Ceylon Government Railway B1-B6

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The Ceylon Government Railway B1-B6 were a range of similar steam locomotive classes used by British Ceylon's (later Sri Lanka's) national rail operator. Formerly designated as the NOA Class before the reclassification of 1937, they were 4-6-0 tender-tank locomotives meant to operate on the Main Line. As of today, only select members of the B1 and B2 classes survive into preservation. [1] [2]

Contents

Class B1

Ceylon Government Railway B1
ViceroySpecial.JPG
B1E No. 352 "Sir Frederick North" hauling the Viceroy Special
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder Beyer Peacock (B1, B1A/C)
Armstrong Whitworth (B1B)
Stephenson (B1D/E)
Build date1927-1930 (B1 to B1C)
1945 (B1D)
1948 (B1E)
Total produced49
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  Whyte 4-6-0
Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length58 ft 7.5 in
Axle load 13.50 long ton (B1 to B1C)
13.40 long ton (B1D/E)
Loco weight52.30 long ton (B1 to B1C)
53.05 long ton (B1D/E)
Tender weight42.55 long ton (B1 to B1C)
45.55 long ton (B1D/E)
Fuel typeCoal, Oil
Water cap.3300 gal
Boiler:
​
 • Diameter4 ft 8 in
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders 2
Cylinder size 18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort 22,620 lbf
Career
Operators Ceylon Government Railway
NicknamesGovernor Class
DispositionTwo preserved, remainder scrapped

History

The Class B1 was the last and most modern of these six locomotive classes to be constructed. [3] [4] A total of forty-nine were built for the Ceylon Government Railway from 1927 to 1948. This class had five subclasses apart from the standard model, namely A, B, C, D and E. These locomotives are also known as the Governor Class, owing to the fact that most class members were named after Governors of British Ceylon. In 1936, class member No. 242 Sir Edward Paget was streamlined, but the streamlining was later removed in 1937. [1] In the 1950s, some members of the class were converted to burn oil instead of coal.

Locomotives

[1]
NumberNameFinal SubclassFuelStatusNotes
4Sir Edward StubbsCoalScrapped
30Sir Thomas MaitlandCoalScrapped
242Sir Edward PagetCoalScrappedThe only class member to be fitted with a streamlined casing.
243Sir West RidgewayCoal, OilScrapped
244Viscount TorringtonCoal, OilScrapped
245Sir Robert ChalmersCoalScrapped
246Sir William AndersonCoalScrapped
247James MacKenzieCoalScrapped
248Sir Walter GregoryCoalScrapped
249Sir William AndersonACoalScrapped
250Sir Charles MacCarthyCoal, OilScrapped
251Sir Thomas MaitlandCoalPreserved
252Sir Edward BarnesCoalScrapped
253Sir Richard NorthCoalScrapped
254Sir Arthur HavelockCoalScrapped
255Sir Robert ChalmersCoal, OilScrapped
256Sir Robert HortonCoalScrapped
257Ceylon Defence ForceCoal, OilScrapped
258Sir Hercules RobinsonCoalScrapped
259CoalScrapped
260CoalScrapped
261Sir William ManningCoal, OilScrapped
262King George VICoal, OilScrapped
279Sir Henry WardBCoal, OilScrapped
280Coal, OilScrapped
281Sir Hugh CliffordCoal, OilScrapped
282Scrapped
283Sir Thomas MaitlandCoal, OilScrapped
284James MacKenzieCoal, OilScrapped
285Sir Henry BlakeCoalScrapped
286Sir Graeme ThompsonCoalScrapped
287Sir Robert BrownriggCoalScrapped
288Sir Herbert StanleyCoalScrapped
289CoalScrapped
290Sir Arthur GordonCoalScrapped
294Sir James LongdenCCoalScrapped
295Sir Andrew CaldecottCoalScrapped
337Sir Geoffrey LaytonCoalScrapped
338Sir Henry MooreCoal, OilScrapped
339DCoalScrapped
340/352Fredrick NorthCoal, OilScrapped
341Coal, OilScrapped
342CoalScrapped
351ECoalScrapped
352Frederick NorthCoal, OilPreserved
353CoalScrapped
354Sir Henry WardCoal, OilScrapped
355CoalScrapped
356Coal, OilScrapped

Preservation

Only two members of the class, No. 251 Sir Thomas Maitland and No. 352 Sir Frederick North, have survived into preservation. [5] Both are currently operational and are used to haul the Viceroy Special, a chartered excursion train operated by J. F. Tours.

Class B2

Ceylon Government Railway B2
2018-01-28 CGR 213 b.jpg
B2B No. 213, the only surviving member of the class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder Stephenson (B2)
Vulcan (B2A/B/C/D)
Kitson (B2E)
Build date1920-1921 (B2)
1925-1926 (B2A/C/D)
1922 (B2B)
1915 (B2E)
Total produced35
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  Whyte 4-6-0
Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length53 ft 2 in
Axle load 13.50 long ton
Loco weight54.85 long ton
Tender weight32.50 long ton
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.2400 + 400 gal (SIde tanks)
Boiler:
​
 • Diameter4 ft 8 in
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders 2
Cylinder size 18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort 22,620 lbf
Career
Operators Ceylon Government Railway
DispositionOne preserved, remainder scrapped

History

A total of thirty-five members of this class were produced for the Ceylon Government Railway. The Class B2 also had various subclasses excluding the original from A to E. [1]

Locomotives

SubclassB2ABCDE
Numbers2812082274025
2932092284326
39472104427
19322221145
19422321246
195224213
196225
204226
205
206
207

Preservation

Only one member, No. 213, survives into preservation. It is also maintained in working order so as to haul the Viceroy Special. [5]

Class B3

Ceylon Government Railway B3
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder Kitson
Build date1913-1914
Total produced16
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  Whyte 4-6-0
Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length53 ft 7 in
Axle load 13.50 long ton
Loco weight55.00 long ton
Tender weight29.20 long ton
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.1800 + 400 gal (Side tanks)
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders 2
Cylinder size 18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort 22,620 lbf
Career
Operators Ceylon Government Railway
Numbers22, 185-192 (B3)
8-11, 169-171 (B3A)
DispositionAll scrapped

Reference: [1]

Class B4

Ceylon Government Railway B4
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder Kitson, Neilson
Build date1893-1894, 1911 (B4)
1912 (B4A)
Total produced9
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  Whyte 4-6-0
Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length53 ft 7 in
Axle load 13.50 long ton
Loco weight54.10 long ton
Tender weight29.20 long ton
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.1800 + 400 gal (Side tanks)
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders 2
Cylinder size 18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort 22,620 lbf
Career
Operators Ceylon Government Railway
Numbers72-75, 141/147, 142/148, 143/149 (B4)
158, 159 (B4A)
DispositionAll scrapped

Reference: [1]

Class B5

Ceylon Government Railway B5
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder Kitson (B5), Vulcan (B5A)
Build date1893-1894
Total produced5
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  Whyte 4-6-0
Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length53 ft 7 in
Axle load 13.50 long ton
Loco weight51.65 long ton
Tender weight32.35 long ton
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.2400 gal
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders 2
Cylinder size 18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gear Allan with Slide Valves
Performance figures
Tractive effort 22,620 lbf
Career
Operators Ceylon Government Railway
Numbers76-78 (B5)
79, 80 (B5A)
DispositionAll scrapped

Reference: [1]

Class B6

Ceylon Government Railway B6
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder Kitson, Vulcan
Build date1883-1885, 1891
Total produced14
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  Whyte 4-6-0
Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length53 ft 7 in
Axle load 13.40 long ton
Loco weight51.05 long ton
Tender weight29.15 long ton
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.1800 + 600 gal (Side tanks)
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders 2
Cylinder size 18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gear Allan with Slide Valves
Performance figures
Tractive effort 22,620 lbf
Career
Operators Ceylon Government Railway
Numbers49-62
DispositionAll scrapped

Reference: [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hyatt, David (2000). Railways of Sri Lanka (1st ed.). United Kingdom: COMRAC. ISBN   978-0953730407.
  2. ↑ Vinodh Wickremaratne; K.A.D. Nandasena (2017). Ceylon Railway Heritage (1st ed.). Sri Lanka: National Trust Sri Lanka. ISBN   9789550093137.
  3. ↑ "IESL Digital SLEN". iesl.lk. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
  4. ↑ malinga (2024-04-04). "Century of scenic rail travel". DailyNews. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
  5. 1 2 Wickremaratne, Vinodh. "Model Railroad Club of Sri Lanka: Steam Locomotives".
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