MR 0-10-0 Lickey Banker
Encyclopedia
In 1919, the Midland Railway
built a single 0-10-0
steam locomotive
, No 2290 (later LMS
(1947) 22290 and BR
58100). It was designed by James Clayton for banking duties on the Lickey Incline
in Worcestershire
(south of Birmingham), England
. It became known as "Big Bertha" or "Big Emma" by railwaymen and railway enthusiasts.
. The function of a banker
is to provide extra power on steep inclines by being added to the rear of other trains. Bankers were also used to protect against wagons or coaches breaking away, in which case they might run in front of a train going downhill. They largely went out of use with the introduction of advanced braking systems and diesel and electric locomotives, although banking on the Lickey Incline continues into 2010 with class 66
diesel electric locomotives being used for the task.
of the Midland Railway
in 1919 and was in use up to the year 1956 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
(LMS) and British Railways (BR). She was numbered 2290 from new and kept this number through most of her LMS life, but was renumbered to 22290 in 1947 to make room for the numbering of a Fairburn 2-6-4T
. Only a year later she was renumbered to 58100 by British Railways since adding 40000 to her number (as was done with the majority of LMS engines) would have put her in the 6XXXX ex-LNER series.
With a weight of 105 long ton and 10 driving wheels with a diameter of 4 foot, she had a tractive effort
of 43300 lbf (192.6 kN). She was the only locomotive not given a power classification by either the LMS or BR, since she was designed specifically for the job of providing extra power and was not suitable for normal train working.
number 92079 took over, acquiring Big Bertha's electric headlight for the duty. The other banking turns on the Lickey were operated by Midland Railway 2441 Class
and LMS Fowler Class 3F
0-6-0
Ts, often in pairs, operation being controlled by a complicated system of whistle codes.
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
built a single 0-10-0
0-10-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-10-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, ten powered and coupled driving wheels on five axles, and no trailing wheels...
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...
, No 2290 (later LMS
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
(1947) 22290 and BR
BR
- Places :* Bedroom* BR postcode area, a group of eight postal districts in southeast London* Baton Rouge, Louisiana* Brazil , according to:** Its two-letter country code defined in ISO 3166-1 alpha-2** The prefix for Brazil's ISO 3166-2 subdivision codes...
58100). It was designed by James Clayton for banking duties on the Lickey Incline
Lickey Incline
The Lickey Incline is the steepest sustained main-line railway incline in Great Britain and is situated south of Birmingham, in England. The climb is a gradient of 1-in-37.7 for a continuous distance of two miles ....
in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
(south of Birmingham), England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It became known as "Big Bertha" or "Big Emma" by railwaymen and railway enthusiasts.
Banking on the Lickey Incline
The Lickey Incline is the steepest sustained main-line railway incline in Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The function of a banker
Bank engine
A bank engine or helper engine or pusher engine is a railway locomotive that temporarily assists a train that requires additional power or traction to climb a grade...
is to provide extra power on steep inclines by being added to the rear of other trains. Bankers were also used to protect against wagons or coaches breaking away, in which case they might run in front of a train going downhill. They largely went out of use with the introduction of advanced braking systems and diesel and electric locomotives, although banking on the Lickey Incline continues into 2010 with class 66
British Rail Class 66
The Class 66 is a six axle diesel electric freight locomotive developed in part from the British Rail Class 59, for use on the railways of the UK. Since its introduction the class has been successful and has been sold to British and other European railway companies...
diesel electric locomotives being used for the task.
Numbering
No 2290 was built at the Derby WorksDerby Works
The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:...
of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
in 1919 and was in use up to the year 1956 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
(LMS) and British Railways (BR). She was numbered 2290 from new and kept this number through most of her LMS life, but was renumbered to 22290 in 1947 to make room for the numbering of a Fairburn 2-6-4T
LMS Fairburn 2-6-4T
The London Midland and Scottish Railway Fairburn Tank 2-6-4T steam locomotives are a class of steam locomotive. They were designed by Charles E. Fairburn for the London Midland and Scottish Railway...
. Only a year later she was renumbered to 58100 by British Railways since adding 40000 to her number (as was done with the majority of LMS engines) would have put her in the 6XXXX ex-LNER series.
Specification
Big Bertha's cylinder arrangement was unusual. There were four cylinders but only two sets of piston valves because there was insufficient space under the smokebox to fit piston valves for the inside cylinders. Instead, the large outside piston valves (as well as supplying the outside cylinders) supplied the inside cylinders through cross-over steam ports. The steam-flow characteristics would have been poor (because of the length of the ports) but this would not have mattered unduly in an engine that ran only at slow speed.With a weight of 105 long ton and 10 driving wheels with a diameter of 4 foot, she had a tractive effort
Tractive effort
As used in mechanical engineering, the term tractive force is the pulling or pushing force exerted by a vehicle on another vehicle or object. The term tractive effort is synonymous with tractive force, and is often used in railway engineering to describe the pulling or pushing capability of a...
of 43300 lbf (192.6 kN). She was the only locomotive not given a power classification by either the LMS or BR, since she was designed specifically for the job of providing extra power and was not suitable for normal train working.
Withdrawal
The engine was withdrawn in 1956 and scrapped later that year. BR standard class 9FBR standard class 9F
The British Railways BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 is a class of steam locomotive designed for British Railways by Robert Riddles. The Class 9F was the last in a series of standardised locomotive classes designed for British Railways during the 1950s, and was intended for use on fast, heavy freight...
number 92079 took over, acquiring Big Bertha's electric headlight for the duty. The other banking turns on the Lickey were operated by Midland Railway 2441 Class
Midland Railway 2441 Class
thumb|right|The view from 47231's cab, showing tank top detail, Belpaire firebox, large dome and chimney.The Midland Railway 2441 Class was a class of steam locomotive. Introduced by Samuel Johnson in 1899, originally with round-topped fireboxes. Henry Fowler later rebuilt them with Belpaire...
and LMS Fowler Class 3F
LMS Fowler Class 3F
The London Midland and Scottish Railway Fowler 3F 0-6-0T is a class of steam locomotive, often known as Jinty. They represent the ultimate development of the Midland Railway's six-coupled tank engines.- Introduction :...
0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
Ts, often in pairs, operation being controlled by a complicated system of whistle codes.
See also
- The LNER Class U1LNER Class U1The London and North Eastern Railway Class U1 was a solitary 2-8-0+0-8-2 Beyer-Garratt locomotive designed for banking coal trains over the Worsborough Bank, a steeply graded line in South Yorkshire and part of the Woodhead Route. It was both the longest and the most powerful steam locomotive ever...
Beyer-Garratt banker from the Woodhead Route was tried unsuccessfully on the Lickey in the mid-1950s. - Several GWR 9400 ClassGWR 9400 ClassThe Great Western Railway 9400 Class is a class of 0-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotive, used for shunting and banking duties.The first ten 9400s were the last steam engines built by the GWR. After nationalisation in 1948, another 200 were built by private contractors for British Railways...
pannier tank engines were used for banking after the Lickey Incline came under the control of the Western Region along with BR Standard Class 9FBR standard class 9FThe British Railways BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 is a class of steam locomotive designed for British Railways by Robert Riddles. The Class 9F was the last in a series of standardised locomotive classes designed for British Railways during the 1950s, and was intended for use on fast, heavy freight...
number 92230.