LNER Thompson/Peppercorn Class K1

The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Class K1 is a type of 2-6-0 (mogul) steam locomotive designed by Edward Thompson. Thompson preferred a simple two-cylinder design instead of Gresley's three-cylinder one. The seventy K1s were intended to be split between the North Eastern Region of British Railways and the Eastern Region of British Railways.

LNER Thompson/Peppercorn
Class K1
Preserved loco no. 62005 (as "2005") at Carnforth
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerE. Thompson; A. H. Peppercorn
BuilderNorth British Locomotive Company
Serial number26605–26674
Build date1949–1950
Total produced70
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-6-0
 • UIC1′C h2
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 2 in (0.965 m)
Driver dia.5 ft 2 in (1.575 m)
Length59 ft 10 in (18.24 m) over buffers
Loco weight66.0 long tons (67.1 t)
Tender weight52.0 long tons (52.8 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity7.50 long tons (7.62 t)
Water cap4,200 imperial gallons (19,000 l; 5,000 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		27.9 sq ft (2.59 m2)
BoilerLNER diagram 116
Boiler pressure225 lbf/in2 (1.55 MPa)
Heating surface1,408 sq ft (130.8 m2)
 • Tubes858 sq ft (79.7 m2)
 • Flues382 sq ft (35.5 m2)
 • Firebox168 sq ft (15.6 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • Heating area300 sq ft (28 m2)
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size20 in × 26 in (508 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort32,080 lbf (142.70 kN)
Career
OperatorsBritish Railways
Power class5P6F
Numbers62001–62070
Axle load classRoute Availability 6
Locale
Withdrawn1962–1967
DispositionOne preserved, remainder scrapped

Prototype
Prototype K1 No. 61997 'MacCailin Mor' in Doncaster Carr Locomotive Yard 23 April 1961

LNER Class K4 number 3445 MacCailin Mor was rebuilt in 1945 at Darlington as a two-cylinder prototype of the K1 class, designated K1/1. Thompson entrusted the rebuilding of No.3445 as a two-cylinder Mogul to his principal assistant Arthur Peppercorn. This locomotive became British Railways no. 61997. And was withdrawn from service in 1962 .

Production

When Peppercorn replaced Thompson as chief mechanical engineer he made the rebuilding the basis for a new class of 2-cylinder 2-6-0. Several modifications were made. The running plates were redesigned to improve access to the cylinder steam chests and there were changes to the leading pony truck, the cylinder linings and the boiler. The new engines were also longer and received bigger tenders holding 4,200 gallons of water instead of the 3,500 gallons of the K4s.

An order for 70 of the new mixed traffic 2-6-0s was placed with the North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow. They were the last steam locomotives built to an LNER design although all were delivered under British Railways auspices. Numbered 62001–62070 they entered service between May 1949 and March 1950.

Use

The Peppercorn K1s proved to be useful and versatile engines. They worked extensively over ex-LNER territory but were chiefly associated with North East England and, following in the footsteps of their predecessors the K4s, the West Highland Line. Like so many post-nationalisation classes the K1s had lamentably brief lives. All were withdrawn between 1962 and 1967, but the last to be retired managed to escape the cutter's torch - but only just. They were capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, or 45 miles per hour while running tender first.[1]

Preservation
No. 62005 "Lord of the Isles" crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct on the Scottish Adventure, July 2012

One example of the class, No. 62005, has been preserved, and is based at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It was acquired as a source of a spare boiler for the solitary preserved K4 but in 1972 the K1 was donated, still with its boiler, to the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group. It was also used as a stationary boiler at ICI North Tees Port Clarence Works for a period of 6 weeks. It was eventually placed into storage at Neville Hill where it was later obtained by Viscount Garnock, Geoff Drury, George Nissen, and Brian Hollingsworth as a spare boiler for the sole surviving member of the Gresley K4 moguls 61994 The Great Marquess. The plans for the stationary boiler never fell through and the locomotive was eventually purchased by the 45428 Stanier Class 5 Locomotive Society Ltd and was later donated to the NELPG. [2][3]

By 1975 the K1 had been restored to main line running order and made an appearance at the Stockton and Darlington Railway 150th-anniversary celebrations at Shildon, County Durham. Since then the NELPG has endeavoured to keep the locomotive available for use on the main line. While it is usually based on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, 62005 spends most of its time on the summer Fort William-Mallaig Jacobite service (numbered as 2005 in 1988 at least), recalling memories of the K1s in Scotland.

The locomotive spent much of its early time in preservation numbered 2005 and in LNER apple green livery. This livery is not historically accurate, as the engine was built in 1949 after nationalisation and never had this livery when in service. It was repainted in BR lined black as No.62005 in the late 1990s and wears this livery to date.

In 2005, it carried the name previously carried by K4 61996 (LNER 3444) Lord of the Isles during its service hauling The Jacobite for the West Coast Railway Company.[4][5]

References
  1. Lloyd, Martin (13 February 2009). "History of K1 class locomotive 62005 Lord of the Isles". North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  2. Marsden, Richard. "The Thompson K1/1 and Peppercorn K1 2-6-0 Moguls". LNER Encyclopedia. Winwaed Software Technology LLC. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  3. "62005". Preserved British Steam Locomotives. WordPress.com. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  4. Hirsch, Oren. "West Coast Railway Company". Oren's Transit Page. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  5. Marshall, Patrica. "The Jacobite". West Coast Railways. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  • Boddy, M. G.; Neve, E.; Tee, D. F.; Yeadon, W. B. (September 1982). Fry, E. V. (ed.). Locomotives of the L.N.E.R., part 6A: Tender Engines - Classes J38 to K5. Kenilworth: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-53-3.
  • Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, part 4 (Summer 1961 ed.). pp. 33–34.
  • "The Thompson K1/1 and Peppercorn K1 2-6-0 Moguls". LNER Encyclopedia.
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