The LSWR C8 class was the first class of 4-4-0 express steam locomotives designed by Dugald Drummond for the London and South Western Railway and introduced in 1898. According to Marshall[1] they "were of orthodox design, very much like engines which Drummond had put on the Caledonian". Marshall gives few other details, except to say that they were numbered 290-299 and had 18in x 26in cylinders. H.C. Casserley states that they were very similar to the Caledonian Railway 66 class.[2]
They used a similar boiler to the Drummond M7 0-4-4T and 700 Class 0-6-0 engines built for the LSWR. They originally used a similar tender to the 700 class, but these were later replaced with Drummond's 8 wheeled bogie "watercart" tenders. They were not particularly good steamers, due to their firebox being too small. None was ever superheated, and they were withdrawn after lives of 35-40 years. In November 1898 No. 291 worked a train carrying the Grand Duke and Duchess Serge of Russia from Windsor through to Dover (LCDR).[3]
Withdrawal
Table of withdrawals
Year
Quantity in service at start of year
Quantity withdrawn
Locomotive numbers
Notes
1933
10
2
290/294
1934
8
0
–
1935
8
4
291/293/295–296
1936
4
2
292/297
1937
2
1
299
1938
1
1
298
References
^Marshall, C.F. Dendy (1963). History of the Southern Railway. London: Ian Allan. p. 175. ISBN071100059X.
^Casserley, H.C. (1971). London & South Western Locomotives. London: Allan. pp. 114–116. ISBN0-71100-151-0.
^Casserley, H.C. (1971). London & South Western Locomotives. London: Allan. pp. 114–116. ISBN0-71100-151-0.