Британские паровозы 4-6-0: переделка из танковых 4-6-4

Design of British 4 6 0 steam locomotives converted from 4 6 4 tank locomotives

The SR N15X class or Remembrance class were a design of British 4 6 0 steam locomotives converted in 1934 by Richard Maunsell of the Southern Railway from the large LB&SCR L class 4 6 4 tank locomotives that had become redundant on the London–Brighton line following electrification. It was hoped that further service could be obtained from these locomotives on the Southern's Western Section, sharing the duties of the N15 class locomotives. The locomotives were named after famous Victorian engineers except for Remembrance, which was the LBSCR's memorial locomotive for staff members who died in the First World War. In their new form the locomotives were similar in outline to the N15 class, though suffered from the expectation amongst crews that they were an improved version of this type. Despite this, their ability to accelerate well was put to good use on cross country trains between main lines. All had been withdrawn by 1957, with none preserved. The limited coal and water capacity also limited their range, though adequate for the short runs on the Brighton line. The decision was taken to rebuild them into more conventional 4 6 0 tender locomotives.

The rebuilding caused a certain amount of controversy among footplate crews, with some maintaining that one could not make so many changes and have a reliable locomotive at the end of the process. However, the rebuilds gained a reputation for rough riding and relatively poor efficiency when compared to the N15s, and were dissimilar in performance to the original L class locomotives, making them unpopular with crews. Because of this, the class was used on secondary duties, cross country and inter regional trains around Basingstoke rather than the heavy London to Exeter expresses for which they were intended. Several of the class were loaned to the Great Western Railway between 1942 and 1944 to assist in bolstering freight power, of which there was an acute shortage on that railway during the Second World War. On 23 December 1955, locomotive No. 32327 Trevithick was hauling a passenger train that ran into the rear of another at Woking, Surrey. The locomotive was deemed beyond economic repair and was scrapped at Eastleigh Works, Hampshire.

Under Southern ownership, the "Remembrances" were originally painted in Maunsell's Olive Green livery as seen above, with "Southern" and the locomotive's number on the tender tank. Wartime service under the Southern saw the locomotives painted in black livery with "Sunshine Yellow" lettering. Numbers allocated to the locomotives were 2327 to 2333. After the war, the locomotives were turned out in Bulleid's Southern Railway Malachite Green livery with "Sunshine Yellow" lettering.

After nationalisation in 1948, the locomotives' initial livery was a slightly modified Southern Malachite Green livery, where "British Railways" replaced "Southern" in "Sunshine Yellow" lettering on the tender sides. From 1949, the class was turned out in British Railways mixed traffic black livery with red and cream lining. The British Railways crest was placed on the tender water tank sides. Numbering was in the 32xxx series, as numbers 32327 to 32333.