Brecon and Merthyr 0-6-2T locomotives
Encyclopedia
Brecon and Merthyr 0-6-2T locomotives were steam tank locomotive
s of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway
including classes 36 and 45.
The Brecon and Merthyr 36 was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive
introduced into traffic in 1909 from a design by the Rhymney Railway
's engineer Hurry Riches. There were initially four locos in the class augmented to eight in 1914. They were built by Robert Stephenson and Company
and were almost identical to the successful Rhymney Railway R class
excepting a round topped boiler.
The B & M also borrowed from the Rhymney Railway P class
for six more engines in two batches of three in 1915 and 1920 loosely known as the 45 class.
used the Rhymney Railway's Stephensons as a blueprint for three locomotives (known as the Neath and Brecon Stephensons
) built in 1904 to the design of the Rhymney Railway M class
.
The Rhymney Railway R class
and related 1904-introduced Rhymney Railway M class
and 1910 Rhymney Railway A class
were successful designs ideally suited to hauling heavy coal trains a relatively short distance. In 1924, Nos 36 & 38 were reboilered by the GWR and in this form were visually almost indistinguishable from the GWR 5600 Class
. All but two of the fourteen B & M Stephensons were eventually rebuilt, the last as late as 1947.
Thus the 36 (and larger wheeled 45 class) were designed for work on the Brecon and Merthyr, replacing smaller locomotives. When the smaller railway companies were forcibly merged into the GWR
, these 0-6-2T's were in generally good order and had proved successful. Collectively the sixty-five various permutations of the Rhymney Stevensons became the blueprint for the 200 strong 56xx class.
The design of the 56xx followed the Rhymney/Brecon and Merthyr/Neath and Brecon designs quite closely, but adopted GWR practice as far as possible, by utilising many standardized
parts. Included in Collett’s innovations was a standard number 2 boiler
which was suitable for the 5600 (and the M and R class Rhymney locomotives and the B & M 36 class), complete with the traditional copper GWR safety valve casing and copper-capped chimney. Some Rhymney A and P classes were also rebuilt but used the slightly shorter standard number 10 boiler, also to good effect.
These were substantial sized tank engines, and weighed 66tons (62 tons after rebuilding) and were 36' 8" in length.
They had long lives, extended by the rebuilding. The first withdrawal was in 1947 and the last in 1954.
seem to have had a particular liking for the 0-6-2T type. This was because the nature of the work they undertook demanded high adhesive weight, plenty of power with good braking ability, but no need for outright speed, nor large tanks or bunker as the distances from pit to port were short. These Welsh locomotives were taken over by the GWR at the grouping
in 1923 and many including seventeen of the Rhymney A, M, P and R's were rebuilt
with GWR taper boilers. All the Rhymney Stevenson derived locos passed into British Railways (BR) ownership in 1948. Others included (with some gaps in numbering):
For further information on these pre-grouping locomotives see Locomotives of the Great Western Railway
.
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
s of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Brecon and Merthyr Railway
The Brecon and Merthyr Junction Railway was one of several railways that served the industrial areas of South Wales and Monmouthshire. It ranked fifth amongst them in size, although hemmed in by the Taff Vale Railway and Great Western Railway...
including classes 36 and 45.
The Brecon and Merthyr 36 was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
introduced into traffic in 1909 from a design by the Rhymney Railway
Rhymney Railway
The Rhymney Railway was virtually a single stretch of main line, some fifty miles in length, by which the Rhymney Valley was connected to the docks at Cardiff in the county of Glamorgan, South Wales.-History:...
's engineer Hurry Riches. There were initially four locos in the class augmented to eight in 1914. They were built by Robert Stephenson and Company
Robert Stephenson and Company
Robert Stephenson and Company was a locomotive manufacturing company founded in 1823. It was the first company set up specifically to build railway engines.- Foundation and early success :...
and were almost identical to the successful Rhymney Railway R class
Rhymney Railway R class
The Rhymney R class was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive introduced into traffic in 1907 designed by the railway's engineer Hurry Riches. These were substantial sized tank locomotives, and weighed 67 tons and were 37 feet in length.There were initially three locos in the class augmented to five...
excepting a round topped boiler.
The B & M also borrowed from the Rhymney Railway P class
Rhymney Railway P class
The Rhymney Railway P class was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive introduced into traffic in 1909 designed by the Rhymney Railway's engineer C. T. Hurry Riches. These were substantial sized tank locomotives, weighed 60tons and were in length.There were initially three locos in the class...
for six more engines in two batches of three in 1915 and 1920 loosely known as the 45 class.
Overview of similar classes
In similar vein, the Neath and Brecon RailwayNeath and Brecon Railway
The Neath and Brecon Railway linked the Vale of Neath Railway at Neath with the Brecon and Merthyr Railway at Brecon and also via a connection from Colbren Junction, it linked to the Swansea Vale Railway at Ynysygeinon Junction ....
used the Rhymney Railway's Stephensons as a blueprint for three locomotives (known as the Neath and Brecon Stephensons
Neath and Brecon Stephensons
The Neath and Brecon Stephensons were 0-6-2T tank locomotives introduced into traffic on the Neath and Brecon Railway in 1904 from a Rhymney Railway design. There were three locos in the class...
) built in 1904 to the design of the Rhymney Railway M class
Rhymney Railway M class
The Rhymney Railway M class was a class of 0-6-2T tank locomotive introduced into traffic on the Rhymney Railway in 1904. These were substantial sized tank engines, and weighed 66 tons and were in length....
.
The Rhymney Railway R class
Rhymney Railway R class
The Rhymney R class was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive introduced into traffic in 1907 designed by the railway's engineer Hurry Riches. These were substantial sized tank locomotives, and weighed 67 tons and were 37 feet in length.There were initially three locos in the class augmented to five...
and related 1904-introduced Rhymney Railway M class
Rhymney Railway M class
The Rhymney Railway M class was a class of 0-6-2T tank locomotive introduced into traffic on the Rhymney Railway in 1904. These were substantial sized tank engines, and weighed 66 tons and were in length....
and 1910 Rhymney Railway A class
Rhymney Railway A class
The Rhymney Railway A class were 0-6-2T tank locomotives introduced into traffic in 1910 and designed by the railway's engineer Hurry Riches. These were substantial sized tank engines, and weighed 64 tons and were 35' 9" in length....
were successful designs ideally suited to hauling heavy coal trains a relatively short distance. In 1924, Nos 36 & 38 were reboilered by the GWR and in this form were visually almost indistinguishable from the GWR 5600 Class
GWR 5600 Class
The GWR 5600 Class is a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive built between 1924 and 1928. They were designed by C.B Collett for the Great Western Railway , and were introduced into traffic in 1924. Two hundred locomotives were built and remained in service until withdrawn by British Railways between...
. All but two of the fourteen B & M Stephensons were eventually rebuilt, the last as late as 1947.
Thus the 36 (and larger wheeled 45 class) were designed for work on the Brecon and Merthyr, replacing smaller locomotives. When the smaller railway companies were forcibly merged into the GWR
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
, these 0-6-2T's were in generally good order and had proved successful. Collectively the sixty-five various permutations of the Rhymney Stevensons became the blueprint for the 200 strong 56xx class.
The design of the 56xx followed the Rhymney/Brecon and Merthyr/Neath and Brecon designs quite closely, but adopted GWR practice as far as possible, by utilising many standardized
Standardization
Standardization is the process of developing and implementing technical standards.The goals of standardization can be to help with independence of single suppliers , compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability, or quality....
parts. Included in Collett’s innovations was a standard number 2 boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
which was suitable for the 5600 (and the M and R class Rhymney locomotives and the B & M 36 class), complete with the traditional copper GWR safety valve casing and copper-capped chimney. Some Rhymney A and P classes were also rebuilt but used the slightly shorter standard number 10 boiler, also to good effect.
These were substantial sized tank engines, and weighed 66tons (62 tons after rebuilding) and were 36' 8" in length.
They had long lives, extended by the rebuilding. The first withdrawal was in 1947 and the last in 1954.
Dimensions
- B & M 36 class, see Rhymney Railway R classRhymney Railway R classThe Rhymney R class was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive introduced into traffic in 1907 designed by the railway's engineer Hurry Riches. These were substantial sized tank locomotives, and weighed 67 tons and were 37 feet in length.There were initially three locos in the class augmented to five...
- B & M 45 class, see Rhymney Railway P classRhymney Railway P classThe Rhymney Railway P class was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive introduced into traffic in 1909 designed by the Rhymney Railway's engineer C. T. Hurry Riches. These were substantial sized tank locomotives, weighed 60tons and were in length.There were initially three locos in the class...
Welsh 0-6-2T types
The railways of South WalesSouth Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
seem to have had a particular liking for the 0-6-2T type. This was because the nature of the work they undertook demanded high adhesive weight, plenty of power with good braking ability, but no need for outright speed, nor large tanks or bunker as the distances from pit to port were short. These Welsh locomotives were taken over by the GWR at the grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
in 1923 and many including seventeen of the Rhymney A, M, P and R's were rebuilt
Remanufacturing
Remanufacturing is the process of disassembly and recovery at the module level and, eventually, at the component level. It requires the repair or replacement of worn out or obsolete components and modules. Parts subject to degradation affecting the performance or the expected life of the whole are...
with GWR taper boilers. All the Rhymney Stevenson derived locos passed into British Railways (BR) ownership in 1948. Others included (with some gaps in numbering):
- Brecon and Merthyr RailwayBrecon and Merthyr RailwayThe Brecon and Merthyr Junction Railway was one of several railways that served the industrial areas of South Wales and Monmouthshire. It ranked fifth amongst them in size, although hemmed in by the Taff Vale Railway and Great Western Railway...
, BR numbers 431-436 - Cardiff RailwayCardiff RailwayThe Cardiff Railway came into being from the need to service Bute Docks, so as to provide facilities for the traffic to and from the Docks. The railway was only 11 miles in length, a fact which belied its importance, since it provided both the Taff Vale Railway and the Rhymney Railway, inter alia,...
, BR number 155 - Rhymney RailwayRhymney RailwayThe Rhymney Railway was virtually a single stretch of main line, some fifty miles in length, by which the Rhymney Valley was connected to the docks at Cardiff in the county of Glamorgan, South Wales.-History:...
, BR numbers 35-83 - Taff Vale RailwayTaff Vale RailwayThe Taff Vale Railway is a railway in Glamorgan, South Wales, and is one of the oldest in Wales. It operated as an independent company from 1836 until 1922, when it became a constituent company of the Great Western Railway...
, BR numbers 204-399
For further information on these pre-grouping locomotives see Locomotives of the Great Western Railway
Locomotives of the Great Western Railway
The first Locomotives of the Great Western Railway were specified by Isambard Kingdom Brunel but Daniel Gooch was soon appointed as the railway's Locomotive Superintendent. He designed several different broad gauge types for the growing railway, such as the Firefly and later Iron Duke Class 2-2-2s...
.
External links
- Rail UK database entry for B&M 36 class
- Rail UK database entry for B&M 45 class
- http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_062.htm
- Telford Steam Railway 5619 project
- 5643
- 6695