The LBSCR I2 class was a class of 4-4-2 steam tank locomotives designed by D. E. Marsh for suburban passenger service on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. The I4 class were of the same design but incorporated a superheated boiler.
I2 class
In 1907, following the failure of his I1 class, Douglas Earle Marsh sought to fix some of their flaws with a new 4-4-2T design with a longer wheelbase, larger boiler and detailed changes to the front end. In the original order, five of the locomotives would incorporate a superheated boiler to be supplied by the North British Locomotive Company, and the remainder traditional saturated steam boilers from Brighton railway works. In the event, the superheated boilers were delayed in construction and so all ten I2 locomotives had traditional boilers.
I4 class
When the superheated boilers eventually arrived they were used for five further locomotives of the same design as the I2, but these were classified as I4.
However neither the I2 nor I4 class addressed the fundamental problems with the I1 class, that being a small firebox. As a result, the two classes had relatively short lives working lightly loaded secondary services, and the Stroudley D1 and Billinton E4 classes which they were meant to replace continued working.
Numbering
LB&SCR numbers were 11-20 and 31-35. The Southern Railway, which acquired the locomotives in 1923, initially numbered them B11-B20, B31-35 and later 2011-2020, 2031-2035.
Withdrawal
All the I2 were withdrawn between 1933 and 1939 but two locomotives, numbers 2013 and 2019, saw further service on the Longmoor Military Railway where they survived until at least 1947. There they were numbered 2400 and 2401 respectively. These numbers were later changed to 72400 and 72401. The I4 class were withdrawn between 1936 and 1940. No examples of either class have been preserved.
Locomotive summary
+I2 class locomotive fleet summary LB&SC Number Built S.R. Number Withdrawal Notes 11 2011 I2 12 2012 I2 13 2013 I2, became W.D. 72400 Earl Roberts 14 2014 I2 15 2015 I2 16 2016 I2 17 2017 I2 18 2018 I2 19 2019 I2, became W.D. 72401 20 2020 I2 31 2031 I4 32 2032 I4 33 2033 I4 34 2034 I4 35 2035 I4
References
Sources
External links Marsh I2 Class 4-4-2T at semgonline.com