CLASS
G5
LOCOMOTIVE COMPANY LTD
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Following his appointment as NER Locomotive Superintendent (latterly referred to as the Chief Mechanical Engineer), Wilson Worsdell reversed his brothers small passenger tank design policy and went back to the 0-4-4 wheel arrangement, similar to Fletcher’s G6 of 1874. The Class ‘O’ (in NER locomotive class format) was designed in 1893 as a replacement for the Class A (2-4-2) with smaller driving wheels but with larger coal and water capacity, giving it a greater range. The first of the class emerged from the NER North Road Works, Darlington, in 1894 and by 1901, when production ceased, the class totaled 110 examples built in 7 distinct batches. They became the standard NER passenger tank locomotive until 1907 when larger classes, such as the A8, were introduced. Here we see 67248 at Bishop Auckland in the mid 1950s.
The only major modifications carried out by the NER was to fit ‘cages’ on top of the coal bunker to increase capacity from 1917 (as shown above), with a hopper extension added on top of the cage from 1921 to increase coal capacity yet more, and the change from Ramsbottom safety valves (with the distinctive brass trumpet) to Ross pop valves. In 1923 the NER became the largest and most profitable constituent of the LNER and the Class ‘O’ became Class G5 in that company’s locomotive class system. From 1930 the LNER introduced a new boiler design, type 69, with a single plate barrel and 199 tubes. This was further modified in 1937 with an increase in boiler tubes up to 207; the dome was moved back about 20 inches and was classified as 69A. One locomotive, 387, had the side tanks modified to provide extra water capacity for use in the Hull area on what were termed “lightweight express trains”. The experiment does not appear to have been a success as no other locomotives were altered. This locomotive, running as BR No 67340, is shown below.
Technical DetailsThe following details cover the G5s when they entered LNER ownership:-
RA (Route Availability) index 4 BR Power Class 2P originally (changed to 1P in May 1953)
Allocation and Work The G5s worked throughout the North-East area, from branch line passenger trains in Weardale to the heavier suburban trains around Tyneside, Leeds and Hull. They were regularly ‘clocked’ at 60mph on the Middlesbrough to Newcastle services pulling 5 bogie coaches before being ousted by the likes of the A8 and V1/V3 tanks and regularly worked some of the longer turns, such as Sunderland – Durham – Bishop Auckland – Middleton-in-Teesdale … and return!
During the late 1920s and early 1930s the LNER, like other railways, started to feel the first effects of competition on rural branch lines and many G5s were replaced with steam railcars, the released locomotives displacing earlier tank locomotives such the G6 and F8 classes.
In 1937 twenty one G5s were converted to vacuum operated push-pull working in a further attempt to combat road competition, both in rural and urban areas. The first locomotive was No 1833 and was put to work on the West Hartlepool – Ferryhill service.
The class also found work on other parts of the LNER system, from Scotland to ex-GER territory. Several locomotives were transferred in the late 1930s to the ex-GNS territory around Aberdeen and the Arrocher - Craigendorran branch while others went to work the Palace Gates – Severn Sisters and Epping – Ongar services as well as in the Cambridge area.
All but two of the locomotives survived into BR ownership, LNER post 1946 numbers 7285 and 7306. The first withdrawals under BR were in 1950, but the main ‘cull’ was between 1955 and 1958 when the first generation of BR designed railcars and diesel multiple units swept all steam branch line service from virtually the whole country.
None of these locomotives was preserved and the class became extinct … until now!
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Last modified: 18 Jan 2011 |
