North British / Norwich & Brandon 0-6-0 Locomotives in Great_Britain


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 165/J82 (Locobase 10550)

Data from "Tank Locomotive for the North British Railway", Engineering (12 December 1979), p. 451; and "Tank Engines, North British Railway," The Locomotive Magazine, Volume XII [12] (15 March 1906), p. 39

Dugal Drummond designed these commuter and branch lines along the same lines as the London, Brighton & South Coast Terriers (Locobase 2146), although these were a bit bigger, were heavier, and had larger cylinders. Engineering's report commented specifically on the cylinders' "short direct steam ports and double exhaust ports, a novel feature, as fare as we are aware, in locomotive practice." Apparently clearance spaces in cylinders should be reduced and these ports were not only direct but small-- their 9 sq in encompassing only 1/17.3 of piston area.

They were delivered between 1875 and 1878.


Class 502 (Locobase 5651)

Data from [link] (21 July 2003).

Jim Howie says this quartet of tanks was ordered for the Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton & Coatbridge Railway. As delivered they had 130-psi boilers that produced a TE of 15,900 lb. Holmes's rebuild in 1895 and 1897 resulted in the design shown in the data. The tube diameter is estimated based on similar engines.

Howie's photograph shows a spread-out design with the firebox dropping between the 2nd and 3rd axles, which have a greater wheelbase than do the 1st & 2nd. The dome is sited forward of the middle axle. The tanks ran from the full cab to just ahead of the dome. Modifications included removing the cap to the stack and rearranging the double-safety-valve stand.


Class B / J35 (Locobase 10568)

Data from "New Goods Engines; North British Railway", Railway Engineer, Volume 27, No 11 (November 1906), pp. 339-340. See also"New Locomotives, North British Railway," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XII (15 August 1906), p. 130. See also Steamindex, [link], last accessed 24 June 2009.

North British Locomotive Company supplied the first ten of these relatively powerful all-adhesion goods locomotives with Cowlairs supplying the next few. The first eighteen used piston valves. Slide valves

Most (54) were fitted with Westinghouse brakes to allow them to haul passenger trains as well.

Altogether 78 would be acquired, production ending when the first of the superheated 0-6-0s came into service in 1913. See Locobase 10569.


Class C / J36 (Locobase 9061)

Data from A E Lockyer, The North British Railway, English Illustrated Magazine, (Vol 10) Published 1893, p 939-

Lockyer says this was one of Matthew Holmes's standard 18" Goods engines. Only 30 were not produced at Cowlairs; both Neilson and Sharp, Stewart delivered batches of 15. Steamindex quotes Thomas, The North British Railway. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1969/1975. 2 vol. as commenting that the Cs "... were uncomplicated, reliable locomotives, wonderful revenue earners not only for the NB but for the LNER and BR."


Class D/ J83 (Locobase 10195)

Data from "The New Side Tank Engine, North British Ry", The Locomotive Magazine, Vol VI (July 1901), p. 118 and Steamindex at [link], last accessed 19 April 2009.

These were heavy-duty switchers that were also useful in freight transfer work. Designed by Matthew Holmes of the NBR, the class was built in halves. Neilson, Reid won the order for the first 20 and, says steamindex, gave indications of a small order book when they offered to discount the next 20 locomotives and speed up their delivery. To NR's chagrin, the railway declined, only to order 20 engines from Sharp, Stewart a year later.

Even in the 1940s and 1950s, steamindex observes, "In the 1940s and 50s these forty locomotives gave the impression of being everywhere on former NBR lines."


Class F/J88 (Locobase 20742)

Data from "Six-Coupled Side Tank Engine, North British Ry", The Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXV [25] ( 15 December 1919), p. 207; and Richard Marsden, "The Reid J88 (NBR Class F) 0-6-0T Locomotives" on his LNER Encyclopedia site at [link], last accessed 11 June 2020. First twelve produced in 1904-1905, six in 1909, ten in 1912, and seven in 1919.

One of William Reid's first new classes of locomotive upon his appointment as NBR's Locomotive Superintendent in 1903 was a dock shunter design. Twelve entered service in 1904-1905. Marsden wrote that they were delivered with slotted frames, non-lifting injectors, safety valves on the dome, and "dumb" buffers.Because the design worked well, its applications soon extended to other light shunting duties such as industrial sidings and 25 more were turned out at Cowlairs over the next decade and a half. Later batches used solid plate frames and live buffers; combination injectors appeared in 1909 and the safety valve stand was moved to the firebox in 1914.

Taken into the London & North Eastern (LNER) at Grouping in 1923, the entire class endured for another 30 years through World War II and nationalization i 1948. Over that time, J88s received completely new boilers i 1929-1933, 1950-51, and 1954-1955. Such attention may help to explain Marsden's finding that "Unusually, they tended to work more trip workings as they aged."

68341 was forced into retirement in 1954 after an ill-considered attempt by its crew to haul nineteen wagons (seven more than the permitted dozen) up a steep bank and winding up in Kirkcaldy Harbour. Dieselization put paid to the rest of the class beginning in 1955 and ending in 1963.


Class S / J37 (Locobase 10569)

Data from NBR/LNER Reid "J37" Class 0-6-0" on the BRDatabase website at [link], last accessed 28 October 2018. See also Richard Marsden, "The Reid J37 (NBR Classes B & S) 0-6-0 Locomotives", LNER Encyclopedia , [link], last accessed 24 June 2009; and "New Engines, North British Railway", Locomotive News and Railway Notes, Volume VI [6], No 34 (25 July 1920), p. 82. See also Steamindex, [link], last accessed 24 June 2009.

Although the B class (Locobase 10568) was not unsuccessful, tests with superheaters showed that that was the way to take new-locomotive construction at Cowlairs. So Reid introduced the larger S class in a series of four five-engine batches. The 9 1/2" (241 mm) piston valves supplied steam to the cylinders.

As delivered, the boilers were pressed to 165 psi as shown in the specs.This probably reflected one of a few competing views about how to incorporate superheating in the overall design. One opinion was that the drier superheated steam allowed a reduction in boiler pressure with good results for maintaining the most expensive component.

According to Steamindex, the supervisory board of the NBR looked askance at this choice when the new locomotives were forced to double up on any Dunfermline-Aberdeen coal train that had more than 27 wagons. The summary suggests that the disgruntlement wasn't unreasonable:"With trains exceeding that number of wagons pilot assistance was required from Townhill to Crossgates, Thornton to Lochmuir and Leuchars to Wormit, and the train had to be double-headed beyond Dundee. All in all it was a cumbersome and expensive operation."

So the board ordered that boiler pressure be raised to 180 psi (12.4 bar) and that coal trains of up to 32 wagons be run without a helper. A rapid reconsideration allowed double-heading to Kinnaber Junction, but all trains with more than 30 wagons would be broken into two trains at Kinnaber Junction.

North British Locomotive supplied 34 at the end of World War One and 50 more arrived between 1918 and 1921. All but the first ten were built with Robinson superheaters (the first batch had Schmidt superheaters).

Marsden notes that later efforts to reduce the axle loading on the leading axle did reduce axle-box heating, but raised the driven axle's loading to 47,488 lb (21 tons 4 cwt). Notwithstanding the coal-train controversy, this class proved highly successful, proving both powerful and versatile. All of them survived through the 1948 Nationalization and withdrawals began only in 1959 with 13 remaining in service as late as 1966 and the last going in 1967.


Class unknown (Locobase 16098)

Data from tracing at [link]. Works numbers were 244-253 in 1846.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class165/J82502B / J35C / J36D/ J83
Locobase ID10550 5651 10568 9061 10195
RailroadNorth BritishNorth BritishNorth BritishNorth BritishNorth British
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte0-6-0T0-6-0T0-6-00-6-00-6-0T
Number in Class2547616840
Road Numbers502-505
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built2547616840
BuilderCowlairsDubs & CoseveralCowlairsseveral
Year18751877190618881900
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)16.75 / 5.1115.50 / 4.72
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)16.75 / 5.1115.50 / 4.72
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase11
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)39.33 / 11.99
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)40,768 / 18,49234,496 / 15,647
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)75,040 / 34,038109,088 / 49,48291,056 / 41,302103,376 / 46,891
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)75,040 / 34,038109,088 / 49,48291,056 / 41,302103,376 / 46,891
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)84,112 / 38,15371,680 / 32,514
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)193,200 / 87,635162,736 / 73,816
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)720 / 2.73984 / 3.734200 / 15.913000 / 11.36960 / 3.64
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 1.70 / 25 / 5 5.50 / 5
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)42 / 2161 / 30.5051 / 25.5057 / 28.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)54 / 137254 / 137260 / 152460 / 152454 / 1372
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)140 / 970140 / 970180 / 1240150 / 1030150 / 1030
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)15" x 22" / 381x55918" x 24" / 457x61018.5" x 26" / 470x66018" x 26" / 457x66017" x 26" / 432x660
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)10,908 / 4947.7917,136 / 7772.7722,691 / 10292.4817,901 / 8119.7717,741 / 8047.19
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 6.88 4.81 5.09 5.83
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)146 - 1.75" / 44202 - 1.75" / 44
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)9 / 2.81
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)62 / 6.0493 / 8.64133 / 12.36104.74 / 9.73100 / 9.29
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)14 / 1.3017 / 1.5819.75 / 1.8317 / 1.5817 / 1.58
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)664 / 65.151113 / 103.441794 / 166.671245 / 115.711059 / 98.42
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)664 / 65.151113 / 103.441794 / 166.671245 / 115.711059 / 98.42
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume147.57157.46221.78162.58155.04
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation19602380355525502550
Same as above plus superheater percentage19602380355525502550
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area868013,02023,94015,71115,000
Power L127272813547234653081
Power MT240.35331.76251.68197.12

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassF/J88S / J37unknown
Locobase ID20742 10569 16098
RailroadNorth BritishNorth BritishNorwich & Brandon
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte0-6-0T0-6-00-6-0
Number in Class3510410
Road Numbers836-847, 233-238+8, 13, 33, 44, 62, 113, 136, 222, 255, 260-261
GaugeStdStdStd
Number Built3510410
BuilderCowlairsseveralTayleur
Year190419141846
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)11 / 3.3516.92 / 5.1610.92 / 3.33
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)11 / 3.3516.92 / 5.1610.92 / 3.33
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase111
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)11 / 3.3540 / 12.19
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)34,944 / 15,85045,472 / 20,626
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)86,800 / 39,372122,528 / 55,578
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)86,800 / 39,372122,528 / 55,578
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)91,728 / 41,607
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)214,256 / 97,185
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)1020 / 3.864200 / 15.911200 / 4.55
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 1.40 / 1 7.70 / 7
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)48 / 2468 / 34
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)45 / 114360 / 152454 / 1372
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)130 / 900165 / 1140100 / 690
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)15" x 22" / 381x55919.5" x 26" / 495x66015" x 24" / 381x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)12,155 / 5513.4223,110 / 10482.538500 / 3855.54
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 7.14 5.30
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)142 - 1.75" / 44153 - 1.82" / 48
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)22 - 5" / 127
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)9 / 2.7412.33 / 3.76
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)65.70 / 6.10149.07 / 13.85
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)14.50 / 1.3519.80 / 1.8410.40 / 0.97
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)651 / 60.481408 / 130.81830 / 77.11
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)325 / 30.19
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)651 / 60.481733 / 161830 / 77.11
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume144.68156.67169.09
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation188532671040
Same as above plus superheater percentage188538881040
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area854129,270
Power L121229324
Power MT161.69503.29

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