Midland 4-2-2 Locomotives in Great_Britain

Class Princess of Wales (Locobase 2245)

See Ahrons (1927); and M. Louis Salomon, "Materiel des Chemins de Fer-Locomotives-Midland Railway Company", Rapports du Jury Internationale Groupe VI-Genie civil-Moyens de transport, Deuxieme Partie, Classes 32 (Tome 1) Exposition Universeelle Internationale de 1900 a Paris (Paris: , MCMII [1902]), pp. 177, 279-280, table of data at p. 358 at [] (visited 20 August 2005) for data. See also "Johnson 4-2-2 class: 1887-1900" on the Steamindex website at [], last accessed 13 January 2022. (Thanks to Alexander Blessing for his 24 December 2021 email supplying details about the valve gear, tube diameters, tender capacities, weights.)

Part of a series of 95 engines that saw progressive increases in driver diameter from 88.5" to 93.5" in four series. In addition to its use of an F class boiler that could be pressed to 180 psi, the design added still more grate area to the firebox which led to an increase in firebox heating surface area.

In addition to sharing the 19th Century speed record of 90 mph (145 kph) in Britain, they moved heavy (relatively speaking) trains as well, once pulling 325 tons 51 3/4 miles from Kettering to Nottingham in 59 minutes. The report of the 1900 Exposition at Paris noted another feat. 164 metric tons pulled at 83.76 km/h (52 mph) while consuming only 19.1 lb per mile (5.38 kg per km) of South Yorkshire coal per mile. Perhaps such style and economy were two strong reasons for awarding the 2601 the Grand Prize.

Hollingsworth (1982) explains that one reason for the return to favor of single-driver express engines was the development of steam sanding for traction.

Class Second series-1853 class (Locobase 2225)

Data from E L Ahrons, The British Railway Locomotive, 1825-1925 (London: Locomotive Publishing Company, 1926); and Titre Exposition universelle internationale de 1889 a Paris. Rapports du jury internationale. Auteur - Volume France. Ministere du Commerce, de l'industrie. Picard, Alfred, ed. Volume Groupe VI - -Outillage et precedes des industries mecaniques. Electricite (5e partie) Classes 60 a 63. Rapport sur le materiel des chemins de fer; tables beginning on p. 183 ([] (accessed 1 September 2005); his detailed description in Samuel W Johnson, "Express Passenger Engine, Midland Railway", Railway Engineer, Volume 13, No 1 (January 1892), pp. 1-5. See also "Johnson 4-2-2 class: 1887-1900" on the Steamindex website at [], last accessed 13 January 2022. . (Thanks to Alexander Blessing for his 24 December 2021 email supplying details about the valve gear, tube diameters, tender capacities, weights.)

Part of a series of 95 "Spinners" developed by SW Johnson that saw progressive increases in driver diameter from 88.5" to 93.5" in four series. 28 first-series engines came out in 1887 (Locobase 1110), the second through 1893. Engine numbers in order were 1853, 34, 1863-1872, 8, 122, 20, 145, 24, 33, 35-36, 38-39, 4, 16-17, 94, 97-100, 129, 133, 149, 170-178

OS Nock (RWC II, pl 94) comments: "[T]hey were locomotives of advanced design for their day, and being very economical on coal, were great favourites with the drivers and firemen ...Besides being magnificent engines to look at, they were superb runners."

Johnson's report on the second series spells out in considerable depth. Among the subtleties that contributed to the Spinners' high reputation was the use of india rubber cushions and steel springs to constrain the bogies' lateral play to 3/4" (19 mm) while its flexibility reduced wear on the relatively thin tire flange and strain on the rails themselves.

All frame parts and 2 3/4" (70 mm) tires. All engine wheels were made of wrought iron.

Of the 244 tubes, 2 were made with 1/8" (3.175 mm) greater diameter (1 3/4"/44.5 mm). Johnson doesn't explain why the two tubes are slightly larger.

The class hauled express trains consisting of 9-13 heavy coaches from London to Nottingham and Leeds and averaged 53 1/2 mph (86 kph). Coal consumption over the first 4 1/2 years averaged 20-23 lb/mile (5.64-6.48 kg/km). Moreover, no time was lost even when the locomotives took 13-16 coaches over the line. The longest run without a stop covered 124 miles (200 km).

Class Spinner - !st series-25 class (Locobase 1100)

Data from "Details of Express Locomotive; Midland Railway", Engineering Volume 45 (16 March 1888), pp. 273-274.. See also [], accessed 28 May 2007, which took its information in turn from Radford, J.B. Derby Works and Midland locomotives: the story of the works, its men, and the locomotives they built. 1971. (Thanks to Alexander Blessing for his 24 December 2021 email supplying details about the valve gear, tube diameters, tender capacities, weights.)

This is the first in a series of 95 Midland engines that featured a single set of very tall drivers. These 28 were followed by batches of 52 (90.5-in drivers), 15 (93-in), and 10 (93.5-in). When the Spinners made their appearance, this arrangement had been out of vogue for a while and only the installation of sanding gear allowed for its revival. As long as train weights remained relatively low and the engineer kept careful eye on conditions, these engines lived up to a reputation as "superb runners."

Steamindex offers an excellent summary of their virtues: "As a whole the class gave excellent results, being among the most economical ever turned out from the Derby Works, consuming between 20 and 21 lb [5.63-5.92 kg/km) of the local [Derbyshire] coal per mile with their usual average load of 115 tons [at a booked speed of 53 1/2 mph (86 kph)]".

The drivers were thrilled with them and they were great favourites, becoming nicknamed "spinners" on account of the odd spasm of slipping which they suffered from when starting with heavy trains; yet once in motion they swept along with seemingly effortless ease, there being of course no visible moving parts of the motion, just the large whirling wheels."

But a single driving pair limited the locomotive's adhesion weight, and 4-4-0 and 4-4-2 arrangements took the stage.

Class Third series (Locobase 2226)

See Ahrons (1927) for data. See also "Johnson 4-2-2 class: 1887-1900" on the Steamindex website at [], last accessed 13 January 2022. (Thanks to Alexander Blessing for his 24 December 2021 email supplying details about the valve gear, tube diameters, tender capacities, weights.)

Part of a series of 95 engines that saw progressive increases in driver diameter from 88.5" to 93.5". Using piston valves for steam distribution in these locomotives was a rare departure. Johnson introduced the longer E class boiler with a higher boiler pressure and increased grate area and firebox heating surface area. More tender capacity addressed the need to put in longer runs.

In addition to sharing the 19th speed record in Britain, they moved heavy (relatively speaking) trains as well, once pulling 325 tons 51 3/4 miles from Kettering to Nottingham in 59 minutes. Hollingsworth (1982) explains that one reason for the return to favor of single-driver express engines was the development of steam sanding for traction.