71-77 Knights with their spurs...

Here we have a group of examples of the N15 King Arthur class named after Arthurian characters from 1925. A heavy 4-6-0 from the Eastleigh Works for passenger traffic, the first batch (736-755) of Eastleigh built engines first emerged in 1918. Ten engines  replaced scrapped Drummond G14s, keeping their numbers and tenders (448-457). A third batch were built by the North British Locomotive Ltd in 1925 (763-792). The final batch of 14 engines were built at Eastleigh for the Brighton section in 1926 - 793-806. These had 6 wheeled tenders to fit the Brighton turntables.

71. LSWR 740, later to be called Merlin but here in unnamed pre-grouping days in Clapham Cutting near Earlsfield. The "Down Plymouth". The Urie stovepipe chimney of these early engines was later replaced by a more efficient one, as seen in pater pictures. Note the electic rail in the foreground. Photo possibly by F E Mackay. M I Bray, Railway Picture Postcards (picture 55) describes it as the "Down North Cornwall Express". He also calls it "760 Class".

72. (E)752, later to become  Linette, is seen at the same location in Southern livery, around 1924. "Down Portsmouth near Earlsfield" is pencilled on the back.. It also has the Urie stovepipe chimney .

73. No electified rail here. 737 is still in LSWR livery and Urie chimney. It will later become King Uther.

74. The (E)450, later to be named Sir Kay, was from batch 2, the Drummond G14 replacements. Notice the shorter and more shapely chimney. Unknown vnrue, maybe Clapham Junction. (Repeat of 49)

75. A few posed engines now. Batch 1 'Arthur' showing off is new livery and name The Red Knight, a works photograph judging by the proud-looking crew.

76. Batch 2  (E)448 Sir Tristram is still in its photographic grey paint.

77. Batch 2 (E)451 Sir Lamorak with posing crew is here sporting front-end indicator trial equipment. This picture is from The Locomotive Publishing Co Ltd, 3 Amen Corner.  

The same treatment was given to  (E)742 Camelot, photographed often by CH. Photo 8 in Nock (see below) is acknowledged as British Railways but I have it as a Locomotive Publishing Co print.

Nock, Southern Steam Photo 8 of Camelot (David & Charles).