Highland Railway Loch Class

Highland Railway Loch class
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer David Jones Builder Dübs & Co. (15) North British Locomotive (3) Build date 1896 (15), 1917 (3) Total produced 18
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-4-0  • UIC 2′B Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 6 ft 3+1⁄2 in (1,918 mm) Loco weight 54 long tons 10 cwt (122,100 lb or 55.4 t) Boiler pressure 175 lbf/in2 (1.21 MPa) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 19 in × 24 in (483 mm × 610 mm) Valve gear Stephenson
Performance figures Tractive effort 17,070 lbf (75.93 kN)
Career Withdrawn 1930–1950

The Highland Railway Loch class locomotives were small 4-4-0s normally used north of Inverness.

They were introduced in 1896, the design of David Jones, and had the typical Jones appearance with outside cylinders, domed cab roof, louvered chimney,but as with the Jones Goods class 4-6-0 the Allan style front framing was dispensed with.Allan valve gear was still used.

Fifteen were built by Dübs and Company in Glasgow, all going into traffic between July and September 1896:

HR number	Name	LMS number	BR number
119	Loch Insh	14379	54379
120	Loch Ness	14380
121	Loch Ericht	14381
122	Loch Moy	14382
123	Loch an Dorb	14383
124	Loch Laggan	14384
125	Loch Tay	14385	54385
126	Loch Tummel	14386
127	Loch Garry	14387
128	Loch Luichart	14388
129	Loch Maree	14389
130	Loch Fannich	14390
131	Loch Shin	14391
132	Loch Naver	14392
133	Loch Laoghal	14393

Three more were built in 1917 by Dübs' successor, the North British Locomotive Company:

HR number	Name	LMS number
70	Loch Ashie	14394
71	Loch Garve	14395
72	Loch Ruthven	14396

These were needed primarily for the increased traffic on the Kyle line where they were the heaviest locomotives permitted. It should be remembered that this period was when the initial traffic of the United States effort in World War I was flowing, and much was brought to the west coast of Scotland in an effort to reduce the effect of the U-Boat menace. The trains ran from Kyle to Invergordon so it was a wholly HR traffic.

Withdrawal occurred from 1930 onwards, with only two surviving into British Railways ownership. Neither received their allocated BR number before being withdrawn in 1948 ('Loch Insh') and 1950 ('Loch Tay').

They were classified '2P' by the LMS.

References

• Casserley, H. C. & Johnston, Stuart W. (1974) [1966]. Locomotives at the Grouping 3: London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan. p. 141. ISBN 0-7110-0554-0.