Class B74/B77 (Locobase 5036)

Data from "Four-wheeled Tank Locomotive, Great Easter Ry", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XX [20] (15 April 1914), p. 94. See also Richard Marsden's LNER Encylopedia, first accessed 15 March 2002 as [] (consulted in March 2002)

Beefy, Belpaire-firebox tanks designed by the GER's locomotive superintendent AJ Hill to run in the Stratford area at several locations including Bethnal Green, Canning Town, Mile End Yard, and Devonshire Street. Instead of offering a rear coal bunker, the B74s simply had the coal piled at the rear of the left-side tank and often on top of the firebox.

These were relatively powerful engines and were obviously acceptable in most respects. But, says Marsden, they plunged when driven too fast, an unpleasant bobbing enhanced by the poor track. Not only were the crews discomfited, but the action tended to shear off the drain cocks on the cylinders. "The Works fitter 'strongly disliked' the constant refitting of new drain cocks to the Y4s.

The first of the class was supplied in 1913 to replace smaller Y5s. The 1921 B77s used identical dimensions, but had all of its upper dimensions of the cab, dome, and chimney (stack) cut to a maximum of 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m) to comply with gauge restrictions at the GER's Blackwall Docks.

Renumbered in 1946 when part of the LNER as 8125-8129 and retired between 1955 and 1963.

Class G15 (Locobase 20044)

Data from "The Locomotives of the Great Eastern Railway", Locomotive Magazine, Volume 18 (15 March 1912), p. 53.

The tramway in Great Yarmouth ran down city streets and across the river Bure from Vauxhall Station to the Fish Wharf and it was the constraints imposed by both features that dictated this design. It was the first steam-driven motive power for the tramway that had opened in 1866.

A butt-jointed two-plate barrel mated to a raised firebox. The Ramsbottom safety valves on top of the firebox vented into the tanks that ran the length of the engine. As with most trams, the locomotive bits were shrouded from top to rail, Figure 216 showing the double-ended cabin and heavy skirting.

Although the engine could reach 25 mph (41 km/h), tram speed was governed so not to exceed 8 mph (13 km/h). The trains hauled both the catch from the drifters and trawlers at the wharf and coal to resupply the boats.

Four of the motors received new boilers (130 and 129 in 1898, 132 in 1899, and 128 in 1906) that had 102 tubes of 1 5/8" diameter (41 mm). This increased evaporative heating surface area to 350 sq ft. Boiler pressure also increased to 140 psi. When the LM report was published in 1912, 131 and 130 had been scrapped (in 1907 and 1909, respectively), but the others were still in service.

Class Luggage engines (Locobase 9644)

Data from Francis Whishaw, Railways of Great Britain and Ireland (London: John Weale, 1842), p. 93. Boiler pressure and building date are estimates.

More frankly freight haulers than the little 2-2-0s described in 9642-9643