Great Northern 0-6-0 Locomotives in Great_Britain


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 116 (Locobase 9649)

Data from George Frederick Bird, The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway 1847-1910 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910), p. 11 and [link] summary of Great Northern locomotives.

These were ordered by Edmund Bury during his last days as GNR Locomotive Superintendent from two builders. Hawthorn supplied 15 in two batches: 116-120 in 1850, 134-143 in 1850-1851 (works #739-748). The first five had 16" x 22" cylinders. E B Wilson & Company delivered 16 in 1850-1851.

Bird comments that the two builders produced engines of the same dimensions, but steamindex says that Hawthorn's engine had smaller heating surface areas: firebox and tube areas were 69 and 823 ft2, respectively. Locobase wonders if the smaller boilers were produced on the first five only.

Archibald Sturrock put new boilers on the class in 1864-1866.


Class 168 (Locobase 9654)

Data from [link], Steamindex's summary of Great Northern locomotive practice. See also George Frederick Bird, The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway 1847-1910 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910), p. 19-20.

This was the first large class of goods locomotives, a design that, unfortunately, Bird didn't present the heating surface data for it. He does comment that it was a type "... that was subsequently adopted to a large extent by different railway companies ....[it] was exceptionally powerful for the period in which it first made its appearance."

Both the safety-valve stand and the dome had fluted cylindrical sections, a straight outside frame, and overhanging springs. The boiler had an oval section with a 4' 3" vertical diameter and 4' 1" horizontal diameter. The copper firebox had a transverse mid-feather that divided the lower firebox into two sections measuring 2' 1/4" in length, 3' 7" in width.

Later batches of 20 goods engines (308-317 from R Stephenson & Co in 1851-1852 and 318-327 from Nasmyth & Co (works #100-109) in 1852-1853) had 16 1/2" x 24" cylinders and 63" wheels.

Ten other engines were produced by Fairbairn; see Locobase 9655.


Class 171/J6/J4 (Locobase 3205)

Glover (1967) and Richard Marsden, "The Stirling and Ivatt J3 & J4 (GNR Classes J4 & J5) 0-6-0 Locomotives", LNER Encyclopedia ([link], last accessed 28 June 2023, originally accessed 19 May 2007). The GN's Doncaster shops built two-thirds of the class (110 locomotives). Dubs works numbers were 1607-1626 in 1882, 3370-3384 in 1896. Vulcan works numbers were 954-968 in 1882.

(Locobase 9664)

Instead of the bigger coal engine design (Locobase 3016), which wasn't adopted because the coal trains it could pull were too long for the sidings, these engines became the standard.

They were later rebuilt as members of the J4 or J5 class. When the Great Northern formed the core of the 1923 Grouped railway London & Northern, the survivors were designated J4.


Class 174 (Locobase 3016)

Data from [link], Steamindex's summary of Great Northern locomotive practice; and "Goods Locomotive for the Great Northern Railway", Engineering, Volume (11 October 1872), pp. 254-256. . See also George Frederick Bird, The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway 1847-1910 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910), p. 76-77.

Only six of this Patrick Stirling design were built, an odd result given their performance, according to Bird: "These engines appear to have admirably fulfilled the purpose for which they were designed, taking loads of the figure already mentioned and running to time with great regularity on a relatively small coal consumption of about 46-47-lbs. per mile."

Stirling later told Ahrons (1927), however, that two grade crossings in Lincoln, a regular stopping point for freights at the time, were not far enough apart for the line between them to hold more than a limited number of loaded freight cars. For this reason, this competent and powerful design was too much locomotive for the service. Instead the GNR produced the design shown in Locobase 3205.


Class 198 (Locobase 9655)

Data from [link], Steamindex's summary of Great Northern locomotive practice. See also George Frederick Bird, The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway 1847-1910 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910), p. 20-21.

The larger of the two groups of 6-coupled goods engines produced under the original order was delivered by E B Wilson after Fairbairn had troubles with its order; Locobase discusses the Wilson engines in Locobase 9654.. Bird points out that these had a circular boiler and slightly uneven spacing between the axles.


Class 328 (Locobase 9656)

Data from [link], Steamindex's summary of Great Northern locomotive practice. See also George Frederick Bird, The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway 1847-1910 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910), p. 25-27.

This was the first large class of Great Northern locomotives built to the same specifications and the orders were widely distributed in small amounts. Bird lists the following:

Builder Year Works # Road numbers

R W Hawthorn 1853-1854 858-862 328-332

Kitson & Co 1853 333-337

E B Wilson 1854 338-347

Sharp, Stewart 1854 820-822, 826-831 354-362

Vulcan Foundry 1854 367-371 363-367

E B Wilson 1853, 1854 368-369, 370-380

Kitson & Co 1855 381-385

Sharp, Stewart 1855, 1856 910-913, 914 385-389, 390


Class 400 (Locobase 9659)

Data from [link], Steamindex's summary of Great Northern locomotive practice. See also George Frederick Bird, The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway 1847-1910 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910), p. 37-40.

Locobase 9656 describes the first big class of six-coupled goods engines on the GNR.

This class was even larger and was equipped originally with a steam tender. The details of the class ran as follows:

Road Numbers Builder Works # Year

400-409 Kitson & Co. 1865

410-419 R. & W.Hawthorn 1248-1257 1865

420-429 Neilson & Co. 1151-1160 1865

430-439 R. & W. Hawthorn 1258-1267 1865

440-449 Neilson & Co. 1171-1180 1866

450-455 Vulcan Foundry Co. 554- 559 1866

456-460 Avonside Engine Co. 620- 624 1866

461-469 R. & W. Hawthorn 1325-1333 1866

The steam tender consisted of what would later be described as a booster engine fitted to the tender. Bird explains that some of the changes the resulting increase in demand for steam entailed: "...enlargement of the firebox, provision of a second regulator [throttle] in the steam dome, and a rearrangement of the feed pumps to permit of the pumping of hot water."

Alas, their undoubted mechanical success in trials where a locomotive could pull nearly twice as many wagons as before was more than offset by the increased fuel and water consumption and the greater powered length of the engine set. So, although a large class of locomotives similar to the earlier 328s was delivered with steam tenders, most were removed within a short time.

Steamindex relays the opinion of a Mr Bennett in Groves' primary work. Bennett said the auxiliary tenders could work well when carefully and knowledgeably operated, but the system demanded too much steam for heavy applications and imposed too much of its own frictional resistance under light loads. Note too that the boilers were actually smaller than those of the 328s, what is to Locobase a mystifying reversion.

Patrick Stirling soon refitted most of the class with new boilers and new plate frames.


Class 474/J7/J8 (Locobase 9664)

Data from "Goods Engine for the Great Northern Railway", Engineer, Volume26 (14 August 1868), pp. 120, 123; and [link], Steamindex's summary of Great Northern locomotive practice. See also George Frederick Bird, The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway 1847-1910 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910), p. 58-59; and Richard Marsden, "The Stirling and Ivatt J3 & J4 (GNR Classes J4 & J5) 0-6-0 Locomotives", in his LNER Encyclopedia at [link]. John Fowler & Company produced 10 of them in 1867-1868(works numbers 871-880) and Neilson & Co supplied 10 more (works numbers 1356-1365) in 1867.

Although there were just 20 in the 1867 order and all came from commercial builders, this design served as a prototype for hundreds of 0-6-0s that would be produced at Doncaster over the next few decades. (In 1869-1873, Doncaster delivered 17 more locomotives of very similar specifications.)

Steamindex noted that the cab resembled those of the Glasgow & South Western Railway (presumably because of the enclosed sides and porthole windows) and was not popular with their crews. A more "Great Northern" type of cab soon replaced it. Bird added a comment about the spring design: "The trailing springs consisted of six volute springs arranged in two wrought-iron troughs placed transversely, one of which was secured to the frames below the footplate, while the other took its seating at each end on the tops of the axleboxes."

Engineer's cutaway illustration on p. 120 shows an all-inside cylinders, valves, and motion. Stirling fitted a brick arch in the firebox and the cab mentioned above, which had


Class J1 (Locobase 8914)

Data from Railway Engineer, June 1908 and Richard Marsden, LNER Encyclopedia ([link], accessed 22 November 2007). See also "New Great Northern Goods Engine", Railway Times, Volume 94, (24 October 1908), p. 441.

The author of the RE article notes the unusually tall drivers on this class of six-coupled "goods" engines. This alone would render them quite useful for certain kinds of passenger service. Marsden, writing 90 years later, confirms the quality of the design:"All were used on the fast goods trains for which they were designed. They were also quickly used for passenger work, and a notable early working was the use of all three Kings Cross J1s on August Bank Holiday excursions to Skegness in 1909. The J1s tended to work lighter duties after the introduction of the larger K1 2-6-0 locomotives in 1912. However, the J1s continued to work passenger services for the rest of their lives, and they should rightly be classed as mixed traffic engines."

He notes that this Ivatt design was never superheated. Nevertheless, all 15 worked through World War II. Four were scrapped before the 1948 nationalization while the other 15 were withdrawn between 1951 and 1954. Even at that late date, "65013 [the last J1 in service] was called upon to replace failed express locomotives on two occasions. One of these included the unaided haulage of a heavy fourteen-bogie train to Kings Cross after a Pacific had failed."


Class J13 / J52 (Locobase 7544)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia on [link], last accessed 10 June 2006; and Bird, Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910). pp. 154-155. GNR's Doncaster works turned out the first 12 with work numbers 733-744. Neilson works numbers were 5095-5099 in 1897; Robert Stephenson & Co works numbers were 2921-2930 in 1898-1899; Sharp, Stewart & Co works numbers were 4471-4495 in 1899.

Henry Ivatt saddle tank that adopted the larger domed boiler favored by that Locomotive Superintendent. (Bird noted that the five Neilson engines were domeless; he added that these seven repeated Stirling's earlier boiler.) These supplanted the J14s in production and were delivered between 1897 and 1909.

Like the J14s, the J13s were used in switching (shunting) at the larger marshalling yards; Marsden lists the allocations in 1923 (the year of Grouping) as Kings Cross (28), Hornsey (24) New England (21), Doncaster (28), Ardsley (14), Bradford (14), Colwick (6), Grantham (1), Lincoln (1), and Manchester (4). To distinguish between the J14s that were rebuilt with J13 boilers, the LNER later classed the former J13s as J52/2 in 1940.

Most of the J52s of both origins were still in service when the railways were nationalized in 1948. As diesel switchers came into service in the 1950s, the J52s were retired with the last departing in 1961.


Class J14 / J53 (Locobase 7543)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia on [link], last accessed 10 June 2006.

The last James Stirling saddle tank, this class was built both by Neilson & Co in Glasgow (20 engines) and the GN works at Doncaster (32 engines) between 1892 and 1897. Like other Stirling locomotives, these had domeless boilers, but with a length of 10 1/2 feet. None of the J14s was rebuilt until 1922, when they were gradually fitted with the larger, domed boiler of the J13/J52. These were later (1940) designated J52/1.

Their primary duty was switching (shunting) at the larger marshalling yards; Marsden lists the allocations in 1923 (the year of Grouping) as Kings Cross (28), Hornsey (24) New England (21), Doncaster (28), Ardsley (14), Bradford (14), Colwick (6), Grantham (1), Lincoln (1), and Manchester (4).


Class J15 / J54 (Locobase 8707)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER site -- [link] (8 September 2007).

These were the first saddle-tankers to go into service on the GN. They were products of Patrick Stirling. They operated as switchers (shunters) throughout their long careers, although they moved to lighter and lighter duty as heavier locomotives came on. Upon grouping in 1923, the LNER classed them as J54/1 (original cab) or J54/2 (enclosed cab). The last was retired in 1933.


Class J16 / J55 (Locobase 8709)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER site -- [link] (11 September 2007) and George Frederick Bird, The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway 1847-1910 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910), pp. 153-155.

Although Ivatt's upgrade program began with two small J17s (Locobase 8708), which he stretched, almost all J16s were ex-J15s (Locobase 8707). The design increased boiler capacity by adding 50 tubes and enlarged the firebox commensurately. Steam pressure rose by 10 psi. A readily visible difference was the appearance of a steam dome over the second driver.

The Great Northern rebuilt 28 J15s while the LNER, which designated the class J55, added 23 between 1923 and 1932. J55s did not last much longer than either of their forebears with all but three gone by 1937. One of the holdouts was scrapped in 1947 and the others were gone by July 1950.


Class J17 / J56 (Locobase 8708)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER site -- [link] (8 September 2007).

Smaller than the main run of saddle-tankers designed by Patrick Stirling (see Locobase 8707), this design used a smaller firebox and grate. The conversion of two J17 into the larger J16 (Locobase 8708) affected only two of this class. The LNER's absorption of the 8 remaining J17s was accompanied by a redesignation as J56. As such, they were all retired by 1932.


Class J21 / J5 (Locobase 8923)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia ([link], accessed 25 November 2007).

Henry Ivatt's last saturated-boiler design was this set of mixed-traffic locomotives that had their production run curtailed by the adoption of the J22 with a superheated boiler (see Locobase 8924). Two did have superheaters installed (3021 with an 18-element Schmidt superheater in February 1923 and 3030 with a Robinson superheater in May 1928).

Coal traffic was their primary use, initially to to Hornsey and, after Grouping, from Retford locally and to New England. When assigned to Nottingham during World War II, the entire class served Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire coalfields.

Most were never superheated.

After the first engine was retired in 1953, the rest followed within two years.


Class J21/ J2 (Locobase 8925)

Data from "Express Goods Engines, G N R", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXI [21] (15 June 1915), p. 123. See also Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia ([link], accessed 25 November 2007).

As Henry Ivatt began turning out his J22s, he recognized a need to cater to fast freight service. So ten of the J22s were produced with 68" drivers and dubbed J21. The LNER later gave them their own class ID of J2. They had the same Diagram 7 superheated boilers fitted to several other medium-freight designs, but standardized on the 18-element Schmidt superheater. In the LNER era, these were replaced by the Robinson version.

Much of the class's early service was on passenger trains although they started with the night braked goods trains between York and Kings Cross station in London. ("braked goods" meant a freight train with air brakes fitted on all cars.) Local passenger service remained an important role for the J2s through their LNER days.

Of the several classes of 0-6-0s that entered Great Northern service in 1909-1912, this class was the earliest to retire. The first was pulled in 1946, another went in 1950, and the last eight were withdrawn in 1953-1954.


Class J22/J6 (Locobase 8924)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia ([link], accessed 25 November 2007). See also "0-6-0 Superheater Goods Engines, Great Northern Ry." Locomotive Magazine, Volume XIX [19], No. 253 (15 September 1913), p. 201-202. For Gresley's 1917 superheater and feed water heater trial horse, see "Superheater Goods Locomotive; Great Northern Ry", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XI=XIV [24] (15 February 1918), pp. 27-28.

Almost as soon as Henry Ivatt began production of the saturated-boiler J21 medium-goods design shown in Locobase 8923, he concluded that the time was right for adopting a superheater. -The result was this large class of new engines that at first flaunted a variety of superheaters: 25 had 18-element Schmidt, five had 18-element Robinson, and two had 18-element "straight-tube" designs designed at Doncaster itself. All had the same surface area.

Gresley's 1913 17-element "twin-tube" superheater had 10% more area, but was fitted only to one locomotive. The LM report discusses the advantages of feed water preheating as Gresley saw it in 1917. Acknowledging first that "from a strictly thermal point of view" there was no difference between heating water in the boiler or in a vessel "distinct from the steam generator proper", that raising the water in such a device to near boiling point favoured "efficiency of the boiler ...by confining the function of the tubes and firebox to their legitimate work ...a more thorough utilization of heat in the furnace gases is attained." Two other benefits were purifying incoming water of impurities and reducing thermal stress on parts caused by bathing hot items in cold water. The water was injected into pipes that led to a top feed dome where it was sprayed over three circular plates and heated by live steam.

Ultimately all of the engines had the Robinson design.

Nicknamed "Knick-knacks" for the sound they made when running with the steam shut off (possibly coming from valve gear operating the 8"/203 mm piston valves), the class remained in production under Ivatt (15) and Nigel Gresley (95) into 1922. They proved their worth at several sheds over a long career.

According to Marsden, these widely used engines operated in a variety of roles: "The Nottingham J6s were noted for their versatility, where they were equally at home hauling heavy coal, beer from Burton, or speedy passenger excursions to the Lincolnshire coast."

Of particular note is their success in passenger service: "For locomotives designed principally for freight traffic, the J6s were surprisingly fast at hauling passenger traffic. On a number of occasions they were recorded reaching 66mph. They were also scheduled on the tightly timed Grantham to Nottingham to Derby passenger services, before the arrival of the Thompson L1 2-6-4Ts." Ten more J21s of a very similar design were built in 1912; see Locobase 8925.

Remarkably, the entire class of 110 was taken into British Railways upon Nationalization in 1948 with the first engine going out of service only in August 1955. Retirements continued through the next 7 years with the last withdrawn in June 1962.


Class J23 / J50 (Locobase 7541)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia on [link], last accessed 10 June 2006.

This and the J51 were very similar, but the J50s used larger, newly manufactured boilers.They followed the J23s (J51s) that entered production in 1913. The new boiler was bigger with more tubes, but had a smaller grate and somewhat less firebox heating surface. The change seems to have been satisfactory and the LNER added batches of engines from 1926 to 1939.

Less satisfactory at first was a problem with hot bearings on both the J50 and the earlier J51s. Marsden notes that in the last quarter of 1923, 31.2% of their bearings suffered from overheating. Enlarging the bearings on the driven axle did the trick and the problem disappeared.

In 1939, converted J51/1s were redesignated J50/1 and J51/2s and J50s from the 1923-1924 batches became J50/2s. J50/3s were steam-braked engines built to the Group Standard configuration that had a changed cab and right-hand drive rather than left-hand drive; J50/4 were similar to J50/3 except for vacuum braking.

Filling the shunting, switching, and transfer roles for decades the class remained essentially intact until September 1958 when the first of the class was supplanted by diesel switchers. The last retirement came in September 1965.


Class J23/J51 (Locobase 7542)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia on [link], last accessed 10 June 2006. See also "Superheater Shunting Locomotive, Great Northern Railway", Locomotive Magazine, Volume 20 (15 May 1914), p. 118; and "Recent 0-6-0 Side Tank Engines for the Great Northern Railway", Locomotive Magazine, Volume 28 (15 February 1922), p. 35.

Nigel Gresley built these tanks to work the steep grades of the West Riding territory. Bearing a set of new full-length side tanks, the class soon gained "Submarine" as a nickname. The boilers came from retiring 0-8-2Ts and brought with them a reasonably large grate and firebox, but a relatively small heating surface. J51/1s (as later designated by the LNER) had a short coal bunker. Coal bunkerage increased with the second and third batches; these would later be classed by the LNER as J51/2.

Obviously both the Great Northern and the LNER were pleased with the basic design because when it came time to renew J51 boilers, the LNER uprated them to J50 capability with the 53"-diameter boilers fitted to the latter. (See Locobase 7541 for a later summary of the combined J50 class.)


Class J4/J3 - Standard Goods (Locobase 8921)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia ([link], accessed 24 November 2007).

These were the Nigel Gresley rebuilds of the earlier GNR J6 locomotives. GNR rebuilt the "Standard Goods" with larger Diagram 8 boilers and fireboxes (though not grates) and pressed the boilers a little harder as well. 71 of the rebuilds were completed before Grouping in 1923 and 82 by the LNER after Grouping.


Class J5 / J4 (Locobase 8922)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia ([link], accessed 24 November 2007). (New link [link], visited on 6 December 2016

At the beginning of the 20th Century, Henry Ivatt began retiring the J6 class 6-coupleds originally produced by Stirling. He scrapped 35, but rebuilt the other 125 with bigger, 53"-diameter boilers. A few of the earliest rebuilds had domeless boilers, but all had had domed boilers by Grouping in 1923.


Class J57 (Locobase 8710)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER site -- [link] (8 September 2007).

Marsden's descriptions makes it clear that these were low-riding variants of the J15s that had gone into service 8 years before (Locobase 8707). Their duty station was the dock area of London's East End, where clearances led Stirling to place the J15 boiler and firebox on smaller drivers and to shorten the stroke by 2 inches. The octet was assembled in pairs in 1882, 1884, 1890, & 1892.

In 1917, the GN fitted the same boilers to five of the engines as were found on the J16 upgrade (Locobase 8709). The other three retained their domeless boilers until retirement.


Class J9 "West Riding" 1898 // J7 (Locobase 9921)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia ([link], accessed 25 November 2007) and George Frederick Bird, The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway 1847-1910 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910), p. 165-166.

Essentially repeats of the earlier Dubs-built West Riding goods engines (Locobase 8926), these locomotives had a more even weight distribution across the three axles, according to Bird. Doncaster built 10 (works 775-784; road 315-318, 329-332, 334-338) and Dubs the other 35 (works 3696-3729; road 1101-1135).


Class J9 "West Riding" goods // J7 (Locobase 8926)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER Encyclopedia ([link], accessed 25 November 2007) and George Frederick Bird, The Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway 1847-1910 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1910), p. 164-165.

Patrick Stirling had produced several series of 0-6-0s over the previous years, but this class of 10 was produced after he had retired (Dubs works #3546-3555). They were intended for the stiff gradients of the West Riding area (near Leeds and Bradford) and consequently had smaller drivers. They were otherwise quite similar to the earlier J5 locomotives. See Locobase 9921 for the 1898 version, which had more evenly distributed weights.

Five were rebuilt in 1924-1926 with same Diagram 8 boilers used on the J3 rebuilds by Gresley (Locobase 8921). In any event, their time on the LNER was relatively brief with the first retiring in 1927 and the last withdrawn in 1936.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class116168171/J6/J4174198
Locobase ID9649 9654 3205 3016 9655
RailroadGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat Northern
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte0-6-00-6-00-6-00-6-00-6-0
Number in Class3130160610
Road Numbers116-120, 134-143, 144-158+168-1971085146198-206
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built3130160610
BuilderseveralEB WilsonDoncasterDoncasterWilliam Fairbairn & Sons
Year18501851187318721851
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)1415.50 / 4.7217.58 / 5.3615.50 / 4.72
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)1415.50 / 4.7217.58 / 5.3615.50 / 4.72
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase1111
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)25,760 / 11,68537,296 / 16,917
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)66,080 / 29,97381,760 / 37,08689,600 / 40,64268,432 / 31,040
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)66,080 / 29,97381,760 / 37,08689,600 / 40,64268,432 / 31,040
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)63,840 / 28,957
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)153,440 / 69,599
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)3360 / 12.731680 / 6.36
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 4.40 / 4
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)37 / 18.5045 / 22.5050 / 2538 / 19
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)60 / 152460 / 152462 / 157561 / 154960 / 1524
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)120 / 830120 / 830160 / 1100140 / 970120 / 830
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)16" x 24" / 406x61016" x 24" / 406x61017.5" x 26" / 445x66019" x 28" / 483x71116" x 24" / 406x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)10,445 / 4737.7810,445 / 4737.7817,466 / 7922.4519,719 / 8944.4010,445 / 4737.78
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 6.33 4.68 4.54 6.55
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)158 - 2" / 51187 - 2" / 51174 - 1.75" / 44232 - 1.75" / 44184 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m) 9.8310.79 / 3.2911.67 / 3.56
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)78 / 7.2592.40 / 8.59112 / 10.41116.30 / 10.81
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)12.70 / 1.1814.50 / 1.3516.25 / 1.5118.70 / 1.7415 / 1.39
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)893 / 82.991352 / 125.651109 / 103.07
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)893 / 82.991352 / 125.651109 / 103.07
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume159.89147.14198.57
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation15241740260026181800
Same as above plus superheater percentage15241740260026181800
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area936014,78415,68013,956
Power L1275729623632
Power MT218.64351.03

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class328400474/J7/J8J1J13 / J52
Locobase ID9656 9659 9664 8914 7544
RailroadGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat Northern
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte0-6-00-6-00-6-00-6-00-6-0ST
Number in Class6370201552
Road Numbers328-390400-469474-493111, 155, 1201-1250
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built6370201552
BuilderseveralseveralseveralDoncasterseveral
Year18531867186719081897
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)15.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7216.25 / 4.9515.50 / 4.72
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)15.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7216.25 / 4.9515.50 / 4.72
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase11111
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)37.67 / 11.4815.50 / 4.72
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)38,528 / 17,47640,320 / 18,289
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)75,040 / 34,03878,400 / 35,56272,912 / 33,072104,608 / 47,449115,808 / 52,530
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)75,040 / 34,03878,400 / 35,56272,912 / 33,072104,608 / 47,449115,808 / 52,530
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)96,544 / 43,792
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)201,152 / 91,241
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)1680 / 6.364200 / 15.911320 / 5
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 7.30 / 7 3.30 / 3
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)42 / 2144 / 2241 / 20.5058 / 2964 / 32
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)63 / 160060 / 152461 / 154968 / 172756 / 1422
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)140 / 970160 / 1100160 / 1100170 / 1170160 / 1100
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)16" x 24" / 406x61016" x 24" / 406x61017" x 24" / 432x61018" x 26" / 457x66018" x 26" / 457x660
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)11,605 / 5263.9513,926 / 6316.7315,464 / 7014.3617,901 / 8119.7720,458 / 9279.60
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 6.47 5.63 4.71 5.84 5.66
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)209 - 2" / 51180 - 2" / 51206 - 1.75" / 44215 - 1.75" / 44
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)10.45 / 3.1910.50 / 3.2010.83 / 3.30
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)122.75 / 11.41112.96 / 10.5094.25 / 8.76120 / 11.15103.10 / 9.58
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)15 / 1.3923.58 / 2.1916.25 / 1.5119 / 1.7717.80 / 1.65
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1299 / 120.721082 / 100.561080 / 100.341250 / 116.171164 / 108.14
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1299 / 120.721082 / 100.561080 / 100.341250 / 116.171164 / 108.14
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume232.59193.73171.29163.24152.01
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation21003773260032302848
Same as above plus superheater percentage21003773260032302848
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area17,18518,07415,08020,40016,496
Power L150344718400246553275
Power MT443.69398.01363.02294.31187.04

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassJ14 / J53J15 / J54J16 / J55J17 / J56J21 / J5
Locobase ID7543 8707 8709 8708 8923
RailroadGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat Northern
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte0-6-0ST0-6-0ST0-6-0ST0-6-0ST0-6-0
Number in Class5295531020
Road Numbers134, 140, 144, 149111, 155, 1201-1250
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built5295531020
BuilderDoncasterseveralDoncaster
Year18921874189718761909
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)15.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7214.83 / 4.5216.25 / 4.95
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)15.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7214.83 / 4.5216.25 / 4.95
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase11111
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)15.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7214.83 / 4.5237.67 / 11.48
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)38,976 / 17,67939,200 / 17,78139,200 / 17,78135,840 / 16,25738,080 / 17,273
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)113,120 / 51,310108,640 / 49,278112,000 / 50,80296,320 / 43,690105,952 / 48,059
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)113,120 / 51,310108,640 / 49,278112,000 / 50,80296,320 / 43,690105,952 / 48,059
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)96,544 / 43,792
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)202,496 / 91,851
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)1308 / 4.951200 / 4.551260 / 4.771152 / 4.36
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 3.30 / 3 2.80 / 3 2.80 / 3 2.20 / 2
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)63 / 31.5060 / 3062 / 3154 / 2759 / 29.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)56 / 142256 / 142256 / 142256 / 142262 / 1575
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)150 / 1030160 / 1100170 / 1170160 / 1100175 / 1210
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)18" x 26" / 457x66017.5" x 26" / 445x66017.5" x 26" / 445x66017.5" x 26" / 445x66018" x 26" / 457x660
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)19,180 / 8699.9119,338 / 8771.5820,546 / 9319.5219,338 / 8771.5820,211 / 9167.57
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.90 5.62 5.45 4.98 5.24
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)163 - 1.75" / 44163 - 1.75" / 44213 - 1.75" / 44163 - 1.75" / 44238 - 1.75" / 44
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)83 / 7.7185 / 7.90103 / 9.5779 / 7.34120 / 11.15
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)16 / 1.4916 / 1.4916.25 / 1.5113.80 / 1.2819 / 1.77
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)798 / 74.16863 / 80.201119 / 104857 / 79.651250 / 116.13
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)798 / 74.16863 / 80.201119 / 104857 / 79.651250 / 116.13
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume104.21119.23154.60118.40163.24
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation24002560276322083325
Same as above plus superheater percentage24002560276322083325
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area12,45013,60017,51012,64021,000
Power L122182657358225834369
Power MT129.68161.75211.53177.36272.73

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassJ21/ J2J22/J6J23 / J50J23/J51J4/J3 - Standard Goods
Locobase ID8925 8924 7541 7542 8921
RailroadGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat Northern
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte0-6-00-6-00-6-0T0-6-0T0-6-0
Number in Class101107272153
Road Numbers71-80536-565,
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built101107250
BuilderDoncasterDoncasterDoncasterDoncasterDoncaster
Year19121911192319131912
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)16.25 / 4.9516.25 / 4.9516.25 / 4.9516.25 / 4.9515.50 / 4.72
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)16.25 / 4.9516.25 / 4.9516.25 / 4.9516.25 / 4.9515.50 / 4.72
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase11111
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)39.42 / 12.0238.83 / 11.8416.25 / 4.9516.25 / 4.9536.96 / 11.27
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)40,320 / 18,28940,320 / 18,28944,800 / 20,32144,352 / 20,11835,840 / 16,257
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)113,120 / 51,310113,120 / 51,310130,256 / 59,083127,232 / 57,71295,424 / 43,284
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)113,120 / 51,310113,120 / 51,310130,256 / 59,083127,232 / 57,71295,424 / 43,284
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)96,880 / 43,94496,768 / 43,89378,176 / 35,460
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)210,000 / 95,254209,888 / 95,203173,600 / 78,744
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)42004200 / 15.911824 / 6.911824 / 6.91
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 7.15 7.15 / 7 5.90 / 5 3.90 / 4
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)63 / 31.5063 / 31.5072 / 3671 / 35.5053 / 26.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)68 / 172762 / 157556 / 142256 / 142262 / 1575
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)175 / 1210170 / 1170170 / 1170175 / 1210175 / 1210
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)19" x 26" / 483x66019" x 26" / 483x66018.5" x 26" / 470x66018.5" x 26" / 470x66017.5" x 26" / 445x660
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)20,532 / 9313.1721,875 / 9922.3422,961 / 10414.9523,637 / 10721.5819,104 / 8665.44
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.51 5.17 5.67 5.38 4.99
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)118 - 1.75" / 44118 - 1.75" / 44213 - 1.75" / 44175 - 1.75" / 44238 - 1.75" / 44
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)18 - 5.25" / 13318 - 5.25" / 133
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)10.83 / 3.3010.41 / 3.1710.83 / 3.30
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)120 / 11.15118 / 10.96103 / 9.57111.40 / 10.35105 / 9.75
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)19 / 1.7719 / 1.7716.25 / 1.5117.80 / 1.6516.25 / 1.51
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)972 / 90.30937 / 87.051119 / 104980 / 91.051235 / 114.73
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)258 / 23.97192 / 17.84
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1230 / 114.271129 / 104.891119 / 104980 / 91.051235 / 114.73
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume113.92109.82138.34121.15170.62
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation33253230276331152844
Same as above plus superheater percentage40233779276331152844
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area25,41023,47017,51019,49518,375
Power L190526702320531044397
Power MT529.25391.85162.74161.35304.76

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassJ5 / J4J57J9 "West Riding" 1898 // J7J9 "West Riding" goods // J7
Locobase ID8922 8710 9921 8926
RailroadGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat NorthernGreat Northern
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte0-6-00-6-0ST0-6-00-6-0
Number in Class12584510
Road Numbers315+, 1101-11351091-1100
GaugeStdStdStdStd
Number Built84510
BuilderDoncasterseveralDubs & Co
Year1903188218981896
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)15.5015.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.72
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)15.5015.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.7215.50 / 4.72
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase1111
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)36.96 / 11.2715.50 / 4.7236.96 / 11.2736.96 / 11.27
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)34,048 / 15,44434,944 / 15,85034,048 / 15,44434,720 / 15,749
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)92,400 / 41,91296,992 / 43,99592,400 / 41,91285,344 / 38,711
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)92,400 / 41,91296,992 / 43,99592,400 / 41,91285,344 / 38,711
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)78,176
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)170,576
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)1200 / 4.55
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 2.20 / 2
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)51 / 25.5054 / 2751 / 25.5047 / 23.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)62 / 157548.50 / 123256 / 142256 / 1422
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)170 / 1170160 / 1100170 / 1170170 / 1170
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)17.5" x 26" / 445x66017.5" x 24" / 445x61017.5" x 26" / 445x66017.5" x 26" / 445x660
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)18,558 / 8417.7820,610 / 9348.5520,546 / 9319.5220,546 / 9319.52
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.98 4.71 4.50 4.15
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)213 - 1.75" / 44163 - 1.75" / 44213 - 1.75" / 44213 - 1.75" / 44
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)103 / 9.5785 / 7.90103 / 9.57103 / 9.57
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)16.25 / 1.5116 / 1.4916.25 / 1.5116.25 / 1.51
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1119 / 104863 / 80.201119 / 1041119 / 104
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1119 / 104863 / 80.201119 / 1041119 / 104
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume154.60129.17154.60154.60
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation2763256027632763
Same as above plus superheater percentage2763256027632763
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area17,51013,60017,51017,510
Power L13966249335823582
Power MT283.88170.00256.39277.59

All material Copyright © SteamLocomotive.com
Wes Barris