GER Class S69
Encyclopedia
Great Eastern Railway
(GER) Class S69, also known as 1500 Class, and later classified B12 by the LNER is a class of 4-6-0
steam locomotive
designed for passenger work. Originally they were designed by S. D. Holden
, but were much rebuilt, resulting in several subclasses.
Seventy-one S69 locomotives were built by the GER between 1911 and 1921 and numbered 1500–1570. A further 10 locomotives were built by Beyer, Peacock & Co for the LNER in 1928 and numbered 8571-8580. From 1948 the British Railways numbers were 61500–61580 (with gaps).
These locomotives are considered by some as the finest steam locomotives to haul express passenger trains out of London's Liverpool Street station
.
design was mooted, it was realised that any such design would have too high an axle load
for the tracks of the Great Eastern Railway
, which had a relatively low restriction. Another design constraint was the short turntables used at the time. This meant that a 4-6-0
design was decided upon, although the design was relatively short compared to similar designs introduced at the same time.
The poppet valves were not a great success and all the B12/2s were converted to piston valve
engines between 1931 and 1934.
, the only British inside cylinder 4-6-0
to be preserved.
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
(GER) Class S69, also known as 1500 Class, and later classified B12 by the LNER is a class of 4-6-0
4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
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...
designed for passenger work. Originally they were designed by S. D. Holden
S. D. Holden
Stephen Dewar Holden was a British engineer, the son of the engineer James Holden and succeeded his father as locomotive superintendent of the Great Eastern Railway in 1908, a post he held until his retirement in 1912....
, but were much rebuilt, resulting in several subclasses.
Seventy-one S69 locomotives were built by the GER between 1911 and 1921 and numbered 1500–1570. A further 10 locomotives were built by Beyer, Peacock & Co for the LNER in 1928 and numbered 8571-8580. From 1948 the British Railways numbers were 61500–61580 (with gaps).
These locomotives are considered by some as the finest steam locomotives to haul express passenger trains out of London's Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...
.
Background
At the time of their introduction, the "Claud Hamilton" 4-4-0s were becoming outclassed on the heaviest express. Although an enlarged 4-4-04-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
design was mooted, it was realised that any such design would have too high an axle load
Axle load
The axle load of a wheeled vehicle is the total weight felt by the roadway for all wheels connected to a given axle. Viewed another way, it is the fraction of total vehicle weight resting on a given axle...
for the tracks of the Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
, which had a relatively low restriction. Another design constraint was the short turntables used at the time. This meant that a 4-6-0
4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
design was decided upon, although the design was relatively short compared to similar designs introduced at the same time.
| Year | Order | Manufacturer | Quantity | GER Nos. | LNER Nos. | LNER 1944 Nos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911–12 | S69 | Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway... |
5 | 1500–1504 | 8500–8504 | 1500–1504 | |
| 1913 | A73 | Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway... |
10 | 1505–1514 | 8505, —, 8507–8514 | 1505, —, 1507–1514 | 1506 withdrawn after accident at Colchester, 12 July 1913 |
| 1913 | E75 | Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway... |
5 | 1515–1519 | 8515–8519 | 1515–1519 | |
| 1914 | R75 | Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway... |
10 | 1520–1529 | 8520–8529 | 1520–1529 | |
| 1914–15 | M77 | Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway... |
6 | 1530–1535 | 8530–8535 | 1530–1535 | |
| 1915–17 | B78 | Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway... |
5 | 1536–1540 | 8536–8540 | 1536–1540 | |
| 1920–21 | — | Wm. Beardmore & Co. William Beardmore and Company William Beardmore and Company was a Scottish engineering and shipbuilding conglomerate based in Glasgow and the surrounding Clydeside area. It was active between about 1890 and 1930 and at its peak employed about 40,000 people... 135–154 |
20 | 1541–1560 | 8541–8560 | 1541–1560 | |
| 1920 | H82 | Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway... |
10 | 1561–1570 | 8561–8570 | 1561–1570 | |
| 1928 | — | Beyer, Peacock & Co. 6487–6496 | 10 | — | 8571–8580 | 1571–1580 | |
Sub-classes
- B12/1 Introduced 1911, GER locos with small boiler and Belpaire fireboxBelpaire fireboxThe Belpaire firebox is a type of firebox used on steam locomotives. It was invented by Alfred Belpaire of Belgium. It has a greater surface area at the top of the firebox, improving heat transfer and steam production...
- B12/2 Introduced 1926, locos fitted with LentzHugo LentzHugo Lentz was an Austrian mechanical engineer, born in South Africa. He was the inventor of many award winning improvements to the steam engine....
poppet valvePoppet valveA poppet valve is a valve consisting of a hole, usually round or oval, and a tapered plug, usually a disk shape on the end of a shaft also called a valve stem. The shaft guides the plug portion by sliding through a valve guide...
s (it is believed that some were rebuilt GER locos and some new LNER ones) - B12/3 Introduced 1932, LNER rebuild of B12/1 with large boiler and round-top firebox
- B12/4 Introduced 1943, LNER rebuild of B12/1 with small boiler and round-top firebox (for Scottish lines with limited axle-load)
The poppet valves were not a great success and all the B12/2s were converted to piston valve
Piston valve
A piston valve is a device used to control the motion of a fluid along a tube or pipe by means of the linear motion of a piston within a chamber or cylinder.Examples of piston valves are:...
engines between 1931 and 1934.
Preservation
One B12/3, LNER number 8572 (BR 61572), has survived to preservation on the North Norfolk RailwayNorth Norfolk Railway
The North Norfolk Railway – also known as the "Poppy Line" – is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the coastal town of Sheringham and Holt, It cuts through the countryside to the east of Weybourne with views of its windmill and passes through the well preserved country...
, the only British inside cylinder 4-6-0
4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
to be preserved.
External links
- The S.D. Holden B12 (GER Class S69 / "1500"s) 4-6-0s — LNER Encyclopedia