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Description
The Great Eastern Railway's London suburban services were extremely demanding for their ageing fleet of 2-4-2 suburban tank engines. Initially, electrification was proposed in 1902, but was abandoned. Stephen Holden put forth a design for a larger 0-6-2 design in 1907, but this did not materialize until after Holden's retirement when Alfred Hill produced two of such engines in 1915. The first, No.1000, was built as a comparison to test out the novel concept of superheating, as well as piston valves and a belpaire firebox. Unusually for tank engines, this class used used Walshcaerts valve gear, which caused a litany of problems. The L77 Class entered production in 1921, with ten regular saturated engines being built. The LNER then produced another ten superheated engines from 1923-24 at Stratford. Sir Nigel Gresley then adopted the N7 as a group standard 0-6-2 tank engine to compliment his own N2 from the Great Northern Railway. Another five batches of N7s totaling 112 engines were built in house at Doncaster and Gorton works as well as under contact from William Beardmore and Robert Stephenson, bringing the class to a final total of 134 members. These LNER built engines were distinguished by their round-top fireboxes, superheating, left-hand drive, and being built to the Metropolitan Railway loading gauge. All but two N7s were rebuilt with round-top boilers. Given their use on London commuter trains, they were fitted with condensing gear, but as they were allocated to more rural parts of the LNER system this was removed, with all examples having their condensing gear removed by 1938. Their demise began after World War II when they were supplanted by Thompson L1 2-6-4s and electrification, resulting in an exodus of N7s from London. 4 Were allocated for Leeds-Bradford and Castleton for push-pull services in lieu of diesel multiple units. The last N7s were ousted from their original London suburban services in the late 1950s by DMUs and electrification, and withdrawals began in 1957. The last were withdrawn in 1962, and BR No.69621 (LNER 7999) is preserved and owned by the East Anglia Railway Museum and is on loan to the North Norfolk Railway, where it is currently undergoing an overhaul. In 1989 it was named A.J Hill in honor of its designer, and it was the last locomotive built at the Great Eastern Railway's Stratford Works.

Description
The Great Eastern Railway's London suburban services were extremely demanding for their ageing fleet of 2-4-2 suburban tank engines. Initially, electrification was proposed in 1902, but was abandoned. Stephen Holden put forth a design for a larger 0-6-2 design in 1907, but this did not materialize until after Holden's retirement when Alfred Hill produced two of such engines in 1915. The first, No.1000, was built as a comparison to test out the novel concept of superheating, as well as piston valves and a belpaire firebox. Unusually for tank engines, this class used used Walshcaerts valve gear, which caused a litany of problems. The L77 Class entered production in 1921, with ten regular saturated engines being built. The LNER then produced another ten superheated engines from 1923-24 at Stratford. Sir Nigel Gresley then adopted the N7 as a group standard 0-6-2 tank engine to compliment his own N2 from the Great Northern Railway. Another five batches of N7s totaling 112 engines were built in house at Doncaster and Gorton works as well as under contact from William Beardmore and Robert Stephenson, bringing the class to a final total of 134 members. These LNER built engines were distinguished by their round-top fireboxes, superheating, left-hand drive, and being built to the Metropolitan Railway loading gauge. All but two N7s were rebuilt with round-top boilers. Given their use on London commuter trains, they were fitted with condensing gear, but as they were allocated to more rural parts of the LNER system this was removed, with all examples having their condensing gear removed by 1938. Their demise began after World War II when they were supplanted by Thompson L1 2-6-4s and electrification, resulting in an exodus of N7s from London. 4 Were allocated for Leeds-Bradford and Castleton for push-pull services in lieu of diesel multiple units. The last N7s were ousted from their original London suburban services in the late 1950s by DMUs and electrification, and withdrawals began in 1957. The last were withdrawn in 1962, and BR No.69621 (LNER 7999) is preserved and owned by the East Anglia Railway Museum and is on loan to the North Norfolk Railway, where it is currently undergoing an overhaul. In 1989 it was named A.J Hill in honor of its designer, and it was the last locomotive built at the Great Eastern Railway's Stratford Works.