D1 Class Tank Engine Worthing

This article is about the D1 class tank engine Worthing and its service during the existence of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) and the Southern Railway.

The associated photograph (in South Coast View’s private collection) is annotated on the reverse as Stroudley D1 class 0-4-2T No. 355 “Worthing”. Kemp Town? According to this Facebook post on the Kemp Town Railway Line Facebook page, the location is indeed Kemp Town.

Kemp Town Branch Line

The Kemp Town branch line operated between 1869 and 1971. It connected Kemp Town Train Station to a junction off the Brighton to Lewes line between London Road and Moulsecoomb stations. Source: Kemp Town branch line. Wikipedia.

Associated image attribution: Walter Dendy, deceased / RCTS Rail Tour at the former Kemp Town station, 1952.

British Rail class A1X Number 32636. — British Rail Terrier class A1X No. 32636 at Kemp Town Station. Ex LBSCR No.72 *Fenchurch*

Brighton Works

Worthing was one of 125 D1 class tank locomotives designed by the railway engineer William Stroudley. Ninety of these, including No. 355 Worthing, were built at the Brighton Works and the remainder at Neilson & Co in Glasgow.

Worthing entered service with the LBSCR in May 1886 as locomotive No. 355.

Source 1: List of LB&SCR D1 class locomotives. Wikipedia. Source 2: Southern Railway (UK). Wikipedia.

Brighton Works depot seen from above on 11 July 1954. — Brighton Works depot seen from above on 11 July 1954

Photo of Brighton Works depot attribution: Ben Brooksbank, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

William Stroudley and his A1 and D1 Class Locomotives

Stroudley D1 class locomotives were more powerful than their predecessor, the Stroudley designed A1 class. The A1’s were commonly referred to as “Terriers.” It is not certain as to how the A1s earned their nickname.

These locomotives were already described as Terriers in a January 1873 article in the Engineer journal. Some reasons for the nickname could be that passengers were impressed by their smart appearance and performance, or the engine drivers being equally impressed. However, the drivers commonly referred to the A1’s as Rooters. Alternatively, Stroudley himself may have christened them as Terriers.

Source: Haresnape Brian. Stroudley Locomotives: A Pictorial History. Page 39. Ian Allan. 1985.

The above lithograph portrait by G. B. Black (dated 1869) is of William Stroudley. Image: Science Museum Group. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0.

While the A1 class engines were used on London suburban routes, the more powerful D1 class were better suited for long distance routes.

Source: Haresnape Brian. Stroudley Locomotives: A Pictorial History. Pages 60-61. Ian Allan. 1985.

The associated photograph of the A1 class locomotive Stepney is dated 1964 and was taken at Horsted Keynes Station, Bluebell Railway, West Sussex. Image attribution: Ben Brooksbank, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Watch a film that includes Southern D1 class 2289 ex LBSCR 289 Holmbury

The Screen Archive South East website has a non-embeddable film (ca. 1938) showing journeys on the Midhurst Railways line between Midhurst and Pulborough.

See passengers and staff on stations, level crossings and scenes of West Sussex landscapes filmed from moving trains. Watch the locomotives including at 2 minutes 30 seconds, Southern D1 class No. 2289 (ex. LBSCR 289 Holmbury).

Station stops included are Fittleworth, Midhurst, Petersfield and Partridge Green.

Click or touch the associated image of Petersfield Railway Station to watch the film. (External link).

Link to film of Southern 2289 ex LBSCR 289. — Film includes a Southern D1 class 2289 ex LBSCR 289

Watch a film with Southern D1 class 2237 ex LBSCR 237 Cuckfield at West Worthing Station

Here is a another non-embeddable film entitled Southern Railway, dated 1937 and 1938, from Screen Archive South East.

Click or touch the associated image of the railway signals at West Worthing Railway Station to watch the film. (External link).

At 7 minutes and 45 seconds, watch Southern D1 class 2237 (ex LBSCR No. 237 Cuckfield ) at West Worthing Railway Station.

This unique film includes rarely seen Southern Railway footage.

Image attribution: Ingy The Wingy from Lancashire, England, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (Derivative image).

Link to film of Southern 2237. — Film includes Southern D1 class 2237 at West Worthing

Did D1 class tank engine Worthing ever come to Worthing?

As far as I am able to ascertain, there are no photographs or documentary evidence that place this locomotive in Worthing. However, it is likely that Worthing did indeed haul passenger trains to Worthing and through many stations on the London Brighton and South Coast Railway’s routes.

The associated carriage map shows Worthing as one of the railway stations on the LBSCR route map.

Associated carriage map of London Brighton and South Coast Railway routes attribution: Science Museum Group. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0.

London Brighton and South Coast Railway maps at Victoria Station in London

These beautiful maps on glazed tiles are preserved at Victoria Station in London. They are covered/protected by what looks like clear perspex. Photographing them is a challenge due to reflections caused by the surrounding lighting. As you can see, the displays are dirty in places, and a renovation by whoever is responsible would, I feel, be a good move.

LBSCR complete route map. — LBSCR complete route map

LBSCR London suburban route map. — LBSCR London suburban route map

LBSCR detail showing routes along the south coast of England. — LBSCR detail showing routes along the south coast of England

D1 class Balham No. 34 at Midhurst Train Station

“With the “D-tanks” it really was possible to see a locomotive carrying the name Dorking, for example actually heading a dorking-bound train.”

Source: Haresnape Brian. Stroudley Locomotives: A Pictorial History. Page 63. Ian Allan. 1985.

Associated public domain image: D1 class Balham locomotive No. 34 at Midhurst Train Station in West Sussex. Dated to the 1910s.

D1 class Balham number 34 at Midhurst Train Station. — D1 class *Balham* No. 34 at Midhurst Train Station

What happened to D1 class tank engine Worthing?

Southern Railway inherited the LBSCR in 1923, and it would have been usual for Southern to renumber Stroudley locomotives by prefixing the digit “2” to the original number. Worthing would then have become locomotive No. 2355. Southern also painted over the Stroudley locomotive names.

Southern Railway did have a locomotive numbered 2355. It is suggested that the 2355 shown in a 1936 photograph was not the original LBSCR D1 class tank engine Worthing. At the time, there were two D1 class locomotives based at the Tonbridge shed. 2355 entered Southern’s works at Eastleigh in May 1936 for repairs. It was found that 2355 had a cracked frame. At this time No. 2814* (originally LBSCR 14 Chelsea) was awaiting scrapping at Eastleigh.

In short, Southern decided, for accountancy reasons, that rather than scrapping two locomotives, it would look better “on the books” if only one locomotive was scrapped. It is thought that 2814 was able to be saved by using parts from 2355, and once repairs to 2814 were completed, the locomotive would be renamed as 2355. It is suggested, therefore, that Southern’s 2355 was an imposter.

Source with photograph: Disused Stations.

*It should be noted that the Disused Stations website appears to have made an error in labelling LBSCR locomotive 14 as Southern 2814 instead of 2614. The Rail UK database’s recorded number of Southern 2614 tallies with the 2614 listed on the LB&SCR D1 class locomotives Wikipedia article.

Sources: Rail UK and LB&SCR D1 class locomotives on Wikipedia.