NSR New L Class

The North Staffordshire Railway (NSR) New L Class was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotives designed by John H. Adams, third son of William Adams. They were designed as a development as the previous L Class, adding a boiler common to the M Class and differed from the L Class with, amongst other things higher bunker sides and new cab roofs,[1] and the abandonment of the cast safety valve cover.[2] 28 were built between 1908 and 1923,[3] with the final four constructed under the auspices of the newly formed LMS with the whole class withdrawn by the end of 1937.[4] There is one survivor.

NSR New L Class
NSR New L class No. 2 at National Railway Museum Shildon.
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerJohn Henry Adams
BuilderNSR Stoke works
Build date1908–1923
Total produced28
Specifications
Configuration:
  Whyte0-6-2T
  UICC1
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.5 ft 0 in (1,524 mm)
Trailing dia.4 ft 0 in (1,219 mm)
Wheelbase23 ft 0 in (7.01 m)
Length35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
Height12 ft 10 in (3.91 m)
Loco weight59 long tons 15 cwt (133,800 lb or 60.7 t) full
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity3 long tons 10 cwt (7,800 lb or 3.6 t)
Water cap.1,700 imp gal (7,700 L; 2,000 US gal)
Firebox:
  Firegrate area
17.8 sq ft (1.65 m2)
Boiler pressure175 psi (1.21 MPa)
Heating surface:
  Tubes and flues
1,011.7 sq ft (93.99 m2)
  Firebox108.3 sq ft (10.06 m2)
Superheater:
  Heating area261 sq ft (24.2 m2)
CylindersTwo, inside
Cylinder size18+12 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Career
OperatorsNorth Staffordshire Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
ClassNSR: New L Class
Power class3F
Number in class28
RetiredFebruary 1928 – October 1937
Disposition1 preserved, remainder scrapped

The class were built at the NSR's Stoke works in four batches with a number of differences in weight, grate area and heating surfaces. Those built in 1913 had saturated Belpaire boilers identical to those on the H1 Class of 0-6-0s. The final batch had slightly fewer boiler tubes and did not have condensers nor lagging on the side tanks. in 1921 numbers 18 and 93 were experimentally converted to oil burning.[4]

Although built primarily as a goods tank engine, it proved its worth on passenger trains as well and became an ideal mixed traffic tank locomotive. After grouping they travelled much further than any other NSR class, and thus became one of the most well known from the NSR.[4]

All entered the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) stock upon formation in 1923, although with the LMS policy of standardisation, many NSR classes were prime targets for early scrapping due to the small size of the classes. As a result, all were withdrawn by the end of 1937. One was sold to the Longmoor Military Railway whilst five more were sold to Manchester Collieries Ltd.[4] The rest were scrapped.

The livery of the 'New L' Class was NSR Madder Lake with straw lining, and NORTH STAFFORD lettering on the side tanks along with the company crest. the number appeared on the bunker. In LMS service, some members of the class merely had the North Staffordshire lettering removed and the first few through the works received their new LMS number in NSR style. However, soon enough they received the standard plain black freight livery with large numerals on the side tanks. Those sold to Manchester Collieries carried their standard livery of plain black with red lining.

NSR No 2 was one of the five "New L" locos sold to Manchester Collieries in Walkden by the LMS in October 1937 under its LMS identity of 2271. The loco was named "Princess" in 1938, and was eventually rebuilt with a new saturated boiler plus new tanks, bunker and cylinders in 1946. In 1960 the locomotive was repainted as NSR No 2 for the "North Staffordshire Railway Centenary" exhibition in Stoke-on-Trent. Following the engine's appearance at this rail event it kept its identity as NSR No 2 upon its return to industrial service at Walkden.

In 1964 the boiler, tanks and cab from "Princess" were fitted onto the chassis of another former NSR New L engine - NSR No. 72 (LMS No. 2262) built in 1920 - subsequently named "Sir Robert" at Walkden). The NSR No 2 identity was maintained, however, and upon the end of service at Walkden the engine was saved by Staffordshire County Council and placed on display at their Shugborough Hall museum.

In 1984 it was moved to Chatterley Whitfield mining museum,[4] for storage out of public view, before being donated to the National collection as the final surviving NSR steam locomotive. With the mining museum closing in 1993, No 2 was placed on display at the Churnet Valley Railway's Cheddleton museum where investigation work was made to restore the locomotive to service. A shortage of funds and lack of technical ability at the time saw the locomotive eventually leave Cheddleton, and it was to eventually find its way onto display at NRM Shildon.[5] In April 2016, it was delisted from the National Collection, and donated to the Foxfield Railway near Stoke on Trent for display and eventual overhaul which is where it currently resides.

There has been a high level of debate over No 2's true identity, as traditionally locomotives took their numbers from their frames which would make the surviving loco NSR no. 72. As 'New L' class all had superheated boilers, the fact the engine survives with a saturated boiler takes the discussion much further as to whether it can even be classed as a NSR locomotive.[6]

The original chassis of No 2 received a new boiler plus the bunker and tanks from NSR No 69 (named "King George VI") at Walkden in 1965, before this locomotive itself was scrapped in 1969 despite attempts to preserve it.

List of locomotives

NSR number Built LMS number Withdrawn Notes
98Dec 19082246May 1936
99Dec 19082247Feb 1928
156Nov 19082248Jun 1937
157Nov 19082249Mar 1936
93Jun 19092250Jul 1934Experimentally converted to oil firing in 1921
94Jun 19092251Jul 1936
95Jun 19092252Apr 1934
158Jun 19092253Mar 1936Sold to the Longmoor Military Railway.
51Apr 19132254Apr 1934
64Nov 19132255May 1936
65Nov 19132256May 1935
69Nov 19132257May 1937Sold to Manchester Collieries and named 'King George VI'.
89Nov 19132258Jun 1934
96May 19132259Oct 1936
97May 19132260Jun 1934
172Jun 19132261Feb 1937
7219202262Jan 1937Sold to Manchester Collieries and named 'Sir Robert'. Frames survive.
1819212263Oct 1936Experimentally converted to oil firing in 1921
2219212264Jun 1936Sold to Manchester Collieries and named 'Kenneth'.
2519212265Jul 1936
2619212266Dec 1936
2919212267Apr 1935
2719222268Jan 1936
2819222269Dec 1934Came into service after grouping.
119232270Oct 1937Came into service after grouping. Sold to Manchester Collieries and named 'Queen Elizabeth'.
219232271Oct 1937Came into service after grouping. Sold to Manchester Collieries and named 'Princess'. Initially preserved as part of the National Railway Museum collection. Subsequently donated to Foxfield Railway in April 2016.
1019232272Jul 1935Came into service after grouping.
4819232273Feb 1937Came into service after grouping.

References

  1. Christiansen, Rex & Miller, Robert William (1971). The North Staffordshire Railway. Newton Abbot, Devon: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-5121- 4.
  2. "Manifold" (1952). The North Staffordshire railway. J. H. Henstock, Ltd. p. 139.
  3. Bush, R. W. (1981). North Staffordshire Railway Locomotives and Rolling stock. The Oakwood Press. p. 33. ISBN 0 85361 275 7.
  4. Hopkins, Ken (1986). North Staffordshire Locomotives:An Illustrated History. Burton on Trent: Trent Valley Publications. pp. 58–59. ISBN 0-948131-14-4.
  5. "Steam locomotive, North Staffordshire Railway". National Railway Museum. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  6. "The Industrial Railways of Bolton, Bury and the Manchester Coalfield Part 2: The Manchester Coalfield" by C.H.A.Townley, C.A.Appleton, F.D.Smith & J.A.Peden
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.