Data from "The West Lancashire Railway and Locomotives", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXIV [24] (15 July 1918) p.115
"It is obvious", commented the LM report,"that engines of such small weight and power would only be of use for very light service." At the time soon after opening, the WL operated a very short range service over the 2 1/2 miles (4 km) between Southport and Crossens. And LM acknowledged that the Hesketh Park, Crossen, and Churchtown could manage three second-hand coaches bought from the London, Brighton & South Coast and brought north. They may have been the smallest standard-gauge locomotives in the UK dedicated to passenger service during the steam era.
Pared down to minimum size, the class had full-sized cabs, low, long side tanks, a tall, slender stack,and tiny dome. The motion lay outside of the wheels, but inside the frame and the Joy gear was actuated by the side rods rather than the connecting (main) rods.
When the WL gave up the loss-making passenger runs, the railway returned the trio to Kitson, who sold it to a Morecambe contractor operating about 30 miles (48 km) of Preston. (In 1893, Kitson sold shunters of an identical design to the Liverpool Overhead Railway; see Locobase 10256).
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | |
|---|---|
| Class | Hesketh Park |
| Locobase ID | 20660 |
| Railroad | West Lancashire |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Whyte | 0-4-0T |
| Number in Class | 3 |
| Road Numbers | 10-12 |
| Gauge | Std |
| Number Built | 3 |
| Builder | Kitson & Co |
| Year | 1884 |
| Valve Gear | Joy |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 6 / 1.83 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 6 / 1.83 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 1 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 6 / 1.83 |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 22,264 / 10,099 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 22,264 / 10,099 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 19 / 9.50 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 36 / 914 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 150 / 1030 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 8" x 12" / 203x305 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 2720 / 1233.77 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 8.19 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 73 - 1.625" / 41 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 4.42 / 1.35 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 23 / 2.14 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 6.40 / 0.59 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 160 / 14.86 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 160 / 14.86 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 229.18 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 960 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 960 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 3450 |
| Power L1 | 3545 |
| Power MT | 702.06 |