The Schools Class

One of the masterpieces of British locomotive practice came about almost by accident.

Soon after the introduction of Maunsell's 'Lord Nelson' 4-6-Os on the Southern Railway, late in 1926, the Traffic Department had urgent need of a smaller version of the same basic design, suitable for hauling 400-ton passenger trains at an average speed of 55 mph.

In line with Maunsell's policy of standardization, the new design was to utilize as many of the 'Lord Nelson' parts as possible, such as cylinders, wheels and motion, and in 1930 the first locomotive appeared.

No. 900 was the first of forty 4-4-Os named after famous public schools, such as Rugby and Winchester, and was an immediate success. With three 16 1/2 inch x 26 inch cylinders and 6 ft 7 inch coupled wheels, the 'Schools' class had 220-lb boiler pressure and were the most powerful 4-4-Os ever built in Britain.

At first they were used on the Hastings line and on the Charing Cross-Folkestone expresses, but soon their use was extended to the North Kent line, on which our picture shows ' Hurstpierpoint' passing Beechings Crossing with a Ramsgate express, and to the very hilly Waterloo-Portsmouth route where they worked with great distinction.

Some of the class were modified with multiple-jet blast pipes and large-diameter chimneys, but in general they remained exactly as built.

After their pre-war hunting grounds were largely electrified, the 'Schools ' had few chances to show their full capabilities, but they remained firm favorites with their crews until the last and will go down in history as Maunsell's finest design.