LB&SCR B4 Class

The B4 class were 4-4-0 steam locomotives for express passenger work on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. They were designed by R. J. Billinton and were either built at Brighton works 1899–1902 or else by Messrs Sharp, Stewart and Company in 1901. Twelve members of the class were rebuilt from 1922 to 1924 by L. B. Billinton with a larger boiler, cylinders and a superheater. The rebuilt locomotives were classified B4X.
==Construction==
The performance of Robert Billinton's B2 class 4-4-0 locomotives of 1895–1897 had proved to be disappointing and they had not been able to replace the earlier Stroudley's B1 class 0-4-2 on the heaviest London to Brighton express trains. Billinton therefore sought authority for the construction of twenty-five larger and more powerful 4-4-0 B4 class locomotives. The first two of these, Nos. 52 and 53, were completed at Brighton works between December 1899 and January 1900, both of which performed well and demonstrated that the new design was sound. However, during the spring of 1900 a backlog of repair work at Brighton meant that the third (No. 54) was not completed until May 1900. The railway therefore approached Sharp, Stewart and Company to supply twenty-five further examples over the next twelve months. These were all delivered between June and October 1901. By 1901 Brighton had overcome the backlog of repair work and five further locomotive boilers were ordered from Sharp, Stewart and Company to be used on additional locomotives to be built at Brighton between June and September 1902.
==Use==
The B4 class successfully hauled the heaviest express trains on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway until around 1912 when they were gradually replaced by the larger H1, H2, J1 and J2 classes. Thereafter they were regularly used on slower and lighter services. According to O. S. Nock, the B4 class "were among the finest passenger locomotives of their day".
==Rebuilds==
In 1918, No. 46 was rebuilt by Lawson Billinton with a new boiler including a Robinson superheater. Unfortunately the resulting locomotive was not tested before Billinton decided to rebuild other members of the class, using his K class superheated boiler. The rebuilt locomotives were classified B4X. However, since the original frames could not be used (as the K class firebox was too long to fit between the axles, new frames, new piston valve cylinders), they were virtually new engines. Unfortunately the original motion and motion plate was retained to save costs, which meant that the piston valves were in the constricted space below the cylinders at an angle to the axis of the cylinders. Only 8 inch-diameter valves could be fitted in, and combined with the restricted exhaust arrangement ensured that they were unable to use the steam available from the excellent K class boiler. 
Acceleration from stops was very leisurely and they could only be coaxed up to 70 mph (110 km/h) while newly outshopped, with great difficulty in places, where the Atlantics, J class and Baltics could reach 80 mph (130 km/h). Twelve members of the class were 'rebuilt' between August 1922 and January 1924, but further modifications were deferred by Richard Maunsell of the Southern Railway when it became apparent that their performance was not satisfactory. Harold Holcroft found, when he was tasked by Maunsell to report on the post grouping loco stock, that class B4x were very expensive compared to the SECR rebuilds (D1/E1) and far less competent. It was to be 1929 before their services on express work could be dispensed with. Henceforth the class was deployed on secondary duties.
The B4 and B4x classes continued with secondary duties, but thirteen members of the class were withdrawn between 1934 and 1939. The remainder would have followed soon after if World War II had not brought about a temporary reprieve. Six B4s and twelve B4Xs passed to British Railways in 1948. All had been withdrawn by 1951, and none were preserved.
==Locomotive summary==
LB&SCRNo.	Build Date 	Builder 	Rebuilt B4X 	LBSCR Name 	Renamed/date 	1st SRNo.	2nd SRNo.	BR No.	Datewithdrawn
42 	June 1902 	Brighton 	— 	His Majesty 	 	B42 	2042 	– 	April 1947
43 	June 1902 	Brighton 	June 1923 	Duchess of Fife	 	B43 	2043 	32043 	November 1951
44 	June 1902 	Brighton 	— 	Cecil Rhodes 	 	B44 	2044 	— 	September 1948
45 	June 1902 	Brighton 	April 1923 	Bessborough 	 	B45 	2045 	— 	December 1951
46 	September 1902	Brighton 	— 	Prince of Wales	 	B46 	2046 	— 	June 1936
47 	June 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Canada 	 	B47 	2047 	— 	July 1939
48 	July 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Australia 	 	B48 	2048 	— 	January 1936
49 	July 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Queensland* 	Duchess of Norfolk/1904	B49 	2049 	— 	January 1936
50 	July 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	June 1923 	Tasmania 	 	B50 	2050 	— 	September 1951
51 	July 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Wolferton 	 	B51 	2051 	— 	February 1949
52 	December 1899 	Brighton 	May 1923 	Siemens 	Sussex/1908 	B52 	2052 	— 	December 1951
53 	January 1900 	Brighton 	— 	Sirdar 	Richmond/1906 	B53 	2053 	— 	November 1935
54 	May 1900 	Brighton 	— 	Empress 	Princess Royal/1906 	B54 	2054 	— 	May 1951
55 	July 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	August 1922 	Emperor 	 	B55 	2055 	— 	November 1951
56 	July 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	August 1923 	Roberts 	 	B56 	2056 	— 	October 1951
57 	August 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Buller 	 	B57 	2057 	— 	August 1936
58 	August 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Kitchener 	 	B58 	2058 	— 	August 1936
59 	August 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Baden Powell 	 	B59 	2059 	— 	August 1935
60 	August 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	September 1922	Kimberley 	 	B60 	2060 	s2060 	November 1951
61 	August 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Ladysmith 	 	B61 	2061 	— 	November 1935
62 	August 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Mafeking 	 	B62 	2062 	— 	May 1951
63 	August 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Pretoria 	 	B63 	2063 	— 	May 1951
64 	August 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Windsor 	Norfolk/1908 	B64 	2064 	— 	April 1935
65 	August 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Sandringham 	 	B65 	2065 	— 	May 1934
66 	August 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Balmoral 	Billinton/1906 	B66 	2066 	— 	May 1935
67 	September 1901	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	October 1923 	Osborne 	 	B67 	2067 	— 	September 1951
68 	September 1901	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Marlborough 	 	B68 	2068 	— 	May 1951
69 	September 1901	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Bagshot 	 	B69 	2069 	— 	August 1951
70 	September 1901	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	May 1923 	Holyrood 	Devonshire/1907.03 	B70 	2070 	— 	August 1951
71 	September 1901	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	June 1923 	Goodwood 	 	B71 	2071 	32071 	October 1951
72 	September 1901	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	January 1924 	Sussex 	 	B72 	2072 	32072 	December 1951
73 	October 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	November 1923 	Westminster 	 	B73 	2073 	— 	August 1951
74 	October 1901 	Sharp, Stewart & Co.	— 	Cornwall 	 	B74 	2074 	— 	February 1950
==External links==
*Rail UK database, B4
*Rail UK database, B4X
*LB&SCR online, B4 class
Category:4-4-0 steam locomotives
Category:4-4-0 locomotives
Category:LB&SCR locomotives
Category:Scrapped locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain
Category:Scrapped steam locomotives
Category:Sharp Stewart locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Passenger locomotives
Category:Built in 1900
Category:Built in 1901
Category:Built in 1902