LNER Thompson Class L1

The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Thompson Class L1 was a class of 2-6-4T steam locomotives designed by Edward Thompson. The prototype no. 9000 was built in 1945, but the remaining 99 were built under British Railways jurisdiction in the period 1948–1950.
==Overview==
The class, at least on paper, should have been very free steaming and powerful engines but, in practice, they were not suited to the work to which they were assigned. The engines had 5-foot-2-inch (1.575 m) driving wheels, which would give them excellent power at low speed, such as that required for freight work, but these engines were intended for passenger use. The speeds required for suburban passenger work wore the engines out in a remarkably short time. Axleboxes, crosshead slides and crank bearings all suffered due to the high speeds.
==Accidents and incidents==
*On 19 November 1958, a freight train overran signals and was in a rear-end collision with another at Hitchin, Hertfordshire. A third freight train ran into the wreckage and was derailed. Locomotive No. 67785 was pushed over by the wagons from the third train.
==Modifications==
In an attempt to reduce wear, two experiments were tried. In May 1951, five locomotives had liners fitted to their cylinders to reduce the cylinder bore from 20 to 18+3⁄4 in (508 to 476 mm). In March 1953, five locomotives had their boiler pressure reduced from 225 to 200 lbf/in2 (1.55 to 1.38 MPa). Neither experiment was a success.
==Numbering==
Class numbering details
Build date	Builder 	Serial number	LNER number 	Original BR number	New BR number
1945 	LNER Doncaster Works 	1984 	9000 	69000 	67701
1948 	BR Darlington Works 	2020–2034 	9001–9003, E9004–E9012	69001-69015 	67702-67716
1948 	BR Darlington Works 	2035–2048 	— 	– 	67717-67730
1948–1949 	North British Locomotive Company	26570–26604 	— 	— 	67731-67765
1949–1950 	Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns 	7500–7534 	— 	— 	67766-67800
==Withdrawal==
Withdrawals were between 1960 and 1962. None survived to preservation.
Year	Quantity inservice atstart of year	Quantitywithdrawn	Locomotive numbers 	Notes
1960	100 	12 	67701–02/04–06/08–09/11/14/25–26/36 	
1961	88 	24 	67707/12–13/17–19/22/28/32/38–40/48/50/58/60/62/68–69/72/75/82/90/94 	
1962	64 	64 	67700/03/10/15–16/20–21/23–24/27/29–31/33–35/37/41–47/49/51–57/59/61/63–67/70–71/73–74/76–81/83–89/91–93/95–800	
==Modelling==
 Railways|Hornby]] produces the L1 class in 00 gauge with green with LNER or BR running numbers, and black with BR running numbers.
==Gallery==
File:British Railways 67763.jpeg
File:British Railways 67701.jpeg
File:British Railways 67702.jpeg
File:British Railways 67703.jpeg
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Category:2-6-4T locomotives
Category:2-6-4T steam locomotives
Category:Scrapped locomotives
Category:NBL Locomotives
Category:LNER locomotives
Category:2-6-4 steam locomotives
Category:2-6-4 locomotives
Category:Tank locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:Scrapped steam locomotives
Category:Darlington Works locomotives
Category:Doncaster Works locomotives
Category:North British locomotives
Category:Robert Stephenson locomotives
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain
Category:Freight locomotives
Category:Built in 1945
Category:Built in 1948
Category:Built in 1949
Category:Built in 1950
Category:Thompson Locomotives
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