Midland 2-4-0 Locomotives in Great_Britain


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 1282 (Locobase 20234)

Data from [JBH, Locomotive Engineer, St Pancras Hotel], "Midland Express Engines", English Mechanic and World of Science, Volume 30, No 756 (19 September 1879), p. 39.

JBH gave some details of this class's performance once they entered service. Ten served the Settle and Carlisle railway, pulling the equivalent of 15 ordinary carriages and averaging 45 mph (72.5 kph). Over the first 100,000 miles(161,000 km) run, the class's coal consumption averaged 30 lb/mile (8.45 kg/km).

JBH underlined the good qualities such figures represented: "Considering that this railway is one of the most difficult in the kingdom for locomotive work such results must be seen as most satisfactory."


Class 130 class (Locobase 2214)

Data from [CES], "New Midland Engines," English Mechanic and World of Science, Volume 23, No 586 (16 June 1876), pp. 361-362.

An M. Kirtley design. Steam ports were 15" x 1 1/4", exhaust ports 3 1/2" in diameter. Valve travel in full gear measured 4 1/2" with an outside lap of 1", no inside lap, and a 1/2" lead. (Ahrons, 1927).

CES reported engine 134, while running between Derby and Leeds and trailing nine carriages, burned 27 lb of coal per mile 7.61 kg/km). "[T]his was," CES added," during February and March last [1875], when the weather was very unfavourable." The engine was also fitted with a center coupler suitable for pulling American-built Pullman cars. It could be swung out of the way to accommodate English-built rolling stock.

CES later acknowledged that the coal per mile figure given originally as 12 lb/mile was incorrect; the correct figure appeared on page 388. Expressing his annoyance at another correspondent's willingness to jump on the earlier figure as "simply absurd", CES nevertheless answered Chalmers's inquiry about rates during April and May. He reported that locomotives of this class pulling ten carriages between Birmingham and Leeds averaged 23.5 to 24 lb/mile (6.62-6.76 kg/km) with some of the class achieving even better economy.

At the Newark brake trials in 1875, when fitted with the Westinghouse automatic brake, this engine achieved 56 mph (90 kph) with a train load (including engine and tender) of 203.3 tons. Equipped with Barker's hydraulic brake, the 210.1-ton train reached 51 mph.


Class 1400 (Locobase 2217)

An S.W. Johnson design, one of several variants of the 2-4-0 wheel arrangement he built for the Midland. "A typical Johnson product," wrote Glover (1967), "exemplifying all that designer's artistry."Neilsons's works numbers 2650-2679 in 1880.

The Derby works built 30 in 1879-1881 while Neilsons supplied another 30. Some were rebuilt by Deeley after 1903 with Belpaire fireboxes. The last of the class operated until 1949.


Class 170 (Locobase 3506)

Data from Ahrons (1927)

An M. Kirtley design that was very similar to those built at Derby. They differed in having a lower platform, shallower frames, and no tie rods between the axle horns. Ahrons noted that although they ran well for 30-35 years, they proved less well suited to being refitted with 18" x 24" cylinders and were scrapped between 1897 and 1904.


Class 800 (Locobase 10587)

Data from "The '800' Class, Midland Ry," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XII (15 October 1906), p. 166.

A Matthew Kirtley design, this class was delivered with 17 x 24 cylinders and a relatively small heating surface of 1,097 sq ft. Neilson supplied 30 in 1870 and the Derby shops supplied 18.

The LM article notes that the class had three kinds of reversing gear: "...the Derby-built engines all had reversing levers with notched quadrants; the first ten of the Neilson engines had screw reversing gear with a vertical shaft very similar in appearance to a brake handle." As the author noted, this design was poorly thought out and led to a serious accident when a driver who was unfamiliar with its operation mistakenly put the locomotive in reverse and collided with another train. Neilson's later locomotives had horizontal screw gear.

S W Johnson rebuilt the class beginning in 1875 to gain more power; see Locobase


Class 800 class - rebuild (Locobase 2994)

Data from Ahrons (1927). See also "The '800' Class, Midland Ry," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XII (15 October 1906), p. 166.

A Matthew Kirtley design, this class was delivered with 17 x 24 cylinders and a relatively small heating surface of 1,097 sq ft. See Locobase 10587.

In 1875-1876, S W Johnson rebuilt them to the dimensions cited in the specifications; 11 were fitted with 18" x 26" cylinders. Some later had their boiler pressure raised to 160 psi.

The 800s became famous for what Ahrons describes as an ability to "stand a great deal of what the drivers used to term 'hard thumping,' i.e., they could be worked for considerable distances with heavy trains with the lever well down and a late cut-off, without running themselves 'out of breath." Charles Rous-Martens, writing in 1906, put it more emphatically: "The work with these engines have done is phenomenal ...With loads up to 230 tons, there are few engines now running that can beat them, especially at uphill work."


Class 890 class (Locobase 2215)

An S.W. Johnson design, somewhat smaller than the more famous 800 series. The latter 36, delivered in 1872, had 188 2" tubes, which yielded nearly the same heating surface.

Steam ports were 15" x 1 1/4", exhaust ports 3 1/2" in diameter. Valve travel in full gear measured 4 1/2" with an outside lap of 1", no inside lap, and a 1/2" lead. (Ahrons, 1927). At the Newark brake trials in 1875, when fitted with the Clark hydraulic brake, this engine achieved 56 mph with a train load (including engine and tender) of 198.2 tons.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class1282130 class1400170800
Locobase ID20234 2214 2217 3506 10587
RailroadMidlandMidlandMidlandMidlandMidland
CountryGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte2-4-02-4-02-4-02-4-02-4-0
Number in Class30603048
Road Numbers1282-1311/157-1861401-1409, 1472-1491, 1502-1531170-199800-829, 60-66, 165-169*
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built30603048
BuilderDubs & CoseveralBeyer, Peacockseveral
Year18751869187918671870
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 8.50 / 2.59 8.50 / 2.59 8.50 / 2.59
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)16.50 / 5.0316.50 / 5.0316.50 / 5.0316.50 / 2.4414.67 / 4.47
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.52 0.52 0.52
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)30,688 / 13,92033,600 / 15,241
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)61,600 / 27,94158,912 / 26,72259,584 / 27,027
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)89,600 / 40,64285,848 / 38,94088,480 / 40,13492,400 / 41,91280,604 / 36,561
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)71,680 / 32,51458,464 / 26,519
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)161,280 / 73,156146,944 / 66,653
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)2400 / 9.093960 / 15
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 4.40 / 4 5.50 / 5
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)51 / 25.5049 / 24.5050 / 25
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)78 / 198180.50 / 204580.50 / 204574.50 / 189280.50 / 2045
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)140 / 970140 / 970140 / 970140 / 970150 / 1030
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)17.5" x 26" / 445x66017" x 24" / 432x61018" x 26" / 457x66016.5" x 22" / 419x55917" x 24" / 432x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)12,148 / 5510.2510,253 / 4650.6912,453 / 5648.599567 / 4339.5210,986 / 4983.17
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.07 5.75 4.78
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)223 - 1.75" / 44168 - 2" / 51167 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)10.92 / 3.3310.50 / 3.2011 / 3.3511.33 / 3.45
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)110 / 10.22110 / 10.22110 / 10.2280.10 / 7.44104 / 9.66
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)17.50 / 1.6317.50 / 1.6317.50 / 1.6314.80 / 1.3817 / 1.58
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1313 / 121.981225 / 113.811206 / 112.081072 / 99.631097 / 101.91
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1313 / 121.981225 / 113.811206 / 112.081072 / 99.631097 / 101.91
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume181.40194.29157.49196.89173.99
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation24502450245020722550
Same as above plus superheater percentage24502450245020722550
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area15,40015,40015,40011,21415,600
Power L146845288430747015161
Power MT335.27395.78318.72

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class800 class - rebuild890 class
Locobase ID2994 2215
RailroadMidlandMidland
CountryGreat BritainGreat Britain
Whyte2-4-02-4-0
Number in Class4856
Road Numbers890-909/68-87, 88-126
GaugeStdStd
Number Built56
Builderseveral
Year18751871
Valve Gear
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 8.50 / 2.59
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)16.50 / 5.03
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.52
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)57,232 / 25,960
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)90,720 / 41,15082,040 / 37,213
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)48 / 24
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)80 / 203280.50 / 2045
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)140 / 970140 / 970
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)18" x 24" / 457x61017" x 24" / 432x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)11,567 / 5246.7110,253 / 4650.69
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.58
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)223 - 1.75" / 44232 - 1.5" / 38
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)10.50 / 3.2010.50 / 3.20
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)110 / 10.2294 / 8.74
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)17.50 / 1.6316 / 1.49
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1225 / 113.851122 / 104.28
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1225 / 113.851122 / 104.28
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume173.30177.95
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation24502240
Same as above plus superheater percentage24502240
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area15,40013,160
Power L146874743
Power MT365.41

All material Copyright © SteamLocomotive.com
Wes Barris