Welcome to Locoyard’s Model of the Week Blog Post! As with last week’s N15 King Arthur class; today’s model is another another Southern prototype. The N class was a successful and useful mixed-traffic type and an important member of the Locoyard fleet, if not the most glamorous.
Built to a 1914 design by Richard Maunsell, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR); the first N class was completed in 1917. Production of the class continued when the SECR was absorbed into the Southern Railway in 1923 – the year 1824 was completed in Ashford works. 1824 holds the accolade of being the last N class completed by the SECR (as number 824).

The design was heavily influenced by the GWR 43xx class; due to the SECR employing Harold Holcroft (who previously was a GWR engineer). This influence was mixed with elements of Midland Railway practice (this coming from Draughtsman James Clayton).



