Locomotives of the Highland Railway


The locomotives of the Highland Railway were used by the Highland Railway to operate its lines in the north of Scotland. The Highland Railway locomotive works was at Lochgorm, Inverness. The works had been built about 1855 by the Inverness and Nairn Railway. The locomotive classes are listed under the names of the railway's Locomotive Superintendents.

Locomotives

William Barclay 1855–69

During Barclay's incumbency as locomotive superintendent various 2-2-2 and 2-4-0 locomotives were built, along with a solitary 0-4-0T. An 0-4-0ST was also inherited from the Findhorn Railway. Many of Barclay's locomotives would later be rebuilt by Stroudley or Jones - most of the 2-2-2s ended up as 2-4-0s and one became a 2-2-2T, a pair of 2-4-0s became 4-4-0s and the 0-4-0T became an 0-4-2T. Only 4 much rebuilt Barclay locomotives were still in stock at the time of the Grouping.

William Stroudley 1865–69

produced only one new design, an 0-6-0ST of which 3 were built. These survived to pass into LMS ownership.
ClassDrummond
class		TypeQuantityManufacturerDateHR Nos.LMS power classificationLMS Nos.WithdrawnNotes
'Stroudley tank'R0-6-0ST3Lochgorm Works1869–7456–57, 490P16118–119, 163831926-1932

David Jones 1870–96

designed several classes of 4-4-0, and was also notable for introducing the 4-6-0 wheel arrangement to the UK. He also produced small numbers of 0-4-4ST, 2-4-0, 2-4-0T and 4-4-0T locomotives. Of 88 engines built to Jones' design, 74 passed to the LMS in 1923. A small 2-4-0T purchased secondhand from the Duke of Sutherland also made into LMS ownership.
ClassDrummond
class		TypeQuantityManufacturerDateHR Nos.LMS power classificationLMS Nos.WithdrawnNotes
'Duke'F4-4-017Dübs & Co.
Lochgorm Works 		1874–8860–69, 31, 71–75, 841907-1923
'Raigmore'H2-4-02Lochgorm Works187729–30——1910-1912
'Jones tank'O4-4-0T3Lochgorn Works1878–7917, 58–59—15010–150121928-1933Built as 2-4-0T
'Skye Bogie'L4-4-09Lochgorm Works1882–19011P14277, 14279–142851922-1930
'Bruce' or 'Clyde Bogie'E4-4-08Clyde Locomotive Co.188676–831P142781923-1930
13S0-4-4ST1Lochgorm Works1890130P150501929
'Strath'D4-4-012Neilson & Co.189289–1001P14271–142761923-1930
'Yankee tank'P4-4-0T5Dübs & Co.1892–9311,14-15,101-1020P15013–150171924-1934First 2 were built for Uruguay Eastern Railway
'Big Goods' or 'Jones Goods'I4-6-015Sharp, Stewart & Co.1894103–1174F17916–179301929-1940
'Loch'B4-4-018Dübs & Co.
North British Loco. Co. 		1896–1917119–133, 70–722P14379–143961930-1950
118T2-4-0T1Kitson & Co.18711181923Purchased from Duke of Sutherland in 1895

Peter Drummond 1896–1912

Under Peter Drummond, new 0-4-4T, 0-6-0T, 0-6-4T, 0-6-0, 4-4-0 and 4-6-0 designs emerged. All 72 locomotives passed to the LMS.
ClassTypeQuantityManufacturerDateHR Nos.LMS power classificationLMS Nos.WithdrawnNotes
C 4-4-020Dübs & Co.
Lochgorm Works
North British Loco. Co. 		1898–19061–17, 38, 41, 472P14397–144161931-1953
K 0-6-012Dübs & Co.
North British Loco. Co. 		1900–07134–139, 18–213F17693–177041936-1952
A 4-6-019Dübs & Co.
North British Loco. Co. 		1900–1726–30, 35, 50, 58–59, 140–1493P14675–146931930-1946
V0-6-0T3Lochgorn Works1903–0422–242F16380–163821930-1934
W0-4-4T4Lochgorn Works1905–0625, 40, 45–460P15051–150541930-1957BR no. 55053 was the last ex-Highland Railway locomotive in service
U 4-4-06North British Loco. Co.1908–0960–63, 66, 682P14417–144221932-1937
X 0-6-4T8North British Loco. Co.1909–1229, 31, 39, 42, 44, 64–65, 694P15300–153071932-1936

Frederick George Smith 1912–15

's brief tenure was cut short by a dispute over his sole design, the 'River' Class 4-6-0. Six locomotives were built, but they were considered to be too heavy for the Highland Railway, and were sold to the Caledonian Railway without being used.
ClassTypeQuantityManufacturerDateHR Nos.LMS power classificationLMS Nos.WithdrawnNotes
'River'4-6-06Hawthorn Leslie19154P1939-1946sold to Caledonian Railway before use

Christopher Cumming 1915–22

Christopher Cumming designed one class of 4-4-0 and two types of 4-6-0, totalling 18 locomotives, which all passed to the LMS.
ClassTypeQuantityManufacturerDateHR Nos.LMS power classificationLMS Nos.WithdrawnNotes
'Snaigow'4-4-02Hawthorn Leslie191773–743P14522–145231935-1936named Snaigow and Durn
'Clan Goods'4-6-08Hawthorn Leslie1918–1975-825F17950–179571946-1952
'Clan'4-6-08Hawthorn Leslie1919–2149, 51-574P14762–147691943-1950Some names reused on BR Standard Class 6

London, Midland and Scottish Railway

The Highland Railway was absorbed by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923 and its locomotives were taken into LMS stock. Despite their small numbers, quite a few Highland Railway classes survived well into the LMS era, and even into the 1950s.

Preservation

103, withdrawn by the LMS, is the only Highland Railway locomotive to have been preserved. A Drummond Small Ben 4-4-0, Ben Alder, was retained for many years, with a view to preservation, before being scrapped in 1966.