Wrexham, Mold & Connah's Quay 2-6-0 Locomotives in Great_Britain


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 3 (Locobase 10495)

Data from "Engine No 3 - Wrexham, Mold, and Connah's Quay Railway", Engineer, Volume 95 (21 November 1902), p. 495.. See also "Locomotives of the Wrexham, Mold & Connah's Quay Ry," The Locomotive Magazine, Volume XI [11] (15 March 1905), p. 41. (Thanks to Larry Hunt for his 20 May 2018 email pointing out the Whyte arrangement error in the original and providing the publication information that led Locobase to the Engineer article.)

As noted in Locobase 10494, the WM&CQ was not hesitant to make over an unsatisfactory locomotive. Like the Queen, this engine entered service in 1854 on the London & North Western. Compared to the Queen, however, this was a bigger locomotive with taller drivers. It was sold to the Wrexham in 1873 and reconstructed in 1882 as an 0-6-2ST like its stablemate.

Unlike the Queen, however, the WM&CQ never converted the 3 to an eight-coupled and its second rebuild in 1899-1901 by the WM&CQ's F Winnans was modest by comparison and resulted in the specfications shown above. A big difference was in the increase in the bunker and water capacities of the tanks and the the adhesion and engine weights, which increased by 2 and 10 long tons, respectively.

Engineer's report noted the unusual placement of the main crank on the front driving axle and its use of Timmis conical coil springs on all axles. Noting that "many authorities" had maintained that such use provided "too much axle-box play", Engineer commented that "the result has been quite satisfactory, the engine when at work practically not requiring the use of the sand gear." An additional advantage to the crew was that the 3 rode "'like a coach'", which, "together with the ease and rapidity of repairing the spring gear, is no mean advantage."

The railway was taken over by the Great Central in January 1905, at which time the 3 was renumbered 400B.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class3
Locobase ID10495
RailroadWrexham, Mold & Connah's Quay
CountryGreat Britain
Whyte2-6-0T
Number in Class1
Road Numbers3/400B
GaugeStd
Number Built1
BuilderWM&CQ
Year1901
Valve GearStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)12.08 / 3.68
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)18.98 / 5.79
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.64
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)18.98 / 5.79
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)89,600 / 40,642
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)123,200 / 55,883
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)1800 / 6.82
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 4.20 / 4
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)50 / 25
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)56 / 1422
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)150 / 1030
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)18" x 24" / 457x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)17,704 / 8030.41
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.06
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)137 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)14.58 / 4.44
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)87.58 / 8.14
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)13.23 / 1.23
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1133 / 105.26
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1133 / 105.26
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume160.29
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation1985
Same as above plus superheater percentage1985
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area13,137
Power L13111
Power MT229.64

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