LB&SCR D3 2379 SR 0-4-4T Locomotive before withdrawal in 1952
The LB&SCR D3 class was a 0-4-4T tank locomotive design, by Robert J. Billinton, built for the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) between 1892 and 1896. They were built for working passenger trains along country and main lines. They were initially known as D Bogies or Bogie Tanks. The class, along with other Billinton and Stroudley engines, were reboilered. Two were rebuilt as class D3x with larger boilers, but this proved to be ineffective, and smaller boilers were used on the rest, which remained as class D3. After the First World War, the class were increasing more at the countryside end of the system in their operating scope. Giving good service from the 1890s until the early 1950s, the D3s were usually to be found on odrinary passenger trains, both on the main line and branches, particularly the LB&SCR’s Kent and Sussex routes with some, such as No. 378 Horsted Keynes, hardly ever venturing up to London. They were also to be found, in Southern Railway days, working lines such as Hastings-Ashford and it was in this area that one, No. 2365, entered the history books when credited with causing the downfall of an enemy aeroplane that attacked it whilst working a local service across Romney Marsh. Apparently a part of the low-flying aircraft came into contact with a part of the engine - it is claimed to have been the dome - causing the plane to crash Twenty-eight locomotives passed to British Railways in 1948, and they were numbered 32364-32398 (with gaps). Although still working motor trains successfully, the class in general were becoming worn out. The D3s were replaced by former South Eastern H class and London & South Western M7 class tanks engines during the early 1950s. Most were withdrawn by 1953, but one, 32390, remained in traffic for two more years until being cut up at Brighton Works in 1955
Size: 2477px × 1580px
Location: Unknown
Photo credit: © Digbydachshund / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 0-4-4t, 2379, d3, lb&scr, locomotive, railway, southern, sr, steam
