SECR K and SR K1 Classes - Operational Details

Operational Details

The K class was intended to haul the SECR's Kent expresses, and was trialled between Charing Cross, Tonbridge, Canterbury East and Folkestone East. A trial non-stop run between Cannon Street and Folkestone Harbour by No. 790 pulling a train of 300 long tons (305 t) had proved the water capacity of the side tanks to be insufficient for such runs. No. 790 was also tested on fast Cannon Street, Redhill and Tonbridge trains during the spring of 1922, although rough riding between the latter two stations meant slower speeds over that part of route on subsequent runs.

The Southern Railway's motive power re-organisation following the Grouping of 1923 expanded the class for operations over the Central section. The Westinghouse-fitted Armstrong Whitworth batch was used on the air-braked Eastbourne and Brighton expresses and regular passenger service trains to Portsmouth. The vacuum-braked Brighton batch was run-in on the Portsmouth route in preparation for operating the Redhill–Reading line, the class regularly hauling the daily Birkenhead–Dover through train. The K1 was mainly rostered to haul the early evening express from Cannon Street to Dover Marine.