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LSWR Drummond M7 class 0-4-4T

photograph: Mike Morant collection.

Pull-push fitted M7 Class N°111 photographed at Eastleigh during 1934.

Dugald Drummond became Locomotive Superintendent of the LSWR in 1895 (his title changed to Chief Mechanical Engineer in 1905) and his first new class after continuing construction of some Adams designs was the M7 0-4-4T. This was derived from his NBR 157 class from 1877, which itself was an enlargement of the LBSCR D1 class. Construction commenced in 1897 and continued in batches until 1911, there being five major sets of design variants. Between 1897 and 1899 engines were built with a short overhang at the front, sandboxes combined with the front splashers, injectors, lever reverse and conical smokebox doors on numbers 252-256. In 1900 the design was changed to have the sandboxes inside the smokebox. In 1903 a long overhang on the front end was introduced and steam reverse gear fitted. During 1904 and 1905 construction moved the sandboxes back to the front splasher and new items were feed water heating, single ram pumps and balanced crank axles. For the remainder of the construction until 1911 duplex pumps were fitted. A total of one hundred and five were finally built.

When first introduced several of the class were allocated to work express passenger services between Exeter and Plymouth but they were withdrawn from this duty after a major derailment at Tavistock. However the class became synonymous with local main line and branch workings as well as London suburban services until this role was overtaken by electrification. When in 1912 the LSWR introduced push-pull services on some branch lines many of the class were fitted with a cable and pulley system of operation. However the Southern Railway subsequently adopted the LBSCR compressed air control system and thirty six of the class were converted to this between 1930 and 1937. Because of the extra space need to fit the compressor these conversions were confined to long framed members of the class, and a further four rather late conversions appeared between 1960 and 1962 as a result of frames being exchanged during overhaul.

Therefore all but two of the class survived into British Railways days and continued to perform the same sort of work they did for the LSWR and the SR. In the brief period from the end of WW2 and into the early days of nationalisation some members of the class received Bulleid's malachite green livery lined yellow edged with black. Numbers 242, 243 and 676 were painted malachite green by the Southern Railway in 1946/47. N°243 was re-numbered 30243 and re-lettered BRITISH RAILWAYS in unlined malachite in 1948 whilst the other two went direct from SOUTHERN malachite to lined black. The three gained this livery in 1950, 1952 and 1952 respectively.

A further three locos, N°30038, N°30241 and N°30244, were painted malachite by BR in 1948, lettered BRITISH RAILWAYS. They became lined black in 1953, 1953 and 1951 respectively.

Other than for what is noted above, in BR days the class ran in lined black livery.

The most notorious member of the class, engine N°672, gained its repute and met its demise when in 1948 it fell down the lift shaft that gave rolling stock access to the Waterloo & City line. It could only be removed by being cut up in situ. NN°126 was altered in 1921 to superheating which resulted in its boiler being raised, a Urie style stovepipe chimney being fitted and its smokebox being extended. Whilst this conversion was successful and it was planned to perform this work to a further nineteen, the increased weight severely restricted route availability and therefore usefulness. N°126 was thus confined to Windsor line services and eventually Waterloo ECS duties. In 1937 126 was withdrawn and donated its frames to repair N°254, the latter then becoming a long framed version (though in reality the resulting engine owed more to N°126 than N°254).

The last members of the class were withdrawn in May 1964, of which two still exist. N° 245 is now part of the national collection at the National Railway Museum in York where it is only cosmetically preserved. 30053, which spent its latter days working on the Swanage branch, was shipped across the Atlantic in 1967 and went on display at Steamtown USA in Scranton, Pennsylvania. In 1987 it was repatriated by the Drummond Locomotive Society and restored to running condition at the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel & Wakes Colne. It is now in service again on the Swanage Railway.

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  • 42
    Windsor
    In Southern Railway days M7 Class N°42 is seen at Windsor & Eton Riverside station.
    Photograph: Mike Morant collection.
  • 28
    Bournemouth
    Also in Southern Railway days N°28 is seen on the turntable at Bournemouth.
    Photograph: Mike Morant collection.
  • 126
    Waterloo
    N°126 photographed at Waterloo, date not known.
    Photograph: Mike Morant collection.
  • 34
    Barnstaple
    N°34 photographed whilst at Barnstaple shed, date unknown.
    Photograph: Mike Morant collection.
  • 30029
    Three Bridges
    N°30029 waits in the bay platform (N°6) at Three Bridges with a Pull 'n' Push service for East Grinstead whilst a 4-Lav pauses in platform 3 with a stopping service from Victoria to Brighton.
    Photograph by Keith Harwood.
  • 30050
    Chichester
    N°30050 is seen here at Chichester on 26th August 1955.
    Photograph by Trevor Tupper.
  • 30253
    Braunton
    Back on ex-LSWR metals N°30253 is seen here deep in Withered Arm territory at Braunton, with a very non-Southern first coach, on 6th August 1960.
    Photograph by John Bradbeer.
  • 30379
    Three Bridges
    N°30379, with N°30055, on shed at Three Bridges.
    Photograph by Keith Harwood.
  • 30053
    Tunbridge WW
    N°30053 at Tunbridge Wells West, in 1963, being coaled after arrival with an Oxted push-pull.
    Photograph by Keith Harwood.
  • 30055
    Three Bridges
    Carrying Duty N°55, N°30055 waits for departure time in the bay platform at Three Bridges on 7th August 1963.
    Photograph by John Bradbeer.
  • 30029
    Tunbridge WW
    N°30029 shunting at the north end of Tunbridge Wells West. The single line tunnel can be seen to the right of the signal box.
    Photograph by Keith Harwood.
  • 30133
    Three Bridges
    N°30133 at Three Bridges with H Class N°31005.
    Photograph by Keith Harwood.
  • 30053
    Clapham Jn
    The LCGB’s ‘Surrey Wanderer’ railtour of 5th July 1964 started with N°30053 hauling the stock from Waterloo to Shepperton whence the unlikely motive power of N°78038 took over and included Epsom Downs, Tulse Hill and Beckenham Junction in its itinerary until its final destination of Caterham where N°30053 was waiting for the rest of the day’sevents. N°30053 is pictured here Clapham Junction
    Photograph by Mike Morant
  • 30053
    Tattenham Corner
    N°30053 ran bunker first to Purley, thence chimney first to Tattenham Corner followed by a speedy run to Victoria which, of course, was also bunker first as the Tattenham Corner turntable had long since been removed. his is a view of N°30053 when at Tattenham Corner.
    Photograph: Mike Morant collection.
  • 30053
    Caterham
    On 5th July 1964 the last operational M7 which, thankfully, survived into the preservation era, performed the last rites for this illustrious class of locomotive and also brought to an end the once familiar sight of 0-4-4Ts on Britain’s railways. N°30053 is pictured here at Caterham, the final destination of the LCGB’s ‘Surrey Wanderer’ railtour.
    Photograph by Mike Morant.
  • 30133
    Fratton
    Grubby and minus smokebox number, N°30133 is seen towards the end of SR steam at Fratton on 3rd October 1965. According to the shed staff she was one of two M7s in Fratton Shed at that time which were used as a source of some spare parts for the IOW O2s. They had been withdrawn for some time when this picture was taken.
    Photograph by Ray Soper.
  • 30053
    Steamtown
    N°30053 photographed in July 1983 during its time at Steamtown USA in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
    Photograph by Ray Soper.
  • 30053
    Woking 150
    After being repatriated to the UK from America, but before it was restored to running condition, N°30053 put in an appearance at the Woking 150 event seen here on 30th May 1988.
    Photograph by Colin Duff.
  • 30053
    In parts
    N°30053 was reduced to its constituent parts at Chappel & Wakes Colne station. The firebox, boiler and smokebox are being worked on whilst being separated from the frames.
    Photograph video capture by Eric Penn.
  • 30053
    Frames
    It can be seen that the restoration of 30053's frames are well under way at the East Anglian Railway Museum.
    Photograph video capture by Eric Penn.
  • 30053
    Swanage
    A classic scene at Swanage - the front of M7 class N°30053 peeps out of the engine shed.
    Photograph by David Glasspool.
  • 30055
    Eastbourne
    N°30055 at Eastbourne with preserved T9 Class N°120 on 24th June 1962.
    Photograph : Mike Morant collection.
  • 30053
    Washford
    N°30053 was a guest locomotive at the West Somerset Railway's Spring Steam Gala 28th-30th March 2003. The engine is seen here departing Washford station for Minehead on 29th March, double heading with GWR Pannier tank N°5764 and hauling a mixed rake of former DMU trailers and Mk1 coaches.
    Photograph by Colin Duff.
  • 30053
    Bishops Lydeard
    Rear detail of N°30053 seen whilst backing down onto its train in the down platform at Bishops Lydeard on 29th March 2003. The loco was not in very good condition and not a good advertisement for the Southern!
    Photograph by .

Technical Details

Introduced:
Driving Wheel:
Trailing Wheel:
Length:
Weight:
Water Capacity:
Cylinders (2):
Boiler Pressure:
Tractive Effort:
Coal Capacity:
Power Classification:
March 1897
5 ft 7 ins
3 ft 7 in
35 ft 0¼ ins/36 ft 3¼ ins
60 tons 4 cwt *
1,300 gals
18½ in x 26 in
175 lb sq in
19,755 lb
3 tons **
2-P
* Locomotives fitted for pull and push working weigh 62 tons 0 cwt.
** Coal capacity increased from 1920 by addition of two coal rails.
 
LSWR/SR N° # BR N° Date Built Withdrawn
242 30242 Mar 1897 Jun 1958
243 30243 Mar 1897 Sep 1958
244 * 30244 Mar 1897 Nov 1957
245 30245 Apr 1897 Nov 1962 &
246 30246 Apr 1897 Oct 1961
247 30247 Apr 1897 Oct 1961
248 30248 May 1897 Jul 1961
249 30249 May 1897 Jul 1963
250 30250 May 1897 Aug 1957
251 30251 Jun 1897 Jul 1963
252 30252 Jun 1897 Feb 1959
253 30253 Jun 1897 Oct 1961
254 30254 Aug 1897 May 1964
255 30255 Aug 1897 Sep 1960
256 30256 Aug 1897 May 1959
667 30667 Sep 1897 May 1964
668 30668 Sep 1897 Sep 1961
669 30669 Sep 1897 Jul 1961
670 30670 Oct 1897 Mar 1963
671 30671 Oct 1897 Jul 1959
672 - Oct 1897 May 1948 ¶
673 30673 Nov 1897 Aug 1960
674 30674 Nov 1897 Aug 1961
675 30675 Nov 1897 Mar 1958
676 30676 Nov 1897 Jul 1961
31 30031 Mar 1898 May 1963
32 30032 Mar 1898 Jul 1963
33 30033 Apr 1898 Dec 1962
34 30034 Apr 1898 Feb 1963
35 30035 Apr 1898 Feb 1963
36 30036 May 1898 Jan 1964
37 30037 May 1898 May 1958
38 30038 May 1898 Feb 1958
39 30039 May 1898 Feb 1963
40 30040 Jun 1898 Jun 1961
22 30022 Jan 1899 May 1958
23 30023 Jan 1899 Oct 1961
24 30024 Jan 1899 Mar 1963
25 30025 Feb 1899 May 1964
26 30026 Feb 1899 April 1959
41 30041 Mar 1899 Aug 1957
42 30042 Mar 1899 Jun 1957
43 30043 Mar 1899 May 1961
44 30044 Mar 1899 Sep 1961
241 30241 May 1899 Jul 1963
112 30112 Jul 1900 Feb 1963
318 30318 Aug 1900 Dec 1959
319 30319 Aug 1900 Jan 1960
320 30320 Aug 1900 Feb 1963
321 30321 Aug 1900 Sep 1962
322 30322 Aug 1900 Nov 1958
323 30323 Oct 1900 Dec 1959
324 30324 Oct 1900 Sep 1959
356 30356 Oct 1900 Dec 1958
357 30357 Oct 1900 Apr 1961
123 30123 Feb 1903 Jun 1959
124 30124 Feb 1903 May 1961
130 30130 Feb 1903 Dec 1959
132 30132 Mar 1903 Nov 1962
133 30133 Mar 1903 Mar 1964
374 30374 Apr 1903 Oct 1959
375 30375 May 1903 Sep 1962
376 30376 May 1903 Jan 1959
377 30377 May 1903 Aug 1962
378 30378 May 1903 Dec 1962
21 § 30021 Jan 1904 Mar 1964
27 § 30027 Jan 1904 Nov 1959
28 § 30028 Jan 1904 Sep 1962
29 § 30029 Feb 1904 May 1964
30 30030 Feb 1904 Oct 1959
108 § 30108 Mar 1904 May 1964
109 § 30109 Mar 1904 Jun 1961
110 § 30110 Mar 1904 May 1963
111 § 30111 Mar 1904 Jan 1964
379 § 30379 Jun 1904 Oct 1963
104 § 30104 Mar 1905 May 1961
105 § 30105 Mar 1905 May 1963
106 § 30106 Mar 1905 Nov 1960
107 § 30107 Apr 1905 May 1964
45 § 30045 May 1905 Dec 1962
46 § 30046 May 1905 Feb 1959
47 § 30047 May 1905 Feb 1960
48 § 30048 May 1905 Jan 1964
49 § 30049 May 1905 May 1962
50 § 30050 Jun 1905 Jan 1962
51 § 30051 Nov 1905 Sep 1962
52 § 30052 Dec 1905 May 1964
53 § 30053 Dec 1905 May 1964 $
54 § 30054 Dec 1905 Jan 1959
55 § 30055 Dec 1905 Sep 1963
56 § 30056 Jan 1906 Dec 1963
57 § 30057 Jan 1906 Jun 1963
58 § 30058 Mar 1906 Sep 1960
59 § 30059 Mar 1906 Feb 1961
60 § 30060 Mar 1906 Jul 1961
125 § 30125 Aug 1911 Dec 1962
126 30126 Sep 1911 Nov 1963
127 30127 Oct 1911 Nov 1963
128 § 30128 Nov 1911 Jan 1961
129 § 30129 Nov 1911 Nov 1963
131 § 30131 Nov 1911 Nov 1962
328 § 30328 Nov 1911 Mar 1963
479 30479 Nov 1911 Apr 1961
480 § 30480 Nov 1911 May 1964
481 § 30481 Nov 1911 May 1959

* 500th locomotive built at Nine Elms
# Between 1923 and 1928 SR numbers were the L&SWR numbers with the added prefix 'E', although the prefix may not have been removed until some time later!
§ Pull and push fitted.
& Preserved. At the National Railway Museum.
¶ Scrapped after falling down the Waterloo and City lift shaft at Waterloo.
$ Preserved. Now at the Swanage Railway.

This page was last updated 9 July 2020

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