GCR CLASS S1

The 'Great Central Railway Class S1' was a class of 0-8-4 steam tank locomotives designed by J. G. Robinson for hump shunting.

Contents

Overview

Dimensions

Sources

External links

Overview

Four locomotives were built in 1907/1908 for the Great Central Railway. They were fitted with 3 cylinders. This gave a more even torque than with a 2-cylinder locomotive and reduced the risk of wheelslip under heavy load. All four passed into London and North Eastern Railway ownership at the 1923 grouping.
These were powerful locomotives but even more power was required so, in 1930, one locomotive was fitted with a superheater and a booster engine and classified S1/2. Two new locomotives (with superheaters and boosters) were built by the LNER in 1932 and classified S1/3. The remaining (non-booster) locomotives were classified S1/1 and were also fitted with superheaters. All the boosters were removed in 1943.
All 6 locomotives passed into British Railways ownership in 1948 and were numbered '69900-69905'.

Dimensions

★ BR Power classification, Not known

★ Locomotive weight:

★
★ S1/1, 99 tons 6 cwt

★
★ S1/2, 99 tons 2 cwt

★
★ S1/3, 99 tons 1 cwt

★ Boiler pressure, 180 psi

★ Superheater:

★
★ S1/1, No, but fitted later

★
★ S1/2, Yes

★
★ S1/3, Yes

★ Cylinders, (3) 18"x26"

★ Driving wheel diameter, 4' 8"

★ Tractive effort, 34,525 lb

★
★ Booster tractive effort, Not known

★ Valve gear, Stephenson (slide valves)
For terminology, see Steam locomotive components

Sources

Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1948 edition, part 4, page 56

External links

★ LNER Encyclopedia