LNER Class B17

The LNER Class B17, known as the Sandringham or Footballer class, was a class of 4-6-0 steam passenger locomotives designed under Nigel Gresley to haul expresses on the Great Eastern Main Line, where severe weight limits ruled out his larger engines. Seventy-three were built in all. The first ten came from the North British Locomotive Company in 1928, the LNER's Darlington Works built fifty-two more between 1930 and 1936, and a final batch of eleven was ordered from Robert Stephenson and Company in February 1936 and delivered in the first half of 1937. Those eleven, with larger 4,200-gallon tenders, formed the B17/4 sub-class. Because of weight limits the three cylinders used divided drive, with the middle cylinder driving the leading axle. Two engines were streamlined in 1937 for the East Anglian train, and ten were later rebuilt by Edward Thompson as two-cylinder Class B2 locomotives.