Metropolitan Railway K Class

The Metropolitan Railway K Class consisted of six 2-6-4T steam locomotives, numbered 111 to 116.^[1]

Metropolitan Railway K Class LNER Class L2
No. 114, circa 1928
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Armstrong Whitworth Build date 1925
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-6-4T  • UIC 1'C2'ht Leading dia. 37 in (940 mm) Driver dia. 5 ft 6 in (1,680 mm) Trailing dia. 37 in (940 mm) Wheelbase 36 ft 7 in (11,150 mm) Axle load 18.45 long tons (18.75 t; 20.66 short tons) Loco weight 87.35 long tons (88.75 t; 97.83 short tons) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 4.00 long tons (4.06 t; 4.48 short tons) Water cap. 2,000 imp gal (9,100 L; 2,400 US gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 25 sq ft (2.3 m2) Boiler pressure 200 psi (1.38 MPa) superheated Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 135 sq ft (12.5 m2)  • Tubes 1,017 sq ft (94.5 m2)  • Flues 356 sq ft (33.1 m2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 285 sq ft (26.5 m2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 19 in × 28 in (483 mm × 711 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts Valve type 10 in (254 mm) piston valves
Performance figures Tractive effort 26,036 lbf (115.81 kN)
Career Operators Metropolitan Railway London and North Eastern Railway Class MET: K LNER L2 Number in class 6 Numbers MET:111–116 LNER 6158–6163 Retired 1943–1948 Disposition All scrapped

Construction

They were built by Armstrong Whitworth in 1925, using parts manufactured at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, to the design of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway N class 2-6-0 locomotives and part of a family of 200 or so "mogul" engines designed by Richard Maunsell.^[2] Final design was by the Metropolitan Railway's George Hally.^[3] The boilers had been made by Robert Stephenson and Company of Darlington.^[4] Some unusual variations included footsteps below the buffer beam and curved handrails at the front either side of the smokebox.^[2]

Service

The K Class were used on heavy freight trains along London's Metropolitan Railway mainline, including coal to the power station at Neasden,^[1] although they were used on occasional passenger trains. In 1937, all six were transferred to the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) where they were based at Neasden (LNER) Shed. The LNER numbered them 6158–6163, and classified them as L2 Class.^[1] They were used for passenger services for a short stint in 1938 and 1942 when H2 4-4-4T's were unavailable for maintenance or transferred elsewhere.^[3]

Withdrawal

All were withdrawn and scrapped between 1943 and 1948.^[2]