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Victorian Railways L class (1859)

{{Short description|Class of Australian 2-4-0ST steam locomotives}}

{{about|the 1859 L class steam locomotive|the 1953 L class electric locomotives|Victorian Railways L class}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}{{Use Australian English|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox locomotive

| name = Victorian Railways L class (1861)

| powertype = Steam

| image =

| caption =

| designer =

| builder = George England and Co., Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (7)
Slaughter, Gruning & Co., Bristol, UK (3)

| ordernumber =

| serialnumber = George England: 156 - 159, 164 - 166
Slaughter & Grüning: 408 - 410

| buildmodel =

| builddate = 1859 - 1860

| totalproduction = 10

| rebuilder =

| rebuilddate =

| numberrebuilt =

| whytetype = {{whyte|2-4-0ST}}

| gauge = {{RailGauge|victorian|allk=on|first=imp}}

| bogies =

| leadingdiameter = {{cvt|3|ft|6|in|mm}}

| driverdiameter = {{cvt|5|ft|0|in|mm}}

| trailingdiameter =

| tenderdiameter =

| wheelbase = {{cvt|14|ft|6|in|m}}

| engine total =

| leading =

| coupled = {{cvt|7|ft|6|in|mm}}

| trailing =

| tender total =

| tenderbogie =

| pivotcentres =

| length =

| over couplers = {{cvt|28|ft|6|in|m}}{{VictorianRailways-Diagrams|1904|page=4}}

| body =

| width =

| height = {{cvt|13|ft|4|in|m}}

| axleload = {{long ton|13|11|lk=on}}{{Cave-First Fifty|page=36}}
1904 diagram: {{long ton|12|18|lk=on}}

| leadingbogie/pony =

| coupled all =

| trail bogie/pony =

| tenderbogieload =

| tenderaxle =

| locoweight = {{long ton|37|7|lk=on}}
1904 diagram: {{long ton|35|14|lk=on}}

| tenderweight =

| locotenderweight =

| tendertype =

| fueltype =

| fuelcap = {{long ton||20|lk=on}}

| watercap = {{cvt|1195|impgal|L USgal}}

| tendercap =

| sandcap =

| fireboxtype =

| firearea = {{cvt|14.00|sqft|m2}}

| boiler =

| boilerpressure = {{cvt|130|psi|kPa|0|lk=on}}
1904 diagram:

  • 14, 18, 22 - 32: {{cvt|130|psi|kPa|0|lk=on}}
  • 16: {{cvt|100|psi|kPa|0|lk=on}}
  • 20: {{cvt|110|psi|kPa|0|lk=on}}

| safetyvalvetype =

| totalsurface = {{cvt|1173.88|sqft|m2|0}}

| tubearea = {{cvt|1086.63|sqft|m2}}

| archarea =

| fluearea =

| tubesandflues =

| fireboxarea = {{cvt|87.25|sqft|m2}}

| superheatertype =

| superheaterarea =

| cylindercount = 2, inside

| cylindersize = {{cvt|16|×|22|in|mm|0}}
1904 diagram: {{cvt|15|×|22|in|mm|0}}

| valvegear =

| gear ratio =

| locobrakes =

| trainbrakes =

| safety =

| coupling =

| maxspeed =

| poweroutput =

| tractiveeffort = {{cvt|9386|lbf|kN|lk=on|abbr=on}} at 100 psi
1904 diagram - 130psi: {{cvt|8580|lbf|kN|lk=on|abbr=on}}

| operator = Victorian Railways

| numinclass = 10

| fleetnumbers = Numbers at delivery: 16-25 (never ran with these), Numbers in service: 14-32 (even only)

| officialname =

| nicknames =

| deliverydate = 1860

| firstrundate = January 1861

| lastrundate = 20 January 1906
({{A.y|January 1861|20 January 1906}})

| withdrawndate = 1900 - 1906

| preservedunits =

| scrapdate =

| currentowner =

| disposition = All scrapped

| notes =

}}

The Victorian Railways L class was a class of {{whyte|2-4-0ST}} passenger locomotives operated by the Victorian Railways between 1861 and 1906, built by both George England and Co., Newcastle upon Tyne, England and Slaughter, Gruning & Co., Bristol, England.

History

Victorian Railways initially numbered passenger and goods locomotives separately, the engines were delivered with numbers 16–25. This system was changed before these locos entered service to odd numbers for goods locomotives and even numbers for passenger locos with these locomotives taking the even numbers 14–32. This odd and even system remained in use until 1912. In 1886, they were allocated to Class L.

=Production=

Seven locomotives were built by George England and Co. in 1859 with builder's numbers 156–166, and a further three were built by Slaughter, Grüning & Co. in 1860 with builder's numbers 408–410 at an average cost of £3305-18-8 for each loco.

=Regular service=

Upon introduction they were used on the Williamstown and Geelong lines, and hauled the first train on the Geelong–Ballarat line in 1862. In 1893, seven were allocated to Melbourne and three were stored.

They finished their days on suburban lines such as the {{rwsa|Fairfield|m}} to {{rwsa|Riversdale}} section of the Outer Circle line and the Burnley to Darling line.

=Design improvements=

Over the years they were fitted with various alterations to the cabs. There were also various upgrades over the years; with constant improvements to safety — these including things like updates to safety valves (and domes), smokeboxs and chimneys (with spark arrestors), and brakes.

L14 received a new boiler in 1875, L26 in 1884, L16 & L18 in 1885, and L24 in 1886.

=Accidents=

  • 24 December 1878 - L14 collided with V13 in the Melbourne Yard
  • 19 February 1879 - L14 collided with Q95 at {{rwsa|Essendon}}
  • 28 August 1883 - L20 collided with O79 at {{rwsa|Newmarket|m}}
  • 13 May 1888 - L28 ran through crossing gates at {{rwsa|Clifton Hill}}
  • May 1891 - L32 ran through crossing gates at {{rwsa|Deepdene|m}}

=Demise=

L28 was used as a stationary engine at Newport Workshops to drive forging machines between 1900 and {{circa|1908}}. L16 was used as a stationary engine at Mathieson's siding, {{VICcity|Wandong}} from 1902. In September 1904, L32 had its tank, wheels, axles, and brakes removed and was sold to Sanderson's saw mill, Otway Ranges for £250 where it apparently survived until finally being scrapped {{circa|1941}}.

The remainder were withdrawn between 1904 and 1906.{{Cave-First Fifty|chapter=Chapter 4}}

Fleet summary

class="wikitable"

!Key:

|In service

|bgcolor=#87cefa|Preserved

|bgcolor=#ffc0cb|Stored or withdrawn

|bgcolor=#cecece|Scrapped

class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"

! scope="col" | Locomotive

! scope="col" | Previous numbers

! scope="col" | Builder no.

! scope="col" | Entered service

! scope="col" | Withdrawn

! scope="col" | Scrapped

! scope="col" |Status

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

bgcolor=#cecece

| L14

16156{{dts|January 1861}}{{dts|11 June 1904}}ScrappedReboilered - 5 August 1875
bgcolor=#cecece

| L16

17157{{dts|January 1861}}{{dts|1902}}ScrappedReboilered - 17 December 1885. Stationary boiler at Mathieson's siding - 1902
bgcolor=#cecece

| L18

18158{{dts|July 1861}}{{dts|25 November 1905}}ScrappedReboilered - 26 October 1885
bgcolor=#cecece

| L20

19159{{dts|January 1861}}{{dts|20 January 1906}}Scrapped
bgcolor=#cecece

| L22

20164{{dts|December 1861}}{{dts|18 November 1905}}Scrapped
bgcolor=#cecece

| L24

21165{{dts|December 1861}}{{dts|22 October 1904}}ScrappedReboilered - 28 April 1886
bgcolor=#cecece

| L26

22166{{dts|September 1861}}{{dts|17 September 1904}}ScrappedReboilered - 13 June 1884
bgcolor=#cecece

| L28

23408{{dts|June 1861}}{{dts|1900}}{{circa|1908}}ScrappedStationary engine at Newport - 1900
bgcolor=#cecece

| L30

24409{{dts|May 1861}}{{dts|23 July 1904}}Scrapped
bgcolor=#cecece

| L32

25410{{dts|June 1861}}{{dts|October 1904}}{{circa|1941}}ScrappedSold to Sanderson's saw mill (£250) - September 1904

References

  • {{cite book| author=Dee| title=Power Parade| publisher=VicRail Public Relations Division| location=Melbourne| year=1981| isbn=0-7241-3323-2| display-authors=etal| page=3}}
  • {{Cave-First Fifty|chapter=Chapter 4|pages=33-36}}

=Specific=

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://museumsvictoria.com.au/media/12187/h1045-12800-00001-000004-090.jpg L class steam locomotive no. 26]
  • [https://museumsvictoria.com.au/media/12188/h1059-12800-00001-000005-030.jpg L class steam locomotive no. 18]
  • [https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/E11707DA-F822-11E9-AE98-BB58057C4DE8?image=1 VPRS 12903/P0001, 301/04] - Drawing of L class steam locomotive 2-4-0 st c1861
  • [https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/4AB9947E-F7DD-11E9-AE98-0B51C916CA80?image=1 VPRS 12800/P0001, H 1938A] - L/class steam locomotive no.20 and mallee carriage 70a
  • [https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/58C52925-F7DD-11E9-AE98-9B8C177BC6F8?image=1 VPRS 12800/P0001, H 2388] - L class steam locomotive no.22 leaving Somerton for Broadmeadows-Essendon 1899
  • [https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/61687750-F7DD-11E9-AE98-37E339F202DF?image=1 VPRS 12800/P0001, H 2711] - L class steam locomotive no.22 at Spencer Street early 1880s

{{VRLocos}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Victorian Railways L Class 1861}}

Category:2-4-0ST locomotives

Category:1B n2t locomotives

Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1861

Category:Scrapped locomotives

Category:Broad gauge locomotives in Australia

L class 1861

Category:George England and Company locomotives

Category:Avonside locomotives

Category:Passenger locomotives