GNR Class N2
Encyclopedia
The Great Northern Railway
(GNR) Class N2 is an 0-6-2T side tank steam locomotive
designed by Nigel Gresley
and introduced in 1920. Further batches were built by the London and North Eastern Railway
from 1925. They had superheater
s and piston valves driven by Stephenson valve gear
.
Some locomotives were fitted with condensing apparatus
for working on the Metropolitan line
between King's Cross and Moorgate
.
suburban coaches. These ran to places such as New Barnet
and Gordon Hill
on the Hertford loop. They also hauled some empty coaching stock trains between King's Cross and Ferme Park carriage sidings.
British Railways numbers were: 69490-69596.
.
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
(GNR) Class N2 is an 0-6-2T side tank 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 by Nigel Gresley
Nigel Gresley
Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers, who rose to become Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway . He was the designer of some of the most famous steam locomotives in Britain, including the LNER Class A1 and LNER Class A4...
and introduced in 1920. Further batches were built by 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...
from 1925. They had superheater
Superheater
A superheater is a device used to convert saturated steam or wet steam into dry steam used for power generation or processes. There are three types of superheaters namely: radiant, convection, and separately fired...
s and piston valves driven by Stephenson valve gear
Stephenson valve gear
The Stephenson valve gear or Stephenson link or shifting link is a simple design of valve gear that was widely used throughout the world for all kinds of steam engine. It is named after Robert Stephenson but was actually invented by his employees....
.
Some locomotives were fitted with condensing apparatus
Steam locomotive condensing apparatus
A steam locomotive condensing apparatus differs in purpose from the usual closed cycle steam engine condenser, in that its function is primarily either to recover water, or to avoid excessive emissions to the atmosphere, rather than maintaining a vacuum to improve both efficiency and power...
for working on the Metropolitan line
Metropolitan Line
The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
between King's Cross and Moorgate
Moorgate station
Moorgate station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground station on Moorgate in the City of London; it provides National Rail services by First Capital Connect for Hertford, Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth and also serves the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan Lines and...
.
In service
The N2s were designed for suburban passenger operations, and worked most of the duties out of King's Cross and Moorgate, often hauling one or two quad-art sets of articulatedArticulated car
Articulated cars are rail vehicles which are consist of a number of smaller, lighter cars which are semi-permanently attached to each other and which share common trucks. They are much longer than single passenger cars, and on the TGV Réseau, for example, 8 cars are joined this way...
suburban coaches. These ran to places such as New Barnet
New Barnet railway station
New Barnet railway station is in the London Borough of Barnet in north London, England. It is 10¼ miles north of Moorgate and is on the East Coast Main Line between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley. New Barnet is in Travelcard Zone 5...
and Gordon Hill
Gordon Hill railway station
Gordon Hill railway station is in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, in Travelcard Zone 5. It was opened in April 1910. The station and the trains serving it are currently operated by First Capital Connect, on the Hertford Loop Line....
on the Hertford loop. They also hauled some empty coaching stock trains between King's Cross and Ferme Park carriage sidings.
Sub-classes
- Class N2/1 Introduced 1920, GNR locos with condensing apparatus
- Class N2/2 Introduced 1925, LNER locos with condensing apparatus
- Class N2/3 Introduced 1925, LNER locos without condensing apparatus
- Class N2/4 Introduced 1928, LNER locos with condensing apparatus
British Railways numbers were: 69490-69596.
Preservation
One, No. 4744 (BR No. 69523) survives to preservation on the Great Central RailwayGreat Central Railway (preserved)
The Great Central Railway is a heritage railway split into two adjacent sections, one in Leicestershire and the other Nottinghamshire.The Leicestershire section is currently Britain's only double track mainline heritage railway, with of working double track, period signalling, locomotives and...
.
In fiction
- No. 4744 appeared in the film The Railway ChildrenThe Railway Children (film)The Railway Children is a 1970 British drama film based on the novel of the same name by E. Nesbit. The film was directed by Lionel Jeffries, and stars Dinah Sheridan, Jenny Agutter , Sally Thomsett and Bernard Cribbins in leading roles...
as the locomotive hauling the "Scots Flyer". It was painted in fictional Great Northern and Southern Railway livery like the Pannier Tank no. 5775.