60109 Hermit

Further to, the use of Steam Engine tenders coupled to Tank Engines (J67/J69) on The Lauder Light Railway. A J67/J69 0-6-0t with full water tanks exceeded the axle loading of 12 tons for the (very) Light Railway which ran from Fountainhall Junction on The Waverley Line 22 miles South of Edinburgh to Lauder, a distance of 10 miles and 58 chains. Two J67s coupled to steam engine tenders worked the line from 1944 till 1955. The axle loading was raised to 14 tonnes in 1955 as there were very few locomotives on BR which could comply with the 12 tone axle limit. An Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0, No. 46461 was known to have run on the line in 1952 but this exceeded The Light Railway Order and was thus unauthorised. I hope this helps and is of some interest. I recommend the Oakwood Press, locomotives Papers No 196 to anyone interested in the history of the line. John