Highland Railway Classes prior to 1870

The Highland Railway began as the Inverness and Nairn Railway (later the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway), which operated the other lines that became part of the Highland Railway upon its formation in 1865. The locomotive classes prior to 1870 were designed under two locomotive superintendents: William Barclay (1855–1865) and William Stroudley (1865–1869). For post-1870 locomotives, see Locomotives of the Highland Railway.

William Barclay (1855–1865)

The first locomotive superintendent was William Barclay, a nephew of Alexander Allan. The locomotives supplied initially were classic Allan designs: small 2-2-2s and 2-4-0s, outside-cylindered and with external framing. Initially they lacked even a weatherboard to protect the enginemen; cabs were later added. Only four of the Barclay-era locomotives, all rebuilt by David Jones, remained in service at the time of the Grouping in 1923.

Raigmore class

The first locomotives were two 2-2-2s supplied by Hawthorns and Company of Leith in 1855, with a second pair delivered in 1857. Cylinder dimensions were 15 by 20 inches (381 by 508 mm), driving wheel diameters were 6 feet 0 inches (1,829 mm), and boiler pressure was originally 100 psi (690 kPa), later revised to 120 psi (830 kPa).

Around 1869, nos. 3 and 4 were scrapped, and their driving wheels were used by Stroudley to rebuild nos. 1 and 2 as 2-4-0s. No. 1 was withdrawn within a few years, but no. 2 received a more extensive rebuild with a larger boiler and 15.5-by-22-inch (394 by 559 mm) cylinders, lasting until 1899.

Seafield class

A batch of seven 2-4-0s with 16 in × 22 in (406 mm × 559 mm) cylinders and 5-foot-0-inch (1,524 mm) driving wheels were supplied by Hawthorns between 1858 and 1859 for goods service. Boiler pressure was originally 100 psi, later increased to 120 psi.

In 1873 Jones rebuilt no. 10 as a 4-4-0 to counter flange wear problems on the Dingwall & Skye line, using the Adams bogie arrangement and new 17-by-24-inch (432 by 610 mm) cylinders. This became the prototype for the F Class built from 1874 onwards. In 1875 no. 7 was similarly rebuilt. The other five remained as 2-4-0s but were rebuilt with cabs and longer (24-inch stroke) cylinders between 1875 and 1880. All were withdrawn between 1893 and 1899.

Belladrum class

A pair of 2-2-2s with 16-by-22-inch (406 mm × 559 mm) cylinders was supplied by Hawthorns in 1862. Driving wheels were 6 feet 0 inches, boiler pressure originally 100 psi, later increased to 120 psi. They were the first locomotives supplied with cabs from new.

No. 13 was withdrawn in 1890. In 1871 no. 12 was rebuilt by Jones as a 2-2-2T for branch line work, surviving until 1898.

14 class

Two 2-4-0s supplied by Hawthorns in 1862, similar to but slightly larger than the earlier batch, fitted with cabs from new.

Later rebuilt with 17-by-24-inch (432 mm × 610 mm) cylinders and 5-foot-2.5-inch (1,588 mm) driving wheels. No. 15 was withdrawn in 1893; no. 14 lasted until 1901 (having been renumbered 6 and then 49).

Findhorn Railway locomotive

In 1862 the Findhorn Railway was taken over, along with its sole locomotive, a Neilson and Company 0-4-0ST dating from 1860. It had 3-foot-6-inch (1,067 mm) wheels and 12-by-16-inch (305 mm × 406 mm) cylinders.

It was sold to a contractor in 1872.

Needlefield Tank

A small 0-4-0T built by Hawthorns in 1863 for the Burghead branch line. It had 4-foot (1,219 mm) driving wheels and 13-by-18-inch (330 mm × 457 mm) inside cylinders.

As built, it proved unstable and was converted to an 0-4-2T by Stroudley. It later became a stationary engine to power the Lochgorm works sawmill, returned to traffic as no. 1A in 1898, and was finally withdrawn in 1902.

Small and Medium Goods

Ten 2-4-0s were supplied by Sharp, Stewart and Company in 1863. They had 17-by-22-inch (432 mm × 559 mm) cylinders, 150 psi (1,000 kPa) boilers, and 5-foot-1.5-inch (1,562 mm) driving wheels.

The next year, Sharp, Stewart supplied ten more, with the stroke increased to 24 inches (610 mm) but otherwise identical.

All were rebuilt by Jones between 1874 and 1893, gaining 18-by-24-inch (457 mm × 610 mm) cylinders and having their driving wheels increased to 5 feet 3 inches (1,600 mm) by thicker tyres. Withdrawals commenced in 1896, but nos. 27, 37, and 42 survived into LMS ownership.

Glenbarry class

Three batches of 2-2-2s were supplied in 1863/64. They all had 120 psi (8.3 bar) boilers and cylinders with a 22-inch (559 mm) stroke. Driving wheels were 6 feet 1.5 inches (1,867 mm).

Two were built by Hawthorns in 1863 with 17-inch (432 mm) cylinders:

Six more were built by Neilson and Company in 1863 with 16.5-inch (419 mm) bore cylinders, later converted to 17-inch bore.

A further batch of ten was built by Neilson in 1864 with 17-inch (432 mm) bore cylinders.

With increased traffic, heavier locomotives were needed. Jones followed Stroudley's example of rebuilding 2-2-2s as 2-4-0s. No. 29 was the first rebuilt in 1871, and by 1893 all except no. 32 had been converted. Cylinder dimensions were increased to 18 by 24 inches (457 mm × 610 mm). Seven locomotives received larger boilers between 1881 and 1896; the others were withdrawn between 1897 and 1900. The reboilered examples lasted longer, and no. 35 was still in service (renumbered 35A) at the Grouping.

William Stroudley (1865–1869)

Lochgorm Tanks

During Stroudley's tenure only one new locomotive was built: No. 56, an 0-6-0ST built at the Highland Railway's Lochgorm works in Inverness in 1869. This is generally considered the basis of the LB&SCR "Terrier" locomotives he produced later in his career. Two similar locomotives were built under Jones in 1873 and 1874. They had 3-foot-7-inch (1,092 mm) wheels and 14-by-20-inch (356 mm × 508 mm) cylinders. The boiler of the first is believed to have come from no. 3. They were classified as class R in Peter Drummond's 1901 classification scheme.

No. 56 was rebuilt by Jones in 1895; the other two were similarly rebuilt by Drummond in 1897. Alterations included thicker tyres increasing wheel diameter to 3 feet 6 inches (1,067 mm) and larger bunkers. All three passed to the LMS in 1923, who removed the names when applying LMS livery.

Naming and numbering

The original numbering scheme was a simple chronological sequence, although Stroudley tank no. 16 was built as a replacement for the original Findhorn branch engine and received its number. In later years, new locomotives took some of the early numbers, and surviving early engines were either renumbered or given an 'A' suffix. Renaming locomotives was common; names were applied to locomotives used on an appropriate part of the line, and if an engine was reallocated the name was often moved to another. The name "Bruce" was used for five Highland Railway locomotives, named not after King Robert the Bruce but after the Hon. C. T. Bruce, Chairman of the company from 1885 to 1891.

Classic features

Features introduced during the 1860s that persisted until Peter Drummond's tenure included louvered chimneys and the counter-pressure brake. The chimney was actually a pair of concentric ones, generally considered to aid forward visibility for the driver (acting as a form of smoke deflector), though some evidence suggests it was intended to reduce the chance of lineside fires.