L&YR Class 5

L&YR Class 5

46762, the Wirral Railway survivor, at Preston in 1950

Type and origin Power type Steam Designer J. A. F. Aspinall Builder Horwich Works Order number Lots 1, 4, 11, 12, 16, 22, 27, 28, 30, 34, 35, 36, 38, 41 Build date 1889–1911 Total produced 310

Specifications Configuration 2-4-2T UIC class 1′B1′ n2t Gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia 3 feet 7 ^3⁄4 inches (1.111 m) Driver diameter 5 ft 8 in (1.727 m) Trailing dia 3 feet 7 ^3⁄4 inches (1.111 m) Loco weight Short frame: 55.95 long tons (56.85 t; 62.66 short tons) Long frame: 59.15 long tons (60.10 t; 66.25 short tons) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity Short frame: 2.00 long tons (2.03 t; 2.24 short tons) Long frame: 3.15 long tons (3.20 t; 3.53 short tons) Water cap Short frame: 1,340 imp gal (6,100 l; 1,610 US gal) Long frame: 1,540 imp gal (7,000 l; 1,850 US gal) Boiler pressure 160 psi (1.10 MPa), some later 180 psi (1.24 MPa) Heating surface 1,216.4 sq ft (113.01 m^2) Cylinders Two, inside Cylinder size Lots 1 & 4: 18 in × 26 in (457 mm × 660 mm) Remainder: 17 ^1⁄2 in × 26 in (444 mm × 660 mm) Valve gear Joy Valve type Slide valves

Performance figures Tractive effort 16,848–19,496 lbf (74.9–86.7 kN)

Career Operators Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway → London, Midland and Scottish Railway → British Railways Class L&YR: 5 Power class LMS/BR: 2P Number in class 1 January 1923: 278; 1 January 1948: 110 Numbers LMS: 10621–10954 Withdrawn 1927–1961 Disposition One preserved, remainder scrapped

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Class 5 and Class 6 were two related classes of 2-4-2T steam locomotives.

Class 5

The class began as a John Aspinall design of 1889.^[1] The first locomotives had 18-by-26-inch (457 mm × 660 mm) cylinders for a tractive effort of 18,955 lbf (84.32 kN) and power class 2P.^[2] Some later-built locomotives from 1893 had smaller diameter cylinders of 17 inches (432 mm) for a tractive effort of 18,360 lbf (81.67 kN).^[2] The original coal bunker capacity was of 2 tons. From 1898, some were rebuilt with increased capacity for both water and now 4 tons of coal.^[2] 270 were built in total.

In 1905, Hughes introduced a Belpaire firebox to replace the original round-topped boiler.^[2] 40 were built. From 1910, this boiler was also fitted to rebuilt locomotives.^[2]

110 eventually came into British Railways hands in 1948.^[3] By 1961, all but three had been scrapped.^[3]

Some of these locomotives were also fitted for push-pull working, being coupled to a driving trailer coach that contained a driver's cab and allowed the train to be driven in reverse, without running the locomotive around the train at the terminus.

Druitt Halpin experiments

One locomotive, 632, was built by Hoy in 1902 with an experimental Druitt Halpin thermal storage apparatus.^[4] Similar in some respects to a Flaman boiler, this resembled a second short boiler drum atop the normal drum, in place of the dome.^[5] Other locomotives: 1015, 1164, 1315, 1335 & 1375 were similarly fitted in 1905. Ivatt also experimented with a similar device on a GNR 2-4-0. Neither appears to have been successful and after problems with mud and scale build-up, Hughes had them removed.^[5]

1906 boiler explosion

In 1906, class 5 no. 869 suffered a boiler explosion at The Oaks station, north of Bolton.^[6] The firebox crown sheet broke free of its rod stays and burst downwards, although without splitting. 57 of the 150 one-inch (25-mm) rod stays failed, the steam escaping through the remaining holes scalding the driver, although both footplate crew survived their injuries. The cause of the accident, which was the L&YR's second major boiler explosion in five years, was put down to poor washing out of the firebox water spaces when at Colne shed. Afterwards, 72 pounds (33 kg) of scale was collected. Although boilers were supposed to be washed out every eight days, this quantity suggests that it was up to three weeks since this had last been done thoroughly, either through omission or by inadequate washing.^[6]

Wirral Railway

The Wirral Railway (WR) acquired one of these locomotives from the L&YR in June 1921: no. 1041 became WR no. 6.^[7][8] After the Grouping of 1923, this re-joined its original stablemates as part of the newly created London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Although the L&YR locomotives were numbered in a block from No. 10621 upwards, which included the allocation of no. 10638 to the original L&YR number of the Wirral locomotive,^[9][10] the former Wirral locomotive stock was included in the LMS Western Division. The largest constituent of the Western Division was the LNWR,^[11] and so WR no. 6 was numbered 6762 by the LMS, at the end of a block starting at 6515 which was allocated to former LNWR 2-4-2T locomotives; this locomotive followed on from nos. 6758–61, four former LNWR 4′ 6″ 2-4-2T which the WR had acquired from the LNWR.^[12]

No. 6762 survived into British Railways ownership (as 46762) and worked as station pilot at Preston, until being withdrawn and scrapped in 1952.^[13] It was the only Wirral Railway engine to last until Nationalisation;^[14] it also retained the original round-topped boiler throughout.

Preservation

The first of the class, No. 1008 is preserved as a static exhibit in the National Railway Museum.^[15]

Class 6

The L&YR Class 6 was a superheated development by George Hughes of the Aspinall L&YR Class 5.

L&YR Class 6

Type and origin Power type Steam Designer G. Hughes Builder Horwich Works Build date 1911–1914 Total produced New 20, rebuilds 44, total 64

Specifications Configuration 2-4-2T UIC class 1′B1′ h2t Leading dia 3 feet 7 ^3⁄4 inches (1.111 m) Driver diameter 5 ft 8 in (1.727 m) Trailing dia 3 feet 7 ^3⁄4 inches (1.111 m) Loco weight 66 long tons (67 t) or 60 long tons (61 t) Boiler pressure 180 lbf/in^2 (1.24 MPa) Cylinder size 20 ^1⁄2 in × 26 in (521 mm × 660 mm), some conversions 19 ^1⁄2 in × 26 in (495 mm × 660 mm) [16]

Performance figures Tractive effort 24,585 lbf (109.4 kN), 19.5" conversions 22,245 lbf (99.0 kN)

Career Power class LMS: 3P

Some were rebuilt as conversions and others built new.^[17] 20 new locomotives were built in 1911. Of the conversions, 26 were of the Aspinall engines, 18 of Hughes' own version with Belpaire firebox.

The locomotives passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923. LMS numbers were 10900–10954, except for 9 which were converted after the grouping without being renumbered. Fourteen of the class came into British Railways hands in 1948 and were numbered in the range 50835–50953.^[18]

All had been scrapped by 1952.

References

1. John Whitaker. "10665 Aspinall L&YR Class 5 Tank engine at Huddersfield".
2. "LMS Class Aspinall L&YR Class 5 2-4-2 Tank". Rail UK.
3. Casserley, H.C.; Asher, L.L. (1961) [1955]. Locomotives of British Railways. Spring Books. pp. 72, 326.
4. US patent 685600, Druitt Halpin, issued 29 October 1901 
5. Marshall, John (1972). The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. Vol 3: Locomotives and Rolling Stock. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. pp. 134–135,144, 151. ISBN 0-7153-5320-9.
6. Hewison, Christian H. (1983). Locomotive Boiler Explosions. David and Charles. p. 112. ISBN 0-7153-8305-1.
7. Marshall 1972, pp. 243,248
8. Baxter 1984, p. 270
9. Baxter 1982, pp. 63,64
10. Casserley & Johnston 1974, pp. 108–109
11. Casserley & Johnston 1974, p. 9
12. Casserley & Johnston 1974, pp. 73–75
13. Casserley & Asher, Locomotives of British Railways, pp. 69, 313
14. Casserley & Johnston 1974, p. 75
15. "L&YR Class 5 2-4-2T 1008 (BR 50621)".
16. Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1948 edition, part 3, page 42
17. Casserley and Asher, Locomotives of British Railways, pp 72, 326
18. "Rail UK British Railway History Item". Railuk.info. Retrieved 2012-04-11.

• Baxter, Bertram (1982). Baxter, David, ed. British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 3B: Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and its constituent companies. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. ISBN 0-903485-85-0.
• Baxter, Bertram (1984). Baxter, David, ed. British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 4: Scottish and remaining English Companies in the LMS Group. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company.
• Casserley, H.C. & Johnston, Stuart W. (1974) [1966]. Locomotives at the Grouping 3: London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0554-0.
• Marshall, John (1972). The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, volume 3. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-5320-9.