page_title: LB&SCR A1 class
section_title: British Railways (1948-1963)
hierarchical_section_title: LB&SCR A1 class / History / British Railways (1948-1963)
caption_attribution_description: English: British Railways 0-6-0T Class A1X/Terrier No. 32678 and Birdcage Brake Coach at Tenterden Town on the Kent and East Sussex Railway
context_page_description: The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class is an English class of 0-6-0T steam locomotive. Designed by William Stroudley, 50 members of the class were built in 1872 and between 1874 and 1880, all at Brighton Works. The class has received several nicknames, initially being known as "Rooters" by their south London crews. However, the engines were more famously known as "Terriers" on account of the distinctive 'bark' of the exhaust beat. Later in their careers, some engines were known as "Hayling Billy" on account of their work on the Hayling Island branch line. A pub of this name on the island was briefly home to the engine which is now No.W8 Freshwater.
  After displacement from their original workings out of London Bridge and London Victoria by more powerful locomotives from the D class and the early stages of the LB&SCR overhead electrification scheme, some representatives of the class were sold to other operators, while the majority of the remainder were put to work on branch lines in Sussex and on non-revenue earning work such as shunting.
context_section_description: At nationalisation in 1948, one "A1" and 14 "A1X" locomotives entered British Railways stock. All but one of these locomotives were based on the former Southern Railway, which became the Southern Region under British Railways, with the other based on the Western Region, having been inherited by the Great Western Railway from the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway. BR gave the locomotives the power classification 0P, indicating that the locomotives were primarily passenger locomotives, but were among the least powerful on the system.
  The locomotives remained employed much as they had been under Southern Railway ownership, with roles centred on working over the lightly laid and weight restricted branches. However, the class were becoming increasingly expensive to maintain through physical wear and increased age of components. The future of the class was thrown into doubt with the publication of the Modernisation Plan, which made provision to close many of the routes still operated by the class. The main two routes still retaining 'Terrier' operations were the Kent & East Sussex Railway and the Hayling Island branch. The former closed due to being unprofitable in 1961.
  The line to Hayling Island remained profitable, however, primarily due to the heavy traffic in summer. The condition of the bridge over Langstone Harbour was, however, deteriorating, and the Southern Region designated the bridge as being beyond economic repair. The final scheduled services over the line were run on 3 November 1963, and a special 'topped and tailed' by 32636 and 32670 the following day. The final scheduled train was notable for being one of the last steam hauled mixed trains. With the closure of this line, BR decided to withdraw the last remaining members of the class from traffic. At the time of her withdrawal following the closure of the line, No.32636 (formerly 72 Fenchurch) was the oldest working steam engine in British Railways ownership. The final operational A1X with BR was No.32678, which remained in service from Brighton shed until 10 August 1963.
caption: British Railways 0-6-0T Class A1X No.32678 and a Birdcage Brake Coach at Tenterden Town recreating past scenes from the early 1950s on rural branch lines
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