Locomotives of the North British Railway

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The North British Railway was opened in 1846 as the line from Edinburgh to Berwick-upon-Tweed, and its workshops were initially situated in St. Margarets, Edinburgh. Gradually other railways were acquired, including in 1865 the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, whose works at Cowlairs, Glasgow were better than that at St. Margarets, which were reduced to repairs only and all production moved to Cowlairs.

Contents

As is customary, engine classes are organized according to the man who was locomotive superintendent when the class was introduced, and to whom the design is often attributed. The NBR was rather unfortunate in its choice of locomotive superintendents, the first five of whom were sacked or forced to resign either for alleged incompetence or financial scandals.

The NBR's locomotive classification system (introduced in 1913) is not very helpful because the same letter has been applied to several different classes. The North British Railway Study Group has developed its own classification system and a list can be found here. [1]

These are not complete lists, as most engines acquired second-hand and from absorbed companies are not included.

Robert Thornton (1846–51)

Numbers Wheel arrangement Number
built
BuilderDateNotes
1–16 0-4-2 16 R & W Hawthorn 1846Original NBR locomotive order (on formation). 10 locomotives for passenger services. One rebuilt in 1857 as 2-2-2
17–26 0-4-2 10 R & W Hawthorn 1846Original NBR locomotive order (on formation). 6 locomotives for freight services. One rebuilt in 1859 as 2-2-2, 2 in 1867-8 as 0-6-0T
27–32 0-6-0 6 R & W Hawthorn 1846Original NBR locomotive order (on formation). 6 locomotives for heavy coal freight services.
33–38 2-2-2 6 R & W Hawthorn 1847Two rebuilt 1868–69 as 2-4-0
39–46 2-4-0 8 R & W Hawthorn 1847Two rebuilt 1868-70 as 0-6-0
47–54 0-6-0 8 R & W Hawthorn 1848
55 4-2-0 1 E. B. Wilson & Co. 1849 Crampton locomotive. Later rebuilt as 2-2-2
57 2-2-2 1 R & W Hawthorn 1849
56, 58–63 2-4-0 7 R & W Hawthorn 1851
64–71 0-6-0 8 R & W Hawthorn 1850

William Smith (1851–54)

No new locomotives were built during his term of office.

Edmund George Petrie (1854)

No new locomotives were built during his term of office.

William Hurst (1855–66)

Hurst came from the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, to which he returned after being sacked from the NBR.

There were many variations within the classes listed here, both as built and after subsequent rebuilding.

1st builtWheel
arrangement
Number
built
BuilderDateNotes
72 0-4-2 4 W. Fairbairn 1855Originally intended for Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway
90 2-4-0 24 Neilson (18)
Dübs (6)
1861–68
109 0-4-0 3NBR St. Margarets1865–66
76 0-6-0 4NBR St. Margarets1860–61
80 0-6-0 58Hawthorn of Leith (6)
R. Stephenson (16)
Dübs & Co. (36)
1861–67
31 2-2-2WT 2NBR St. Margarets18561877 sold to Wigtownshire Railway
20 0-4-2WT 14NBR St. Margarets1857–64
282 0-6-0ST 3 Dübs 1866–67

Thomas Wheatley (1867–74)

1st built1913 ClassWheel
arrangement
Number
built
BuilderDateLNER ClassNotes
141 2-4-0 2 NBR Cowlairs 1869
418 P 2-4-0 8 NBR Cowlairs 1873 E7
40 2-4-0 2 NBR Cowlairs 1873
224 4-4-0 2 NBR Cowlairs 1871
420 4-4-0 4 NBR Cowlairs 1873
17 0-6-0 1NBR St. Margarets1868Built from parts of earlier locos
251 E 0-6-0 38 NBR Cowlairs 1867–74 J84 20 rebuilt as saddle-tanks from 1889–94
396 E 0-6-0 26 Neilson & Co. (12),
Dübs & Co. (14)
1867–69 J31
56 0-6-0 8NBR St. Margarets1868–69"Longback" class.
115 E 0-6-0 62 NBR Cowlairs 1869–75 J31
226 E 0-6-0ST 2 NBR Cowlairs 1870 J86
220 0-6-0ST 1 NBR Cowlairs 1870
130 E 0-6-0ST 9 NBR Cowlairs 1870–73 J85
229 E 0-6-0ST 15 NBR Cowlairs 1871–73 J81
32 0-6-0ST 6 NBR Cowlairs 1874
394 0-4-0 2 Neilson & Co. 1867Second hand
357 0-4-0 2 NBR Cowlairs 1868 Y10
18 0-4-0ST 2 NBR Cowlairs 1872

Dugald Drummond (1874–82)

1st built1913 ClassWheel
arrangement
Number
built
BuilderDateLNER ClassNotes
474 2-2-2 2 Neilson 1876Sometimes designated "Berwick" class, after the name of locomotive 475. Two built, for Edinburgh-Glasgow express services.
476 M 4-4-0 12Neilson (8)
NBR Cowlairs (4)
1877–79 D27/D28 "Abbotsford" class.
494 P 4-4-0T 3Neilson1879 D50
72 R 4-4-0T 30NBR Cowlairs1880–84 D51
157 P 0-4-2T 6NBR Cowlairs1877 G8 All rebuilt as 0-4-4T in 1881
100 C 0-6-0 32NBR Cowlairs (12)
Neilson (20)
1876–77 J32
34 D 0-6-0 13NBR Cowlairs1879 J34 "Wee Drummond" class.
497 D 0-6-0 88NBR Cowlairs (83)
Dübs (5)
1879–83 J34 "Wee Drummond" class.
165 R 0-6-0T 25NBR Cowlairs1875–78 J82
546 G 0-4-0ST 2Neilson1882 Y9

Matthew Holmes (1882–1903)

1st built1913 ClassWheel
arrangement
Number
built
BuilderDateLNER ClassNotes
574 M 4-4-0 6 NBR Cowlairs 1884 D31
633 M 4-4-0 24 NBR Cowlairs 1890–95 D31
729 M 4-4-0 18 NBR Cowlairs 1898–99 D31
592 N 4-4-0 12 NBR Cowlairs 1886–87 D25
693 N 4-4-0 24 NBR Cowlairs 1894–96 D35 "West Highland Bogie" class.
One superheated in 1919, became NBR L class / LNER Class D36.
317 K 4-4-0 12 NBR Cowlairs 1903 D26
586 P 0-4-4T 12 NBR Cowlairs 1886–88 G7
566 D 0-6-0 36 NBR Cowlairs 1883–87 J33
604 C 0-6-0 168 Neilson (15),
Sharp Stewart (15),
NBR Cowlairs (138)
1888–1900 J36 673 Maude preserved
795 D 0-6-0T 40 Neilson (20),
Sharp Stewart (20)
1900–01 J83
32 G 0-4-0ST 36 NBR Cowlairs 1887–99 Y9 same as Drummond 546 class. Of this batch, NBR 42 was preserved.

William Paton Reid (1903–19)

NBL (the North British Locomotive Company) was a private locomotive manufacturer, distinct from the North British Railway.

1st built1913 ClassWheel
arrangement
Number
built
BuilderDateLNER ClassNotes
868 H 4-4-2 22 NBL (16)
R. Stephenson (6)
1906–21 C11 Commonly known as the "North British Atlantics". Final two built with superheaters. Superheaters added to all others 1915–25. (Those which remained saturated were briefly designated class I or LNER class C10, but all were superheated by 1925 and became class C11.) The largest and most powerful locomotives ever built by the NBR.
1 M 4-4-2T 30 Yorkshire Engine Co. 1911–13 C15
438 L 4-4-2T 21NBL1915–21 C16 Superheated
895 J 4-4-0 16NBL (6)
NBR Cowlairs (10)
1909–11 D29 "Scott" class. Superheaters added 1925–35
400 J 4-4-0 27NBR Cowlairs1912–20 D30 "Scott" class. Superheated.
882 K 4-4-0 12NBR Cowlairs1906–07 D32 Superheaters added 1923–26
331 K 4-4-0 12NBR Cowlairs1909–10 D33 Superheaters added 1925–36
149 K 4-4-0 32NBR Cowlairs1913–20 D34 "Glen" class. Superheated. 256/9256/2469/62469 Glen Douglas preserved.
239 M 0-4-4T 12NBL1909 G9
848 B 0-6-0 76NBL (40)
NBR Cowlairs (36)
1906–13 J35
8 S 0-6-0 104NBR Cowlairs (35)
NBL (69)
1914–21 J37 Superheated
836 F 0-6-0T 35NBR Cowlairs1905–19 J88
858 A 0-6-2T 6NBL1909–20 N14
7 A 0-6-2T 69NBL1910–24 N15 +30 built by LNER

Walter Chalmers (1919–22)

All previous incumbents were known as Locomotive Superintendent. Chalmers held the same position, but with the title changed to Chief Mechanical Engineer.

There were no new locomotive designs during the incumbency of Walter Chalmers as Chief Mechanical Engineer. Two new NBR H class locomotives were built under his supervision. Although these were not his design, he had drawn the designs under the direction of W P Reid, having been Chief Draughtsman (the deputy to the Locomotive Superintendent) of the NBR whilst Reid was Locomotive Superintendent.

Locomotive nicknames

As with most companies, certain classes of locomotive from the North British Railway were commonly known by distinctive names or nicknames, rather than their official class designations. The following is a guide to these nicknames, with links to articles about the respective locomotive types.

Common nicknameNBR designationLNER designationWheel
arrangement
Design dateNotes
Longback-- 0-6-0 1868Withdrawn before any standard class designation system was introduced.
Berwick-- 2-2-2 1876Withdrawn before any standard class designation system was introduced.
Eighteen Incher C classJ32 class 0-6-0 1876673 Maude preserved.
Abbotsford M classD27 & D28 class 4-4-0 1877
Wee Drummond D classJ34 class 0-6-0 1879
Pug G classY9 class 0-4-0ST 188242 preserved.
West Highland Bogie N classD35 class 4-4-0 1894
North British Atlantic H classC11 class 4-4-2 1906
Scott J classD29 class 4-4-0 1909
Superheated Scott or Super ScottJ classD30 class 4-4-0 1912
Glen K classD34 class 4-4-0 1913256 Glen Douglas preserved.

Preserved locomotives

ImageNBR No.NBR ClassTypeManufacturerSerial No.DateNotes
NBR locos (Geograph 2011620).jpg
42 G Class 0-4-0ST Cowlairs railway works 1887On static display at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway
Bo'ness. - geograph.org.uk - 70687.jpg
673 C Class 0-6-0 Neilson and Company 43921891On static display at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway
Riverside 20171207 133348 (47658408022).jpg
256 K Class 4-4-0 Cowlairs railway works 1913On static display at the Riverside Museum

Related Research Articles

The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) produced several classes of locomotive, mostly to the designs of Nigel Gresley, characterised by a three-cylinder layout with a parallel boiler and round-topped firebox. It produced the most famous locomotive of its day, 4468 'Mallard', the holder of the world steam locomotive speed record. It also built the world-famous 4472 'Flying Scotsman'. However, its locomotive inheritance was much greater than just the 'A4 Class', it also produced highly successful mixed-traffic and freight designs.

The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was authorised by act of Parliament on 4 July 1838. It was opened to passenger traffic on 21 February 1842, between its Glasgow Queen Street railway station and Haymarket railway station in Edinburgh. Construction cost £1,200,000 for 46 miles (74 km). The intermediate stations were at Corstorphine, Gogar, Ratho, Winchburgh, Linlithgow, Polmont, Falkirk, Castlecary, Croy, Kirkintilloch and Bishopbriggs. There was a ticket platform at Cowlairs. The line was extended eastwards from Haymarket to North Bridge in 1846, and a joint station for connection with the North British Railway was opened on what is now Edinburgh Waverley railway station in 1847.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cowlairs railway works</span>

Cowlairs Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Works, at Cowlairs in Springburn, an area in the north-east of Glasgow, Scotland, was built in 1841 for the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway and was taken over by the North British Railway (NBR) in 1865. It was named after the nearby mansion of Cowlairs, with both locomotive and carriage & wagon works. It was also the first works in Britain to build locomotives, carriages and wagons in the same place. It was located on the western side of the Glasgow-Edinburgh mainline at Carlisle Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBR C Class</span>

The NBR C Class is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotives designed by Matthew Holmes for freight work on the North British Railway (NBR). They were introduced in 1888 with inside cylinders and Stephenson valve gear. A total of 168 locomotives was built, of which 123 came into British Railways ownership at nationalisation in 1948. This was the last class of steam engine in service in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBR K Class</span> Class of British locomotives

The NBR K Class is a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotive of the North British Railway. The first batch was designed by Matthew Holmes in 1902 and had 6-foot-6-inch (1.981 m) driving wheels for express passenger work. Three more batches were designed by William P. Reid with 6-foot-0-inch (1.829 m) driving wheels for mixed traffic work. This included perishable goods, such as fish from Mallaig and Aberdeen. They had inside cylinders and Stephenson valve gear. The D34 locomotives, commonly known as Glen Class, were built with superheaters. The LNER later fitted superheaters to all D26, D32, and D33 engines as well. All engines of the K class are sometimes known as Glen Class, although the designation is strictly reserved to the fourth (D34) batch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBR G Class</span>

The North British Railway (NBR) G Class is a class of 0-4-0ST steam locomotive designed for shunting. Some locomotives were equipped with small wooden tenders to carry extra coal. They were introduced in 1882 and thirty-eight entered service on the NBR between 1882 and 1899. Like most 0-4-0 tanks of the period it has outside cylinders and inside slide valves driven by Stephenson valve gear. The rival Caledonian Railway had the same number (38) of identical locomotives in service. The nickname "Pug" was used on the NBR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dugald Drummond</span> Scottish steam locomotive engineer (1840-1912)

Dugald Drummond was a Scottish steam locomotive engineer. He had a career with the North British Railway, LB&SCR, Caledonian Railway and London and South Western Railway. He was the older brother of the engineer Peter Drummond, who often followed Dugald's ideas in his own work.

William Paton Reid, CBE was apprenticed to the Cowlairs railway works of the North British Railway in 1879 and was Locomotive Superintendent from 1903 to 1919. He was appointed a CBE in 1920. He was born, and died, in Glasgow, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Holmes (engineer)</span> Scottish engineer (1844–1903)

Matthew Holmes was Locomotive Superintendent of the North British Railway from 1882 to 1903.

Walter Chalmers was a British engineer. He followed his father into the North British Railway, starting as an apprentice at Cowlairs railway works. In 1904 he became Chief Draughtsman and, from 1920 to 1922, he was Chief Mechanical Engineer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBR M Class 4-4-0</span>

The NBR Class M was a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotive of the North British Railway. The class was created during the tenures of William P. Reid and Walter Chalmers by rebuilding three earlier types, the "574", "633", and "729", which had all been designed by Matthew Holmes, and shared many features in common. A total of 48 were produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBR J class</span>

The NBR J Class , commonly known as the Scott class, were a class of 4-4-0 steam tender locomotives designed by William P. Reid for the North British Railway. They passed to the London and North Eastern Railway at the grouping in 1923. Forty-three were built, of which thirty-five survived into British Railways ownership in 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBR 224 and 420 Classes</span> Two classes of British 4-4-0 locomotives

The NBR 224 and 420 Classes consisted of six steam locomotives of the 4-4-0 wheel arrangement built by the North British Railway (NBR) in 1871 and 1873. No. 224 had three claims to fame: it was the first inside-cylinder 4-4-0 engine to run in Great Britain; it was the locomotive involved in the Tay Bridge disaster; and after rebuilding in 1885, it was the only compound-expansion locomotive on the NBR, and one of just three tandem compounds in Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeanie Deans (railway locomotives)</span>

Jeanie Deans was the name given to at least two railway locomotives naming them after the fictional character, Jeanie Deans, who featured in Sir Walter Scott's novel, Heart of Midlothian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBR A class</span>

The NBR A Class (London and North Eastern Railway Classes N14 and N15 were the standard 0-6-2 tank locomotives designed by William P. Reid for freight duties on the North British Railway. The LNER regarded the original locomotives as two separate classes. The final batch of locomotives was on order at the time of the grouping in 1923.

The NBR 141 Class consisted of two steam 2-4-0 locomotives built by the North British Railway (NBR) in 1869. They were the direct antecedents of the NBR 224 Class 4-4-0.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBR H class</span>

The North British Atlantic, later known as NBR Class H, and then as LNER Class C11 was a class of 4-4-2 steam locomotive of the North British Railway. The class was designed by William P. Reid, Locomotive Superintendent of the NBR, and entered service under his direction. They were the heaviest, longest, and most powerful locomotives ever employed on the North British Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBR N class</span> Steam locomotive of the North British Railway

The NBR Class N was a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotive of the North British Railway. The class was designed by Matthew Holmes and later rebuilt by Holmes's successor, Reid. A total of 12 were produced.

The NBR Class D was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive of the North British Railway, often known as the Wee Drummonds. The class was designed by Dugald Drummond. A total of 101 were produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBR F class</span>

The NBR F Class was a class of 0-6-0 tank locomotives, designed by William P. Reid on the North British Railway. They were used for dockyard shunting duties.

References

  1. "NBRSG : NBR locomotives list". www.nbrstudygroup.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014.