Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley 0-6-0 Locomotives in Great_Britain


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 10 (Locobase 16055)

Data from "Six-Coupled Locomotive for the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley", The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XVII (15 July 1911), p. 152. See also John Speller's Web Pages -- Narrow Gauge at [], last accessed 30 May 2015.

The origin of the BP&GV was an 1865 decision to convert the existing Kidwelly & Burry Port Canal to a coal-carrying line that grew to 21 miles (33.8 km). LM's report focused on the twisting, occasionally "tortuous" alignment and gradients of 1 in 45 and 1 in 43 (2.2-2.3%). These demands led to use of a radial axlebox in the trailing axle, "which is found to work very smoothly."

John Speller notes that passengers had ridden illegally on the coal trains for years, so in 1908, the railway asked Colonel Holman Fred Stephens to improve the road to allow for legal passenger service. The line opened its passenger service on 29 June 1913, although the July 1911 LM article notes that passenger service was already in operation as far as Pontyberem with plans to extend it only a few miles further to the end of the line at Cwm Mawr.

Even after the railway was taken over by the Great Western in 1922, passenger service continued. Only in 1953 did line see its last passenger trip.


Class Ashburnham (Locobase 10743)

Data from "The Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Ry," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XV , 15 November 1909, pp. 208-210 and 15 December 1909, pp. 225-227. See also "Saddle Tank Locomotive, Burry Port and Gwendreath Valley Railway", Engineer, (23 November 1900), p. 525.

This railway was described as serving the most westerly coal shipping outlet of the South Wales coalfield. Burry Port lay on the northern bank of the Burry, which emptied itself into Camarthen Bay's eastern end. A total of 32 miles (51.5 km) consisted of the 11-mile (17.8 km) main line from Burry Port and Pontyberem and 21 miles (33.8 km)of branches connecting several different collieries to the port.

After giving relatively meagre details of earlier locomotives, the LM report begins detailing those engines then in service on the BP & GVR. This saddle tank was laid out as a 2-4-0T but its curve-negotiating capability was enhanced by 1 3/4" (44.5 mm) of lateral play in the trailing axle. #3 "Burry Port" had 15" x 22" (381 x 559 mm) cylinders and 42" (1,067 mm) drivers, but was otherwise similar to Ashburnham.


Class Gwendraeth (Locobase 10745)

Data from "The Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Ry," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XV , 15 November 1909, pp. 208-210 and 15 December 1909, pp. 225-227. Works numbers were 1519 and 1535. Boiler pressure is an estimate.

This was the second pair of saddle-tanks were Gwendraeth (1906) and Pembrey (1907). Compared to the first pair (Locobase 10744), this twosome had smaller boilers and larger fireboxes. They were much heavier locomotives as well.


Class Kidwelly (Locobase 10744)

Data from "The Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Ry," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XV , 15 November 1909, pp. 208-210 and 15 December 1909, pp. 225-227. Works numbers were 1463 and 1491.Boiler pressure is an estimate.

This was the first pair of saddle tanks were Kidwelly (1903) and Cwm Mawr (1905). A later Avonside order of heavier saddle tanks is shown in Locobase 10745.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class10AshburnhamGwendraethKidwelly
Locobase ID16055 10743 10745 10744
RailroadBurry Port & Gwendraeth ValleyBurry Port & Gwendraeth ValleyBurry Port & Gwendraeth ValleyBurry Port & Gwendraeth Valley
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte0-6-0ST0-6-0ST0-6-0ST0-6-0ST
Number in Class1122
Road Numbers1016-74-5
GaugeStdStdStdStd
Number Built1122
BuilderHudswell, ClarkeChapman & FurneauxAvonsideAvonside
Year1911190019061903
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)12 / 3.6612.75 / 3.8911 / 3.3511 / 3.35
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)12 / 3.6612.75 / 3.8911 / 3.3511 / 3.35
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase1111
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)12 / 3.6612.75 / 3.8911 / 3.3511 / 3.35
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)84,560 / 38,35695,536 / 43,33487,360 / 39,62667,200 / 30,481
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)84,560 / 38,35695,536 / 43,33487,360 / 39,62667,200 / 30,481
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)84,560 / 38,35695,536 / 43,33487,360 / 39,62667,200 / 30,481
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)1140 / 4.321020 / 3.86900 / 3.41
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 1.50 / 1
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)47 / 23.5053 / 26.5049 / 24.5037 / 18.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)45 / 114344 / 111842 / 106742 / 1067
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)160 / 11140 / 9.70140 / 9.70140 / 9.70
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)16" x 24" / 406x61016" x 24" / 406x61015" x 22" / 381x55915" x 20" / 381x508
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)18,569 / 8422.7716,617 / 7537.3514,025 / 6361.6412,750 / 5783.31
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.55 5.75 6.23 5.27
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)174 - 1.625" / 41164 - 1.875" / 48
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)11.75 / 3.58
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)80.50 / 7.4878 / 7.2589 / 8.2760 / 5.58
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)14 / 1.3014 / 1.3015.20 / 1.4110.20 / 0.95
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)866 / 80.45928 / 86.21956 / 88.851075 / 99.91
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)866 / 80.45928 / 86.21956 / 88.851075 / 99.91
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume155.06166.16212.46262.80
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation2240196021281428
Same as above plus superheater percentage2240196021281428
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area12,88010,92012,4608400
Power L12725242330513294
Power MT213.14167.74230.99324.20

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