LB&SCR C2 class

LB&SCR C2 class
C2 class 2436 at Brighton in 1948.
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer R. J. Billinton rebuilt D. E. Marsh Builder Vulcan Foundry Serial number 1375–1386, 1412–1419, 1699–1718, 1813–1827 Build date 1893–1902 Total produced 55 Rebuild date 1908–1940
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-0 Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 5 ft 0 in (1.524 m) Wheelbase 16 ft 0 in (4.88 m) Loco weight 38 long tons (38.6 t; 42.6 short tons); C2 class 45 long tons (45.7 t; 50.4 short tons) C2X class Fuel type Coal Water cap 2,420 imp gal (11,002 L; 2,906 US gal) Boiler pressure 160 psi (1.10 MPa) C2 class 170 psi (1.17 MPa) C2X class Cylinders Two, inside Cylinder size 17.5 in × 26 in (444 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 18,050 lbf (80.3 kN) C2 class 19,175 lbf (85.3 kN) C2X class
Career Power class 2F Withdrawn 1935–1950 C2 class 1957-1962 C2X class Disposition All Scrapped

The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway C2 class was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotives, intended for heavy freight trains. Fifty-five were built by the Vulcan Foundry between 1893 and 1902 to the design of Robert J. Billinton. Forty-five of these were later rebuilt between 1908 and 1940, with a larger boiler as the C2X class.

In January 1891 Robert Billinton was given authority to build ten new 0-6-0 freight locomotives, to supplement Stroudley's C1 class of 1882-7. However, at the time, Brighton works was fully committed building Billinton's various classes of radial tanks and so tenders were sought from outside contractors. Ultimately the Vulcan Foundry agreed to construct these ten locomotives, and further orders were received at intervals until 55 had been purchased by February 1902. The class were therefore nicknamed 'Vulcans'.

The new class were not as powerful as their predecessors but were found to be both reliable and also capable of running at speed, thereby enabling them to be used on secondary passenger and excursion duties. As a result, a further ten were ordered from Vulcan Foundry, which were delivered 1893-4, and twenty five delivered 1900-1902.

During the first decade of the twentieth century the railway experienced a rapid growth in freight traffic and by 1905 their locomotives were no longer capable of hauling the heaviest trains without loss of time. Douglas Earle Marsh's initial response was to introduce his C3 class with a larger boiler in 1906, but the performance of these also proved to be disappointing.

However, in 1908 Marsh rebuilt one C2 with a larger diameter C3 steel boiler and an extended smokebox. In doing so he created an excellent powerful freight locomotive that was classified "C2X", and nicknamed 'Large Vulcans.' The modification was so successful that twenty-nine out of the original fifty-five members of the class were similarly rebuilt by the end of 1912. By this time the class were beginning to struggle to keep time when hauling the heaviest freight trains and began to be superseded on these by the K class 2-6-0 in 1913/14, but were nevertheless kept very busy during the First World War on military supply and munitions trains, and three further C2’s had been rebuilt by the end of 1922.