London and South Western Railway 1893

Description

4-4-0 the LSWR T3 class was one of the family of four similar express passenger 4-4-0 steam locomotives designed for the London and South Western Railway by William Adams. Twenty were constructed between 1892 – 1893. These four classes represented the pinnacle of his career and were at least on par with, and in many cases better than, contemporary locomotives of other lines. Although each of these four classes had outside cylinders, which tended to lead to unsteadiness, these locomotives had long wheelbases and always ran freely as well as being powerful for their day. All passed to the Southern Railway at the grouping in 1923. Withdrawals started in 1930, and by the end of 1933 only three remained. No. 557 went in 1936, 571 in 1943, and the last, 563 was retired in August 1945 and set aside for preservation. Part of the National Railway Museum collection, its permanent home is the Shildon Locomotion Museum Co Durham, UK.