4-4-0T Class A & B Metropolitan Profile and Models
No. 23 at the London Transport Museum in June 2009. ©Hugh Llewelyn
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The Metropolitan Railway A Class and B Class were 4-4-0T condensing steam locomotives built for the Metropolitan Railway by Beyer Peacock, first used in 1864. A total of 40 A Class and 26 of the slightly different B Class were delivered by 1885. Used underground, the locomotives condensed their steam, and coke or smokeless coal was burnt to reduce the smoke. Most locomotives were withdrawn after electrification in the early 20th century, forty having been sold by 1907. By 1936 only one remained, and this is now preserved at the London Transport Museum. Beyer Peacock built a number of 4-4-0T locomotives to the same basic 'Metropolitan' design, for the London & South Western Railway and the Midland Railway, as two examples, with others being sold on by the Metropolitan to other railway companies. As well as working in Britain, examples of the same basic pattern of Beyer Peacock 4-4-0Ts are known to have operated in Spain, on the Tudela–Bilbao Railway, and in Germany, on the Rhenische Railway. |
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Type of Locomotive |
Steam |
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Builder |
Beyer, Peacock & Co |
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Build Date |
1864 to 1870 (A Class) 1879 to 1885 (B Class) |
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Total Built |
148 |
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Tractive Effort |
8,632 lbf (Original) 11,156 lbf (Rebuilt) |
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Wheel Configuration |
4-4-0T |
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Operated By |
Metropolitan Railway District Railway London & South Western Railway London & North Western Railway Midland Railway Mersey Railway Pelaw Main Colliery West Somerset Mineral Railway Nidd Valley Railway Cambrian Railway North Wales Granite Co Tudela and Bilbao Railway (Spain) Madrid Sugar Co (Spain) Basconia Steelworks (Spain) Rhenish Railway Co (Germany) |
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Main Duties |
Mixed Traffic |
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In Service Until |
1935 (Main passenger services) 1948 (Shunting) |
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Surviving Examples |
2 |
