A prototype single locomotive, No. 151 Grosvenor, was designed by Stroudley and produced by Brighton railway works in December 1874. This was extensively tested before a second, scaled down locomotive No. 325 Abergavenny, was ordered in June 1876 and completed in January 1877. Both locomotives performed adequately, but Abergavenny was significantly less powerful than Grosvenor. A modified design was developed and twelve further locomotives were built between December 1880 and November 1881.
The members of this class worked express trains between London and South Coast towns such as Portsmouth, Brighton and Eastbourne, and covered large mileages. The introduction of the BillintonB2 class made the singles redundant on the Portsmouth line and so several were transferred to Tunbridge Wells.
Withdrawals began in May 1907, and the last locomotive survived until May 1914. No examples have been preserved, but there is a model of No. 331 Fairlight in the museum at Sheffield Park on the Bluebell Railway.
Locomotive summary
G class fleet summary
LBSC No.
Date Built
New No.
Date
Name
Withdrawn
151
December 1874
326
December 1880
Grosvenor
May 1907
325
January 1877
Abergavenny
June 1909
327
December 1880
Imberhorne
April 1910
328
February 1881
Sutherland
April 1908
329
May 1881
329A
December 1909
Stephenson
May 1914
330
June 1881
Newhaven
November 1908
331
July 1881
Fairlight
February 1909
332
July 1881
Shanklin
March 1910
333
August 1881
Ventnor
November 1908
334
July 1881
Petworth
November 1908
335
October 1881
Connaught
May 1907
336
October 1881
Edinburgh
May 1907
337
October 1881
Yarmouth
June 1908
338
November 1881
Bembridge
July 1908
339
December 1881
London
November 1908
340
December 1881
Medina
November 1908
341
January 1882
Parkhurst
June 1907
342
January 1882
St Lawrence
January 1911
343
January 1882
Wilmington
June 1907
344
January 1882
Hurstmonceux
November 1908
345
March 1882
Plumpton
January 1911
346
April 1882
Alfriston
November 1908
347
April 1882
Dallington
June 1908
348
April 1882
Lullington
July 1908
349
May 1882
Albany
March 1910
350
May 1882
Southbourne
July 1908
Sources
Bradley, D.L. (1969). The locomotives of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway: Part 1. The Railway Correspondence and Travel Society.[page needed]
Ahrons, E.L. (1927). The British Steam Railway Locomotive from 1825 to 1925. London Locomotive Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 187.