Only eight of the South Eastern
and Chatham Railway P class locos were ever built of which No 753 was
the first to enter traffic. Remarkably four of the class still
survive today.
Built in 1909 just
12 miles away at Ashford, the "P" is very much a local engine.
During 1936 and again in 1938 it was hired to the original K&ESR
to cover motive power shortages.
As BR 31556 the "P" was sold to James Hodson & Sons, millers
of Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge in June 1961 and was named Pride
of Sussex, the brand name of the firm’s products. For nearly ten years
it worked around the mill and that part of the K&ESR (by then a
private siding) to Robertsbridge station yard. Take-over of the mill
resulted in closure of the siding and the locomotive’s acquisition for
use on the K&ESR in 1970.
The "P" is outwardly similar
in many ways to a Terrier. It has to be said though that despite being
built more than 30 years after the Terriers it is not as powerful. The
"P" is currently restricted to hauling a maximum train weight
of 75 tons, 10 tons less than it's older shedmate.
Crew comfort on the "P"
is far superior to the Terrier with far better weather protection afforded
by the pagoda style cab roof and cab doors. The footplate is also slightly
larger than the Terrier and is also much more user friendly. Drivers
appreciate the ease of operation of the steam operated reverser, particularly
when shunting. When built No 753 was fitted with a conventional
lever type reverser.
The "P" is fitted with
a Gresham & Craven vacuum brake ejector although, unlike the Terriers,
the vacuum brake is the only means of braking fitted to the loco.
The disadvantage of this is that the vacuum brake is not as powerful
as an air brake when shunting or working unfitted trains, the advantage
is the lack of a Westinghouse pump requiring attention through the day.
Fireman generally find the "P"
an easy loco to fire. She is fitted with a standard type of sliding
firehole door and easy to use injectors. The loco is fitted
with a flat grate and will steam very well with a nice thin and bright
fire. As is the case with the Terriers, the Fireman needs to have his
wits about him as the loco can very quickly go "off the boil".
The P Class is a
popular little locomotive with the K&ESR crews and our visitors
alike.
More
about this locomotive
Other
preserved P Class locomotives
No
323
No
27
No
1178
These three locomotives are all
preserved on the Bluebell Railway along with three other examples of
SE&CR locomotives : -
H
Class No 263
O1
Class No 65
C
Class No 592
Also preserved at the National Railway
Museum at York : -
D
Class No 737
