Operational Details
The T14 s were the most successful of Drummond's abysmal 4-6-0 designs for the LSWR, though they still displayed the old, costly liabilities of heavy coal and water consumption on a railway that did not employ water troughs, which was combined with a high frequency of hot axle boxes. Both were complaints that had afflicted all his previous 4-6-0s, and did not endear them to locomotive crews.
In service, all were based at Nine Elms from new and were used exclusively on expresses to Bournemouth and Salisbury. However, the class struggled on these 'racing stretches.' This was especially true in the case of the tightly timed Salisbury workings. With intermediate stops at Surbiton and Woking, a D15 was the preferred motive power because they kept better time than a T14.
In consequence, they were utilised on the LSWR 'top link' for only 8 years, and were promptly replaced upon grouping in 1923 by Maunsell's N15s as they became available. However, their potential in secondary duties gave Maunsell the opportunity to attempt to right the problems associated with the original design. Superheating helped to solve the problems of efficiency in terms of coal and water, whilst the removal of the splashers meant ease of access to the wheels and airflow to the axleboxes.
The first withdrawal took place in 1940 with 458 suffering air raid damage at Nine Elms shed. The rest continued into public ownership in 1948. However, the remainder continued to be withdrawn from November 1948 and the last one surviving until June 1951. As a result, none were preserved.
Read more about this topic: LSWR T14 Class
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