GWR oil burning steam locomotives

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The Great Western Railway (GWR) experimented with oil burning steam locomotives at two points in its history. A single experimental tank engine was constructed to burn oil in 1902, and 37 engines of four different classes were converted to burn oil between 1946 and 1950. Neither experiment resulted in the long-term use of oil as fuel for steam locomotives. A single pannier tank locomotive was also converted under British Rail in 1958.

Contents

No. 101 of 1902

GWR No. 101 was an experimental 0-4-0 side-tank locomotive built at Swindon Works under the direction of Churchward in June 1902. Initially built as an oil-burning locomotive, it was rebuilt in 1905 as a coal burner, with the cab backplate replaced by a bunker. No further engines were built to this design, and the locomotive was withdrawn and scrapped in 1911. [1]

Oil burning after WWII

GWR locomotives had been designed to take advantage of high quality Welsh steam coal. Following the end of World War II, coal supplies were scarce and of poor quality as the best coal was exported. GWR CME Hawksworth tried using oil as a fuel in steam locomotives. He modified a number of locomotives of different classes, and the results were successful enough that it was planned to turn Cornwall into an oil fired area. The Government decided that such a scheme should be extended across the country, and asked Hawksworth to provide details of the technology to other railway companies. Several million pounds were spent on the scheme before it foundered on the uneconomic cost of the imported fuel, which had to be purchased using scarce foreign exchange. All the locomotives involved were reconverted to burn coal. [2]

In 1946, one Hall class and one Castle class 4-6-0 , and several 2800 class 2-8-0 engines working in South Wales were modified. (Plans to convert some 4200 class 2-8-0 T tank engines were not carried out.) The fireboxes were modified by replacing the firebars with a plate that had openings for the air supply, lining part of the firebox with high alumina firebrick to cope with the change in combustion, and mounting a single burner at the front of the firebox that directed the oil, atomized by steam, upwards towards the back of the firebox. Initial problems with the burner saw them replaced by the Laidlaw-Drew type. Tenders were altered to hold a 1,800 imp gal (8,200 L) tank for oil, with steam heating coils to make the heavy grade of oil used thin enough to flow. The success of the initial conversion saw the scheme extended to further Castle and Hall class locomotives, for work in Cornwall. [3]

Oil burners had their own maintenance requirements, including the daily removal and cleaning of the atomizers to keep them effective. Overall, though, they were easier for the firemen to maintain and run than coal fired engines. Depots were re-equipped for refuelling the engines at Bristol Bath Road, Bristol St Philip's Marsh, Cardiff Canton, Didcot, Gloucester, Llanelly, Newport Ebbw Junction, Newton Abbot, Old Oak Common, Plymouth Laira, Reading, Severn Tunnel Junction, Swindon, and Westbury. Work at Banbury and Swansea was cancelled before completion. [4]

A total of thirty-seven locomotives were converted to burn oil, starting with No. 5955 Garth Hall in June 1946 and continuing into the next year. Some locomotives carried new numbers while they were oil burners. Reconversion to coal firing started in September 1948, and was complete by April 1950. Renumbered engines went back to their old numbers. [5]

Locomotives converted

All engines were converted back to coal firing by 1950, and regained their original numbers. However, the 1400s were never renumbered back to 4800s. [5] [6]

List of locomotives converted [5]
ClassOriginal
number		Oil burner
number		Date
converted		Date
reverted		Name
2800 28324806Nov 1946Apr 1949
2800 28344808Jul 1947Jan 1950
2800 28394804Nov 1946Oct 1948
2800 28454809Aug 1947Dec 1949
2800 28474811Sep 1947Jun 1949
2800 28484807Jun 1947Jul 1949
2800 28494803Nov 1946Apr 1949
2800 28534810Aug 1947Jun 1949
2800 28544801Nov 1946Feb 1949
2800 28624802Nov 1946Sep 1948
2800 28634805Nov 1946Mar 1949
2800 28724800Nov 1946Sep 1948
2884 28884850Nov 1946Sep 1948
2884 38134855Jul 1947Jun 1949
2884 38184852Nov 1946Sep 1948
2884 38204856Jul 1947Jun 1949
2884 38314857Aug 1947Mar 1949
2884 38374854Jun 1947Aug 1949
2884 38394853Jul 1947Nov 1949
2884 38654851Nov 1946Apr 1949
Castle 100A1 [lower-alpha 1] Jan 1947Sep 1948Lloyds
Castle 5039 [lower-alpha 1] Dec 1946Sep 1948Rhuddlan Castle
Castle 5079 [lower-alpha 1] Jan 1947Oct 1948Lysander
Castle 5083 [lower-alpha 1] Dec 1946Nov 1948Bath Abbey
Castle 5091 [lower-alpha 1] Oct 1946Nov 1948Cleeve Abbey
4300 6320 [lower-alpha 1] Mar 1947Aug 1949
Hall 49073903May 1947Apr 1950Broughton Hall
Hall 49483902May 1947Sep 1948Northwick Hall
Hall 49683900May 1947Mar 1949Shotton Hall
Hall 49713901May 1947Apr 1949Stanway Hall
Hall 49723904May 1947Oct 1948Saint Brides Hall
Hall 59553950Jun 1946Oct 1948Garth Hall
Hall 59763951Apr 1947Nov 1948Ashwicke Hall
Hall 59863954May 1947Feb 1950Arbury Hall
Hall 69493955May 1947Apr 1949Haberfield Hall
Hall 69533953Apr 1947Sep 1948Leighton Hall
Hall 69573952Apr 1947Mar 1950Norcliffe Hall

Pannier conversion by BR

In April 1958, under British Rail, GWR 5700 Class 0-6-0 PT No. 3711 was converted to burn oil, with a fuel tank installed in the bunker. The conversion was done by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns. [7]

Preservation conversion

In January 2024 it was announced[ by whom? ] that 4965 Rood Ashton Hall during its next overhaul alongside undergoing a retube and a reduction in its width for gauging reasons, consideration was being made to have 4965 converted to oil burning. [8] It was confirmed[ by whom? ] in March 2024 that 4965 will be converted to oil burning with its overhaul commencing in March 2024. [9]

See also

Oil burner (engine)

Notes and references

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Not renumbered

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References

  1. ↑ Haresnape (1976).
  2. ↑ Griffiths (1987), pp. 47, 123.
  3. ↑ Griffiths (1987), pp. 123–124.
  4. ↑ NRMFriends (2022).
  5. 1 2 3 Whitehurst (1973), p. 98.
  6. ↑ Haresnape (1978), p. 73.
  7. ↑ Haresnape (1978), p. 59.
  8. ↑ Tyseley selling two locos with a third for oil firing conversion Heritage Railway issue 316 February 2024 page 56
  9. ↑ 4965 Confirmed as getting oil conversion Steam Railway issue 555 March 2024 page 22

Sources

  • Friends of the NRM (19 May 2022). "A brief flirtation with Oil - Firing". Friends of the NRM. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  • Griffiths, Denis (1987). Locomotive engineers of the GWR. Wellingborough: Stephens. ISBN   0-85059-819-2.
  • Haresnape, Brian (1976). Churchward locomotives : a pictorial history. London: Ian Allan. ISBN   0-7110-0697-0.
  • Haresnape, Brian (1978). Collett & Hawksworth locomotives : a pictorial history. London: Ian Allan. ISBN   0-7110-0869-8.
  • Whitehurst, Brian (1973). Great Western engines, names, numbers, types, classes: 1940 to preservation. Oxford: Oxford Pub. Co. ISBN   0-902888-21-8.
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