The G&SWR 45 Class were 0-6-2T steam locomotives designed by Peter Drummond for the Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR) of which 18 were built in 1915-1917, followed by a further 10 of a slightly modified design in 1919 after Robert Whitelegg took over as Chief Mechanical Engineer.
History The G&SWR had historically made relatively little use of tank engines, and those which it owned in 1915 were exclusively small locomotives for shunting or suburban passenger services. However, Drummond's tenure as Locomotive Superintendent was a time of considerable change for G&SWR locomotive design and the 45 Class marked a departure from previous practice, as they were built for goods and mineral traffic which had previously used tender engines such as 0-6-0s. They were particularly associated with the Ayrshire coalfield, and were thus a Scottish equivalent to the many Welsh 0-6-2T locomotives employed on similar duties in the South Wales valleys.
Their design had many similarities to the Highland Railway X Class 0-6-4Ts which Drummond had built for his previous employer. The Whitelegg engines of 1919 had slightly increased water tank capacity and some minor detail changes, most obviously to the shape of the cabside cutouts, and were employed on similar traffic. Shortly prior to these entering service the entire G&SWR locomotive fleet had been renumbered, and the type now became known as the 1 Class under the new numbering system.
The locomotives were much more successful than some of Drummond's earlier designs for the G&SWR, although their limited water tankage compared to tender engines became a problem after they passed into London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) ownership in 1923. The LMS wanted to increase the loads which former G&SWR locomotives were permitted to haul, and whilst the 0-6-2Ts were capable of hauling heavier trains they lacked sufficient water capacity to complete longer journeys. They were therefore redeployed to shunting and short-distance trip workings, and the class became quite widely dispersed.
By the time withdrawals commenced in 1936 some examples were allocated to Carlisle, Workington and various former Midland Railway depots elsewhere in England. One even spent some years banking on the Highland Main Line. During World War II the surviving locomotives were all returned to the former G&SWR system. Only one, No. 16905, survived into British Railways (BR) ownership in 1948, and this was withdrawn the same year without receiving its BR number. Four locomotives were sold into industrial service and the last survivor was the former LMS 16908 which worked at Ashington Colliery until 1955. All were scrapped.
Numbering and locomotive histories The class was originally designated 45 Class but, after the G&SWR's 1919 renumbering, this was changed to 1 Class. The LMS initially numbered them 16400-16427 but in 1926 changed this to 16900-16927 to make space for new LMS 3F 0-6-0Ts.
+ Table of locomotivesG&SWR no. (pre-1919)G&SWR no. (post-1919)LMS no. (pre-1926)LMS no. (post-1926)builder's numberdate delivereddate withdrawnnotes 45 23 16422 16922 NBL 21242 84 24 16423 16923 NBL 21243 90 25 16424 16924 NBL 21244 91 26 16425 16925 NBL 21245 122 11 16410 16910 NBL 21246 sold to Robert McAlpine & Sons no.80 284 22 16421 16921 NBL 21247 101 27 16426 16926 NBL 21507 102 28 16427 16927 NBL 21508 141 12 16411 16911 NBL 21509 142 13 16412 16912 NBL 21510 143 14 16413 16913 NBL 21511 144 15 16414 16914 NBL 21512 145 16 16415 16915 NBL 21513 146 17 16416 16916 NBL 21514 147 18 16417 16917 NBL 21515 148 19 16418 16918 NBL 21516 149 20 16419 16919 NBL 21517 150 21 16420 16920 NBL 21518 1 16400 16900 NBL 22070 2 16401 16901 NBL 22071 3 16402 16902 NBL 22072 4 16403 16903 NBL 22073 sold to Robert McAlpine & Sons no.81 5 16404 16904 NBL 22074 sold to Ashington Coal Company no.1 6 16405 16905 NBL 22075 withdrawn before receiving BR number 56905 7 16406 16906 NBL 22076 8 16407 16907 NBL 22077 9 16408 16908 NBL 22078 sold to Ashington Coal Company no.2 10 16409 16909 NBL 22079
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