South Australian Railways L class

The South Australian Railways L Class Locomotives were built by Beyer, Peacock and Company for the South Australian Railways and were introduced to the system in 1880.[1]

South Australian Railways L Class
South Australian Railways L Class No. 39
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderBeyer, Peacock and Company
Serial number1883-1886
Build date1879
Total produced4
RebuilderIslington Railway Workshops
Rebuild date1880-1881 (Converted to Tender Locomotive) 1894-1914 (Rebuilt)
Number rebuilt4
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-4-0
 • UIC2'B T
Gauge5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
Driver dia.5 ft 0 in (1.52 m)
Length41 ft 3 1⁄2 in (12.59 m)
Axle load12 long tons 16 cwt 3 qr (28,760 lb or 13.04 t) (Original Tank Locomotive)
10 long tons 16 cwt (24,200 lb or 11 t) (Converted Tender Locomotive)
Loco weight36 long tons 3 cwt 1 qr (81,000 lb or 36.74 t)(Original Tank Locomotive)
Total weight57 long tons 14 cwt (129,200 lb or 58.6 t) (Converted Tender Locomotive)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity36 cu ft (1.0 m3) (Original Tank Locomotive)
4 long tons 18 cwt 3 qr (11,060 lb or 5.02 t) qtr (Converted Tender Locomotive)
Water cap600 imp gal
(720 US gal; 2,700 L) (Original Tank Locomotive)
2,040 imp gal
(2,450 US gal; 9,300 L) (Converted Tender Locomotive)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		15.5 sq ft (1.44 m2) (Original Tank Locomotive)
15.6 sq ft (1.45 m2) (Converted Tender Locomotive)
Boiler pressure130 psi (900 kPa)
Heating surface:
 • Tubes		888.1 sq ft (82.51 m2) (Original Tank Locomotive)
894.1 sq ft (83.06 m2) (Converted Tender Locomotive)
 • Firebox80.8 sq ft (7.51 m2) (Original Tank Locomotive)
78.1 sq ft (7.26 m2) (Converted Tender Locomotive)
Cylinders2
Cylinder size16 in × 22 in
(406 mm × 559 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort10,371 lbf (46.13 kN)
Career
OperatorsSouth Australian Railways
ClassL
Number in class4
Numbers38-41
First run1.4.1880
Withdrawn1928-1931
Scrapped1928-1934
Dispositionall scrapped

History

The four L class tank locomotives that were purchased from Beyer, Peacock and Company for the South Australian Railways in 1880 were meant to work on the Port line. There was a problem straight away with the new locomotives, they were found to have an axle load which was too high for the track and bridges that they would run over. To solve this problem the S.A.R. went and purchased four six wheeled tenders from Dübs and Company, Scotland and removed the side water tanks to bring the axle load down to a more acceptable level. With the L class entering service as tender locomotives they were put to work on the northern lines, as far as Riverton and heading further north once heavier track was laid up to Terowie. The L class also worked Kapunda and on the Adelaide to Nairne section of the "Intercolonial Railway". Later in life the L class worked in the eastern area of Murray Bridge, which included mixed trains to Pinnaroo. When S.A.R. commissioner William Alfred Webb's famous "Big Power" locomotives arrived in 1926, this put the now smaller L class locomotives to limited work. This eventually resulted in the withdrawal and scrapping of these 4-4-0 locomotives.[2]

References
  1. Drymalik, Chris. "Broad Gauge L-class 4-4-0 tank locomotives". Chris's Commonwealth Railways Information (ComRails). Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  2. Fluck, R. E.; Sampson, R.; Bird, K. J. (1986). Steam locomotives and railcars of the South Australian Railways. South Australia: Mile End Railway Museum (S.A.) Inc. ISBN 0959 5073 37.
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