Lancashire, Derbyshire & East Coast 0-6-2 Locomotives in Great_Britain

Class A / N6 (Locobase 6963)

Data from Richard Marsden's LNER site -- [] accessed 15 September 2005. For information about the LD & ECR, see the series in The Locomotive Magazine beginning at Vol XII (15 November 1906), pp. 193-195.

The LD & ECR felt financial strains during the acquisition of these locomotives. Although it accepted the 8 built in 1895, 5 in 1899, and 5 more after a year's delay, the last 5 went to the Hull & Barnsley.

The design included considerable play in the radial axle, a sweep of 3" to each side being allowed. Shedded at the Langwith and Tuxford locations, the class had to deal with very hard water and were soon rebuilt with larger boilers and Belpaire fireboxes. Kitson & Company produced ten more in 1901-1902, which differed from the earlier locomotives only in having the Belpaire firebox when they were delivered.

As demonstration of their pulling power, the LM author reported in 1906: "These engines regularly work through from Langwith Junction to Grimsby with trains of 45 loaded coal wagons and a 20 brake, equivalent to 744 tons."

The Great Central bought up the LD & ECR and was in turn grouped into the London & North Eastern in 1923. Withdrawals began in 1933 and ended in 1938.