M&GN Class C
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The M&GN Class C was a class of 4-4-0 steam tender locomotives of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway.
History
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GN) was formed in 1893. The M&GN possessed insufficient locomotives to work all of its services, and so a number of locomotives were loaned by the railway's two co-owners, the Great Northern Railway and the Midland Railway (MR). To avoid the necessity for such loans, the MR's Locomotive Superintendent, Samuel W. Johnson, designed a class of 4-4-0 tender locomotives specifically for use on the M&GN. These had much in common with the MR's 1808 class,[1] which had first appeared in 1888.[2] 26 locomotives of the new design were built by Sharp, Stewart & Co. in 1894, with a further seven following in 1896; a final seven were built by Beyer, Peacock & Co. in 1899 bringing the total to 40.[1] Their numbers on the M&GN were 1–7, 11–14, 17, 18, 36–39, 42–57, 74–80, and they formed M&GN Class C.[1] Ten more were built to the same design by Beyer, Peacock in 1900, but these were for the MR, where they formed the 2581 class.[3][4]
As built, the engines had round-topped fireboxes, and the boiler barrel had a maximum diameter of 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m). When boilers became due for replacement, the replacement boilers were of various types, some of which had Belpaire fireboxes, and some were larger, being 4 ft 9 in (1.45 m) diameter.[5]
When they passed to the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) on 1 October 1936, it was decided to add a zero prefix to their M&GN numbers, to avoid duplication with existing LNER engines, so M&GN no. 1 became LNER no. 01;[6] but 14 locomotives were withdrawn before the prefix could be applied.[7] The remaining 26 had their numbers altered between October 1936 and December 1937.[8]
On the LNER they initially retained the M&GN class C, but this was soon subdivided into C/1, C/2 and C/3 according to boiler design. They were reclassified as D52, D53 and D54 in July 1942:[3]
- C/1, D52 Round-top firebox
- C/2, D53 Small Belpaire firebox
- C/3, D54 Large Belpaire firebox
When the LNER post-war numbering scheme was prepared, it was based on the locomotive stock on 4 July 1943,[9] by which time 19 more had been withdrawn, leaving seven:[8] of these, class D52 nos. 038 & 076 were allotted 2050–1, class D53 nos. 050, 06 & 077 were to become 2052–4, and D54 nos. 055–6 were allotted 2055–6.[7] However, by the time that the scheme was issued in December that year,[9] a further four had been withdrawn, leaving just the three D53 in the final list; and before the renumbering actually began in January 1946, all three of those had also been withdrawn, the last in January 1945.[10]
Preservation
None were preserved however a boiler does survive and there are talks of a static locomotive being built with the boiler.[11]
Notes
- 1 2 3 Boddy et al. 1968, p. 117.
- ↑ Baxter 1982, p. 127.
- 1 2 Boddy et al. 1968, p. 118.
- ↑ Baxter 1982, p. 129.
- ↑ Boddy et al. 1968, pp. 118,119–120.
- ↑ Boddy et al. 1963, p. 36.
- 1 2 Boddy et al. 1968, p. 119.
- 1 2 Boddy et al. 1968, pp. 123–4.
- 1 2 Boddy et al. 1963, p. 37.
- ↑ Boddy et al. 1968, pp. 119,123–4.
- ↑ Steam railway magazine 359
References
- Baxter, Bertram (1982). Baxter, David, ed. Volume 3A: Midland Railway and its constituent companies. British Locomotive Catalogue 1825-1923. Ashbourne: Moorland Publishing.
- Boddy, M.G.; Brown, W.A.; Fry, E.V.; Hennigan, W.; Manners, F.; Neve, E.; Tee, D.F.; Yeadon, W.B. (April 1968). Fry, E.V., ed. Part 4: Tender Engines - Classes D25 to E7. Locomotives of the L.N.E.R. Kenilworth: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-01-0.
- Boddy, M.G.; Fry, E.V.; Hennigan, W.; Proud, P.; Yeadon, W.B. (July 1963). Fry, E.V., ed. Part 1: Preliminary Survey. Locomotives of the L.N.E.R. Potters Bar: RCTS.