4-4-0 Class L1 SR Profile and Models

The Southern Railway L1 class was a class of 4-4-0 steam tender locomotives built for express passenger service on the South Eastern Main Line of the Southern Railway. They were designed by Richard Maunsell as a development of Harry Wainwright's L class. The locomotives were used on express trains on the South Eastern main lines from London to Dover, Ramsgate and Hastings. They remained on these duties until the mid-1930s when they were gradually replaced on the heavier trains by the older "King Arthur" and newer "Schools" classes. They continued to be used on the former London Chatham and Dover Railway main line to Dover and Ramsgate until after the Second World War and the nationalisation of British Railways in 1948. The transfer of Bulleid "Light Pacifics" to these services in the early 1950s made the class largely redundant. Withdrawals began in 1959, and the final example (31786) was withdrawn in February 1962. None survived to be preserved.

(Information provided via Wikipedia)

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Surviving Examples