List of SECR K and SR K1 class locomotives
# List of SECR K and SR K1 class locomotives

A list of the names and numbers of the SECR K and SR K1 classes of 2-6-4 tank engines that formed the River class: locomotives initially running on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR), and subsequently operated by its successor, the Southern Railway (SR) from 1923. The majority of the class consisted of 2-cylinder locomotives built to an SECR design by Richard Maunsell, but one 3-cylinder version, the K1 class, was constructed by the Southern Railway in 1925. They were given the names of various rivers by the Southern Railway in a publicity measure to advertise the area that the railway served.

In 1928 the class was converted to the 2-cylinder U class and 3-cylinder U1 class 2-6-0 specifications after crews reported instability when running fast over the lightly laid rails of the former SECR network. The poor running culminated in the 1927 Sevenoaks railway accident, following which the locomotives were withdrawn. Once rebuilt, the former members of the K and K1 classes subsequently lost their names due to the bad publicity attached to them after this accident. All the rebuilt locomotives saw service with British Railways (BR), and all were withdrawn from service by 1966.

## Tables of locomotive details

### SECR and Southern Railway-built K class 2-cylinder locomotives

| SECR No. | SR No (before/after rebuilding) | BR No. (as U class) | Name | Builder | Date built | Date Rebuilt as U class | Rebuilt at | Withdrawn | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 790 | A790/1790 | 31790 | River Avon | Ashford | June 1917 | June 1928 | Eastleigh | May 1965 | |
| — | A791/1791 | 31791 | River Adur | Armstrong Whitworth | May 1925 | July 1928 | Eastleigh | June 1966 | |
| — | A792/1792 | 31792 | River Arun | Armstrong Whitworth | May 1925 | July 1928 | Eastleigh | September 1964 | |
| — | A793/1793 | 31793 | River Ouse | Armstrong Whitworth | May 1925 | June 1928 | Eastleigh | May 1964 | |
| — | A794/1794 | 31794 | River Rother | Armstrong Whitworth | May 1925 | June 1928 | Eastleigh | June 1963 | |
| — | A795/1795 | 31795 | River Medway | Armstrong Whitworth | June 1925 | June 1928 | Eastleigh | June 1963 | |
| — | A796/1796 | 31796 | River Stour | Armstrong Whitworth | June 1925 | July 1928 | Eastleigh | January 1964 | |
| — | A797/1797 | 31797 | River Mole | Armstrong Whitworth | June 1925 | June 1928 | Ashford | January 1964 | |
| — | A798/1798 | 31798 | River Wey | Armstrong Whitworth | June 1925 | August 1928 | Ashford | September 1964 | |
| — | A799/1799 | 31799 | River Test | Armstrong Whitworth | June 1925 | July 1928 | Ashford | February 1965 | |
| — | A800/1800 | 31800 | River Cray | Brighton | July 1926 | December 1928 | Ashford | October 1965 | Involved in the 1927 Sevenoaks railway accident |
| — | A801/1801 | 31801 | River Darenth | Brighton | July 1926 | July 1928 | Ashford | June 1964 | |
| — | A802/1802 | 31802 | River Cuckmere | Brighton | August 1926 | July 1928 | Ashford | September 1964 | |
| — | A803/1803 | 31803 | River Itchen | Brighton | August 1926 | June 1928 | Brighton | March 1966 | |
| — | A804/1804 | 31804 | River Tamar | Brighton | September 1926 | June 1928 | Brighton | June 1964 | |
| — | A805/1805 | 31805 | River Camel | Brighton | October 1926 | March 1928 | Ashford | July 1963 | |
| — | A806/1806 | 31806 | River Torridge | Brighton | October 1926 | June 1928 | Brighton | January 1964 | Converted to a U class locomotive, preserved on the Swanage Railway; Operational |
| — | A807/1807 | 31807 | River Axe | Brighton | November 1926 | September 1928 | Brighton | January 1964 | |
| — | A808/1808 | 31808 | River Char | Brighton | November 1926 | July 1928 | Brighton | January 1964 | |
| — | A809/1809 | 31809 | River Dart | Brighton | December 1926 | July 1928 | Brighton | January 1966 | |

### Southern Railway-built K1 class 3-cylinder locomotive

| SR No. (before/after rebuilding) | BR No. (as U1 class) | Name | Builder | Date built | Date Rebuilt as U1 class | Rebuilt at | Withdrawn | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| A890/1890 | 31890 | River Frome | Ashford | December 1925 | June 1928 | Ashford | June 1963 | U1 class prototype |

## Unbuilt locomotives

A further 20 K class locomotives were projected, but the order was cancelled after the derailment of No. A800 River Cray at Sevenoaks, Kent in August 1927 and subsequent withdrawal of the class for rebuilding. The projected names were selected as thus:

A610 River Beaulieu, A611 River Blackwater, A612 River Bourne, A613 River Bray, A614 River Creedy A615 River Ebble, A616 River Eden, A617 River Anton, A618 River Hamble, A619 River Taw, A620 River Lymington, A621 River Parret, A622 River Medina, A623 River Exe, A624 River Allen, A625 River Seaton, A626 River Tiddy, A627 River Tavy, A628 River Lynher, A629 River Titchfield.

These unused K class numbers, but not the names, were later allocated to the first production batch of the U class 2-6-0 from 1928. Although a batch of ten K1 class locomotives was also ordered during 1927, no names had been allocated before cancellation.Out of these unbuilt K class members, nos. A618 and A625 are preserved as U Class locomotives

## Location link

* Swanage Railway
