Royal/1906B542054—May 1951
55July 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.August 1922EmperorB552055—November 1951
56July 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.August 1923RobertsB562056—October 1951
57August 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—BullerB572057—August 1936
58August 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—KitchenerB582058—August 1936
59August 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—Baden PowellB592059—August 1935
60August 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.September 1922KimberleyB602060s2060November 1951
61August 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—LadysmithB612061—November 1935
62August 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—MafekingB622062—May 1951
63August 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—PretoriaB632063—May 1951
64August 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—WindsorNorfolk/1908B642064—April 1935
65August 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—SandringhamB652065—May 1934
66August 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—BalmoralBillinton/1906B662066—May 1935
67September 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.October 1923OsborneB672067—September 1951
68September 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—MarlboroughB682068—May 1951
69September 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—BagshotB692069—August 1934
70September 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.May 1923HolyroodDevonshire/1907.03B702070—August 1951
71September 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.June 1923GoodwoodB71207132071October 1951
72September 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.January 1924SussexB72207232072December 1951
73October 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.November 1923WestminsterB732073—August 1951
74October 1901Sharp, Stewart & Co.—CornwallB742074—February 1950

References
  1. Nock 1983, p. 10.
  2. Nock 1987, p. 116.
  • Bradley, D.L. (1974). Locomotives of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway: Part 3. Railway Correspondence and Travel Society.
  • Nock, O.S. (1983). British Locomotives of the Twentieth Century: Volume 1. 1900-1930. Patrick Stephens.
  • Nock, O.S. (1987). Great Locomotives of the Southern Railway. Patrick Stephens. ISBN 0-85059-735-8.
  • ABC of British Railways Locomotives, part 2 (1949 ed.). Ian Allan. p. 24.
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