In 1917 Billinton was commissioned as a temporary lieutenant colonel in the Royal Engineers, and he served on military missions to Romania and Russia.
[2] R. J. Billinton died in office in November 1904, and was succeeded as Locomotive Engineer by D. E. (Earle) Marsh.
The reconstruction of Brighton works under Marsh caused tremendous difficulties in maintaining and repairing the LBSCR's locomotive stock.
Some major repairs and boiler changes began to be carried out at New Cross under Billinton's supervision, but this had little effect on the situation.
By 1910 about 30% of the locomotive stock was out of traffic and awaiting repair, and the number of engine failures in service increased substantially in the second half of that year, for which Marsh was held responsible by the directors of the company.
The LBSCR's board of directors initially approached Robert Urie of the London and South Western Railway to be Marsh's successor, but he declined.
Two of the class were fitted with equipment for operating passenger trains, and used on six-coach sets in the south London area.
[7] Oscillating whilst accelerating, unsteady at speed and with a tendency to throw live coals out of the chimney the locomotives were soon returned to shunting duties.
[8] These locomotives were intended to fulfill the need to accelerate the speed of goods traffic on the congested London suburban lines.
They were fitted with parallel superheated boilers with Belpaire fireboxes (the first such on the LBSCR) and were capable of hauling 1,000 ton trains at an average speed of 30 to 35 mph.
[10] In October 1913 Billinton ordered the design of an enlarged version of the J class tank, with the trailing truck replaced by a bogie.
As at the same time Billinton began a project to design and construct an express 4-6-0 tender locomotive, it has been suggested that he may have been intending to complete no.
327 was involved in a couple of minor derailments in August and November 1914, which were ascribed to the surging movement of water in half-full side tanks.
328 was completed in March 1916 the order for the remaining three locomotives had been cancelled because of wartime material shortages, and nos.
[13] He commenced active service on 17 March, and was seconded to the British Railway Mission to Russia and Romania, under General de Candolle.
[16] The military situation in Romania rapidly deteriorated through 1917 as the Russian armies in the country began to collapse.
[19] Arriving in Moscow he met the British Consul General, who informed him that the Ambassador had probably left for Finland.
[23] At this time Billinton introduced a top-feed arrangement inside a second dome on replacement boilers.
[26] A further batch of five L class 4-6-4 tank locomotives was started in July 1921 and completed between October 1921 and April 1922.
[28] Billinton's final contribution was to order the rebuilding of 12 B4 4-4-0 locomotives, which were fitted with K class type boilers and new frames.