Neath & Brecon / North British 0-6-2 Locomotives in Great_Britain

Class A / N14, N15 (Locobase 10747)

Data from "New Tank Locomotives, North British Ry," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XV (15 December 1909), p.233. See also Richard Marsden's "The Reid N14 and N15 (NBR Class A) 0-6-2T Locomotives" at the LNER Encyclopedia -- [], last accessed 9 August 2009.

Using the same boiler as the 0-4-4Ts of the same year (Locobase 5908), NBLC supplied these banking (helper) engines for use on the Cowlairs incline. The first 6 had a short cab that permitted long tanks holding 2,008 US gallons of water and 5 short tons (4 1/2 long tons) of coal. They weighed 141,008 lb (62 tons 19 cwt) fully loaded.

The radial tanks were of such a handy size and possessed of pull enough to merit their use throughout the railway. The NBR procured 69 of the design between 1909 and 1920; all but the first six had a longer cab and less water and coal storage. 10 more were ordered by the NBR, but delivered to the LNER after the 1923 Grouping and the LNER added 20 more in 1923-1924.

According to Marsden: "Duties included taking coal trains from the Lothian pits to the Edinburgh docks, heavy yard shunting, Edinburgh-area transfer goods, local pick-up goods, and incline pilots." They were tried on mainline freights, but were too short of water and coal to make that practical. Marsden summarizes the design's career: "[They] proved to be very useful engines and worked a very hard life. It was often noted that in a busy yard they appeared to be in perpetual motion - barely stopping to let a shunter hop on or off. "

The first six had short cabs and were later designated N14 by the LNER. These had Westinghouse brakes as did six of the longer cab engines, designated N15/2. The remaining 87 were N15/1, which were equipped with steam brakes.

The first 3 locomotives were retired in 1947, but all of the others of both designations were nationalized. The last short-cab N14s went in 1954 and the last N15 was withdrawn in 1962.

Class Stephensons (Locobase 10599)

Data from "Six-Coupled Radial Tank Loco, Neath & Brecon Ry.," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XII (15 December 1906), p. 213

Very similar to the Rhymney M Class "Stephensons", this trio continued the dominance of the radial tank design in hauling heavy coal trains over moderate distances up and down the challenging terrain of Wales.

Like the other small railways, the N & B was absorbed by the Great Western Railway in 1922 and the latter railway rebuilt this class. Apparently replete with 0-6-2Ts, however, the GWR retired the class in 1929-1930.