GCR Class 8A

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GCR Class 8A
LNER Class Q4
Retford Great Northern Locomotive Depot geograph-2345782-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg
A GCR Class 8A at Retford Locomotive Depot on 13 April 1947
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Designer John G. Robinson
Builder
Serial number
  • NR: 6251–6253
  • Kitson: 4202–4209, 4475–4487
Build date1902–1911
Total produced89
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 0-8-0
   UIC D n2, later D h2
Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Driver dia.4 ft 8 in (1.422 m)
Tender wheels4 ft 4 in (1.321 m)
Wheelbase:
  Axle spacing
(Asymmetrical)
  • 5 ft 8+12 in (1.740 m) +
  • 5 ft 5+12 in (1.664 m) +
  • 5 ft 11 in (1.803 m)
Length:
  Over beams52 ft 2+34 in (15.919 m)
Loco weight62.40 long tons (63.40 t)
Fuel type Coal
Fuel capacity6 long tons 0 cwt (13,400 lb or 6.1 t)
Water cap.3,250 imp gal (14,800 L; 3,900 US gal) or 4,000 imp gal (18,000 L; 4,800 US gal)
Firebox:
  Type Belpaire
Boiler:
  Pitch8 ft 4+14 in (2.55 m)
  Diameter4 ft 9 in (1.45 m)
  Tube plates15 ft 0 in (4.57 m)
Boiler pressure180 lbf/in2 (1 MPa)
Cylinders Two, outside
Cylinder size 19 in × 26 in (483 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort 25,644 lbf (114.07 kN)
Career
Operators
Power class5F
Number in class89
NumbersGCR: 1052-1054, 56-59, 64-65, 67-68, 70-71, 85-87, 91-92, 135-140, 142-153, 1073-1077, 1132-1144, 39, 44, 48-49, 62-63, 212-213, 356, 159-164, 401, 1174-1177, 956-960, 1178, 961-962, 1179, 963-965, 1180-1182
LNER (1924): 6052-6054, 5056-5059, 5064-5065, 5067-5068, 5070-5071, 5085-5087, 5091-5092, 5135-5140, 5142-5153, 6073-6077, 6132-6144, 5039, 5044, 5048-5049, 5062-5063, 5212-5213, 5356, 5159-5164, 5401, 6174-6177, 5956-5960, 6178, 5961-5962, 6179, 5963-5965, 6180-6182
LNER (1946): 3200-3210, 3212-3217, 3219-3221, 3223-3229, 3231-3238, 3240-3241, 3243
BR: 63200-63202, 63204, 63207, 63216-63217, 63220, 63223, 63225, 63227, 63232-63234, 63236, 63240, 63243
NicknamesTinies
DeliveredNovember 1902 to February 1911
Withdrawn1934-1941,(46),1947-1951,(43)
Preserved0
Disposition13 rebuilt to Class Q1; remainder scrapped

The Great Central Railway (GCR) Class 8A was a class of 0-8-0 steam locomotive built between 1902 and 1911 for handling heavy coal trains over the Pennines. They all passed to the LNER in 1923, who redesignated them Class Q4. They were withdrawn from service between 1934 and 1951.

History

89 locomotives were built at three establishments between 1902 and 1911 as follows: [1] [2]

Construction
BuilderOrder numberWorks numbersQuantityBuiltGCR numbers
Neilson, Reid & Co. E8866251–33November 19021052–10544
Kitson & Co. 273A4202–3433September 1903 – May 190456–59, 64-65/67-68, 70-71, 85–87, 91-92, 135–140, 142–153
Kitson & Co.306L4335–95July–August 19051073–1077
Kitson & Co.333T4475–8713February–April 19071132–1144
Gorton Works 15February–December 190939, 44, 48-49, 62-63, 212-213, 356, 159–164
Gorton Works20June 1910 – February 1911401, 1174–1177, 956–960, 1178-1179, 961–965, 1180–1182

The initial three were part of a combined order to be built by Neilson Reid for 18 locomotives that included six of Class 8; a number of components were common to the two classes. [3] The last three were built in early 1911; later that year, the prototype Class 8K 2-8-0 appeared, which was an enlargement of the Class 8A design, and no more Class 8A locomotives were built. [3]

Many of the class were fitted with superheaters from 1914 onwards, but the process was not completed – the maximum number with superheated boilers was 70. In addition, boilers were frequently exchanged for maintenance purposes, and several locomotives that had carried a superheated boiler reverted to saturated steam following a repair, and some of these later became superheated again. Eight locomotives were never superheated. In 1916, no. 1134 was given larger cylinders of the same type as Class 8K – these had piston valves and a bore of 21 inches. Five more (LNER nos. 5136/7/53/60, 6076) were similarly equipped by the LNER between 1928 and 1933. [4]

Two sizes of tender were used: the 41 locomotives built during 1902–05 carried 3,250 gallons of water and six tons of coal; the 48 built during 1907–11 had the water capacity increased to 4,000 gallons. [5]

The class was designed to haul heavy coal trains from the South Yorkshire Coalfield westwards to Manchester and Liverpool, and eastwards to the ports at Grimsby and Immingham; until 1911 they also worked southwards to the marshalling yards at Woodford Halse. For this purpose, they were allocated to the locomotive depots at Annesley, Gorton, Grimsby, Keadby, Mexborough, Sheffield and Staveley. After the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway (LDECR) amalgamated with the GCR in 1907, some were sent to the former LD&ECR depots at Langwith and Tuxford. Fifteen were loaned to the Railway Operating Division from April–May 1917 and sent to France; they were returned to the GCR in April–July 1919. [6] [7]

All were inherited by the LNER at the start of 1923, which classified them as Class Q4 and the GCR numbers were increased by 5000 during 1924–27. [8] Following the Grouping, the LNER redeployed some of class Q4 to former Great Northern Railway (GNR) and Great Eastern Railway depots, such as Ardsley, Bradford, Doncaster, March and Retford. [9] The locomotives as built were too tall to run over some LNER lines outside the former GCR territory, so reduced height chimneys and domes were fitted, and the whistles moved lower down, in order that the overall height could be brought below 13 feet and so clear the loading gauge of the former GNR. The LNER carried out other modifications too: besides the continued fitment of 21-inch cylinders and piston valves and the fitment (or removal) of superheaters, all of the 3,250-gallon tenders were replaced by 4,000-gallon tenders from other former GCR locomotives – this process was completed in 1930, although a few locomotives ran with the smaller tenders temporarily. Variants were dealt with through class parts, but these were occasionally revised. [10] [11]

Class parts
PeriodClass Q4/1Class Q4/2Class Q4/3Class Q4/4
1923 – December 19243,250 gallon tender4,000 gallon tender
December 1924 – December 1928Overall height more than 13 feetOverall height less than 13 feet
December 1928 – December 1943Over 13 feet, 4,000 gallon tenderUnder 13 feet, 4,000 gallon tenderOver 13 feet, 3,250 gallon tenderUnder 13 feet, 3,250 gallon tender
December 1943 onSaturated boilerSuperheated boiler

Withdrawal began in 1934; 41 had been withdrawn by January 1940 when withdrawals stopped due to World War 2. Between 1942 and 1945, 13 locomotives were rebuilt by Edward Thompson to 0-8-0T and reclassified Class Q1; in 1943, after four had been dealt with, the LNER renumbering scheme was prepared. Under this, the remaining 44 class Q4 locomotives were to become nos. 3200–43, but before this could be implemented, one more had been withdrawn and nine more rebuilt to Q1, leaving 34 to be renumbered during 1946. All of these survived to be nationalised at the start of 1948; but only 17 received British Railways numbers, being the 1946 LNER numbers increased by 60000. The last were withdrawn in 1951. [12]

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References

  1. Boddy et al. 1984, pp. 18, 27–29.
  2. Dow 1965, pp. 362–7.
  3. 1 2 Boddy et al. 1984, p. 18.
  4. Boddy et al. 1984, pp. 20, 29.
  5. Boddy et al. 1984, pp. 19, 23.
  6. Boddy et al. 1984, p. 24.
  7. Clegg 2021, p. 164.
  8. Boddy et al. 1984, pp. 18–19, 27–29.
  9. Boddy et al. 1984, pp. 24–25.
  10. Boddy et al. 1984, pp. 18, 21, 23, 26, 27–29.
  11. Boddy et al. 1963, p. 118.
  12. Boddy et al. 1984, pp. 18–19, 20, 24, 25, 27–29.