GER Class C53

Last updated

  • GER Class C53
  • LNER Class J70
J70 No. 68222 at Upwell (1952) 01.jpg
J70 68222 at upwell in 1952.
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Designer James Holden
Builder Stratford Works
Build date1903 - 1921
Total produced12
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 0-6-0 T
   AAR Co
   UIC C n2t
Gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Coupled dia.3 ft 1 in (0.940 m)
Wheelbase 6 ft 8 in (2.032 m)
Length20 ft 8+38 in (6.309 m)
Axle load 11 long tons 7 cwt (25,400 lb or 11.5 t)
Loco weight27 long tons 1 cwt (60,600 lb or 27.5 t)
Fuel type Coal
Fuel capacity15 long cwt (1,700 lb or 800 kg)
Water cap.625 imp gal (2,840 L; 751 US gal)
Firebox:
  TypeRound-top
  Grate area9.2 sq ft (0.9 m2)
Boiler:
  Diameter2 ft 10.5 in (0.9 m)
  Tube plates6 ft 10 in (2.1 m)
  Small tubes102 x 1.625 in (41.3 mm)
Boiler pressure180 lbf/in2 (1.24 MPa)
Heating surface:
  Firebox42.08 sq ft (3.9 m2)
  Tubes306 sq ft (28.4 m2)
  Total surface348.08 sq ft (32.3 m2)
Cylinders Two, outside
Cylinder size 12 in × 15 in (305 mm × 381 mm)
Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort 8,931 lbf (39.73 kN) at 85%
Career
Operators
Class
  • GER: C53
  • LNER: J70
Power classBR: 0F
Axle load classLNER/BR: RA 2
Withdrawn1942 (1), 1949–1955
DispositionAll original C53s scrapped, one Toby the Tram Engine replica built at East Anglian Railway Museum.
Most specifications from [1]

The GER Class C53 was a class of twelve 0-6-0 T steam tram locomotives designed by James Holden for the Great Eastern Railway. They passed to the London and North Eastern Railway at the grouping, and received the LNER classification J70.

Contents

History

The locomotives had 12-by-15-inch (305 mm × 381 mm) outside cylinders driving 3-foot-1-inch (0.940 m) wheels, all enclosed by skirting. They were the first locomotives on the Great Eastern to use Walschaerts valve gear. [2] From the 1930s to the 1950s, they were used on the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway and the ports of Great Yarmouth and Ipswich. They replaced earlier GER Class G15 0-4-0 T of similar appearance.

Table of orders and numbers [2]
YearOrderBuilderQuantityGER No.LNER No.LNER 1946 No.Notes
1903C53 Stratford Works 2135–1367135–71368216–8217
1908C64 Stratford Works 3137–1397137–71398218, —, 8219GER No.138 was withdrawn in 1942
1910I67 Stratford Works 113071308220
1914P75 Stratford Works 3127–128, 1317127–7128, 71318221–8223
1921D85 Stratford Works 3125–126, 1297125–7126, 71298224–8226

The first withdrawal was in 1942. The remaining eleven locomotives were renumbered 8216–8226 in 1944, and passed to British Railways in 1948 on nationalisation, after which the prefix "6" was added to their numbers. Withdrawals restarted in 1949, slowly at first, then more quickly. The last went in 1955. [3]

Table of withdrawals [4]
YearQuantity in
service at
start of year
Quantity
withdrawn
Locomotive numbers
19421217138
194911168218
195110168221
19529168224
19538468216–7/19–20
19554468222–3/25–6

Individual locomotives

List of GER C53 locomotives [5] [6]
GER numberLNER number1946 numberBR numberBuild dateWithdrawal date
135713582166821631/10/190331/12/1953
136713682176821730/11/190331/03/1953
137713782186821830/09/190830/09/1949
1387138N/AN/A30/09/190831/01/1942
139713982196821931/10/190831/08/1953
130713082206822030/04/191031/03/1953
127712782216822130/06/191421/05/1951
128712882226822230/06/191428/02/1955
131713182236822330/06/191419/07/1955
125712582246822431/03/192130/04/1952
126712682256822531/03/192131/03/1955
129712982266822631/03/192102/08/1955

Note: The data above is according to RailUK. BRDatabase gives some different dates:

In fiction

Toby replica on Avon Valley Railway AVR Thomas 7.JPG
Toby replica on Avon Valley Railway

J70 68221 was the inspiration for the character Toby the Tram Engine in The Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry, and its television series adaptation, Thomas & Friends. [7]

See also

References

Notes

  1. "LNER J70". lner.info. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 Aldrich 1969 , p. 105
  3. Aldrich 1969 , p. 106
  4. Allen et al. 1970 , p. 102
  5. "GER Class C53". RailUK.
  6. "GER/LNER Holden "J70" Class 0-6-0T". BRDatabse.
  7. Wilbert Vere Awdry. The Island of Sodor - its People, History and Railways. p. 137.

Bibliography

Further reading