GCR Class 1B
Encyclopedia
The GCR Class 1B was a class of 2-6-4T
(tank
) locomotives on the Great Central Railway
. They were notable as the first locomotives of the 2-6-4T (or Adriatic) wheel arrangement to be used by a British standard-gauge railway; there had been two narrow-gauge examples on the Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway since 1904.
(GCR) had inherited nine 0-6-4T
locomotives from the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway
(LD&EC), of class D
(LNER class M1). These had been designed to the specifications of Robert A. Thom
, the locomotive superintendent of the LD&EC, for hauling coal trains from northern Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to the docks at Grimsby. They were built by Kitson & Co in 1904 and 1906, and performed well.
When further locomotives were required for similar duties, opportunity was taken to produce an updated design. The 1B class locomotives were designed by the GCR's locomotive superintendent John G. Robinson, with assistance from Thom, who, after a period as assistant works manager at the GCR's Gorton locomotive works
, was now Robinson's assistant. The chief design improvement was the fitment of a larger boiler incorporating a superheater; it was similar to those fitted to the GCR Class 11E
4-4-0, and a number of other existing GCR components were also incorporated. The LD&EC Class D bogie was retained, but the increased weight made it necessary to add a carrying axle at the front; thus, from an 0-6-4T, the 2-6-4T was derived.
Unlike the LD&EC engines, the 1B class was built at Gorton, where twenty were built between 1914 and 1917. They were described by an engineering journal as 'one of the handsomest tank engines to have made their appearance anywhere in recent years', although not everybody agreed. Unfortunately, by the time that the first few were in service, the coal traffic for which they had been designed was dwindling; and so they found themselves on work for which they were not ideally suited.
Their GCR numbers were 274-276, 336-345, and 366-370, which under the London and North Eastern Railway
(LNER) were increased by 5000 between 1924 and 1926. Classified 1B by the GCR, the LNER assigned class L1, which was altered to L3 in May 1945, because the Thompson Class L1
were about to appear. All were renumbered to 9050-9069 by the LNER during 1946; and, of the 19 which passed to British Railways, eleven were renumbered into the 69050-69069 block between 1948 and 1950.
Withdrawal occurred between 1947 and 1955.
2-6-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 2-6-4 locomotive has two leading wheels, six coupled driving wheels and four trailing wheels...
(tank
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...
) locomotives on the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
. They were notable as the first locomotives of the 2-6-4T (or Adriatic) wheel arrangement to be used by a British standard-gauge railway; there had been two narrow-gauge examples on the Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway since 1904.
History
In 1906, the Great Central RailwayGreat Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
(GCR) had inherited nine 0-6-4T
0-6-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-4 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles....
locomotives from the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway
Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway
The Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway was a British railway company built toward the end of the era of British railway construction. It opened its line from Chesterfield to Lincoln in 1897....
(LD&EC), of class D
LD&EC class D
The LD&EC class D was a class of nine 0-6-4T steam locomotives supplied to the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway in 1904 and 1906 by Kitson & Co. of Leeds...
(LNER class M1). These had been designed to the specifications of Robert A. Thom
Robert Absalom Thom
Robert Absalom Thom was the final Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway, and became a key figure in the locomotive departments of the company's successors, the Great Central Railway and the London & North Eastern Railway.-Biography:Thom...
, the locomotive superintendent of the LD&EC, for hauling coal trains from northern Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to the docks at Grimsby. They were built by Kitson & Co in 1904 and 1906, and performed well.
When further locomotives were required for similar duties, opportunity was taken to produce an updated design. The 1B class locomotives were designed by the GCR's locomotive superintendent John G. Robinson, with assistance from Thom, who, after a period as assistant works manager at the GCR's Gorton locomotive works
Gorton locomotive works
Gorton Locomotive Works, known locally as Gorton Tank was located in Openshaw near Manchester, England and was completed in 1848 by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway.- History :...
, was now Robinson's assistant. The chief design improvement was the fitment of a larger boiler incorporating a superheater; it was similar to those fitted to the GCR Class 11E
GCR Class 11E
The GCR Class 11E was a type of 4-4-0 steam locomotive used by the Great Central Railway for express passenger services. Ten were built in the railway's own workshops at Gorton, Manchester during 1913; they remained in service until the mid 1950s.-History:...
4-4-0, and a number of other existing GCR components were also incorporated. The LD&EC Class D bogie was retained, but the increased weight made it necessary to add a carrying axle at the front; thus, from an 0-6-4T, the 2-6-4T was derived.
Unlike the LD&EC engines, the 1B class was built at Gorton, where twenty were built between 1914 and 1917. They were described by an engineering journal as 'one of the handsomest tank engines to have made their appearance anywhere in recent years', although not everybody agreed. Unfortunately, by the time that the first few were in service, the coal traffic for which they had been designed was dwindling; and so they found themselves on work for which they were not ideally suited.
Their GCR numbers were 274-276, 336-345, and 366-370, which under the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
(LNER) were increased by 5000 between 1924 and 1926. Classified 1B by the GCR, the LNER assigned class L1, which was altered to L3 in May 1945, because the Thompson Class L1
LNER Thompson Class L1
The London and North Eastern Railway Thompson Class L1 was a class of 2-6-4T steam locomotives designed by Edward Thompson. The prototype no. 9000 was built in 1945, but the remaining 99 were built under British Railways jurisdiction in the period 1948-1950...
were about to appear. All were renumbered to 9050-9069 by the LNER during 1946; and, of the 19 which passed to British Railways, eleven were renumbered into the 69050-69069 block between 1948 and 1950.
Withdrawal occurred between 1947 and 1955.