Data from "Converted Tank Loco, Cambrian Rys", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXII [22] (15 February 2016), pp. 21-22.
Possibly undertaken in response to wartime shortages coupled with increased demand, this conversion took the unusual step of rebuilding a 4-4-0 tank engine to one with a separate tender. In 1905, the Cambrian had bought several Metropolitan-Inner Circle tank engines (Locobase 2144), which they soon found too heavy for many sections of the railway. So the engines were relegated to banking (helper) and shunting (switcher) service. Moreover, "water and coal capacity being limited, they were not available for main line work."
According to LM, all that was solved in the 34's reconstruction, supervised by the CR's locomotive superintendent H E Jones. Changes amounted to considerably more than removing side tanks and coal bunker. Beyer, Peacock, builder of several of the original tank engines, lopped 2 ft 6 1/2 in (775 mm) off the frame in the back, while fitting a "a large drag casting at the back of the firebox to "obtain a favourable center of gravity." The locomotive also gained a new cab, short splashers and sand boxes and new driving wheel splashers as well. The tender originally served an small six-coupled goods engine from 1872 and needed only a new drag plate and a wider platform to couple to the 34.
The reduced weight didn't hamper the new layout's performance, according to LM: "Although the weight on the coupled wheels has been reduced by six tons, it still picks up and gets away very smartly." Perhaps as important was the additional finding that "It is very steady and takes the many curves on the road in excellent manner."
Perhaps, but the original locomotive apparently premiered in 1864 and BP's update couldn't extend its life very long once the CR was absorbed by the Great Western. The GWR condemned the 34 in 1922.
Data from George Augustus Nokes, The Evolution of the Steam Engine (London: Railway Publishing, 1899), p. 264. See also "The Locomotive History of the Cambrian Rys.", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XX [20] (14 April 1914), pp 104-105. Sharp, Stewart works numbers were 3901-3908 in 1893, 3976-3980 in 1894, and 4070-4073 in 1895. Robert Stephenson & Company added five more, building works numbers 2871-2872, 2875, 2873-2874 in 1897.
LM's 1914 report said that William Aston's work as locomotive superintendent for the Cambrian began in 1882. At first, he modified the twelve Albion 2-4-0s and six Beaconsfield 4-4-0s that worked all of the railway's express trains.
His first express engines tweaked the Beaconsfield design by enlarging the cylinders, pressing the boiler by 20 psi, and increasing the grate area and firebox heating surface area to compensate for the taller drivers.
All things considered the design must have been successful as they bought batches in 1893-1895 and 1897 and added one from the Cambrian's own Owestry Works.
Data from Fowler, Illustrated Locomotive Dictionary (1906). See also "New Express Locomotives for the Cambrian Railways," The Railway Times (6 May 1905), pp. 453-454; and "Cambrian Railways Standard Locomotives", Locomotive News and Railway Contractor, Volume XI [11], No.5 (10 March 1922) pp. 154-155.. Works numbers were 3131-3135 in 1904
This upright and somewhat stodgy-looking Eight-wheeler quintet sported Belpaire fireboxes, white-limned crank bosses in the drivers and bogie wheels, a small dome over the leading coupled axle and a short, capped stack.
The RT reports that the engines were procured to handle the increasing tourist traffic to Wales' Cardigan Coast resorts such as Aberystwyth, Barmouth, and Pwllheli.
Data from "The Locomotive History of the Cambrian Railways", Locomotive Magazine, Volume 20 (14 February 1914), pp. 208-209; and George Augustus Nokes, The Evolution of the Steam Engine (London: Railway Publishing, 1899), p. 264. Works numbers were 2789-2790 in 1878, 3356-3357 in 1886, and 3696-3697 in 1891.
LM's report said that only the 1878 engines had names (Hartington being bestowed on road number 17). They had inside cylinder inclined at 1 in 13 to power the leading driver set. Separate splashers adorned with beaded rims, smaller semicircles to allow the coupling ends to clear, brass banding on the boiler, a tall brass dome set over the gap between the drivers and the leading bogie.
These six locomotives and the twelve Mazeppa-class 2-4-0 from 1863 constituted all of the express motive power until 1893.
The four identical Sharpies delivered to the Furness in 1890 appear in Locobase 9912.
Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Class | 34 | 61 | 94 | Beaconsfield |
Locobase ID | 20492 | 10093 | 9080 | 20140 |
Railroad | Cambrian | Cambrian | Cambrian | Cambrian |
Country | Great Britain | Great Britain | Great Britain | Great Britain |
Whyte | 4-4-0T | 4-4-0 | 4-4-0 | 4-4-0 |
Number in Class | 1 | 22 | 5 | 6 |
Road Numbers | 34 | 61-72, 81-84, 32, 47, 11, 85-86, 19 | 94-98 | 16-17, 20-21, 30, 60 |
Gauge | Std | Std | Std | Std |
Number Built | 22 | 5 | 6 | |
Builder | Beyer, Peacock | several | Robert Stephenson & Co | Sharp, Stewart |
Year | 1915 | 1893 | 1904 | 1878 |
Valve Gear | Stephenson | Stephenson | Stephenson | Stephenson |
Locomotive Length and Weight | ||||
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 8.83 / 2.69 | 8.25 / 2.51 | 9.25 / 2.82 | 8.25 / 2.51 |
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 20.75 / 6.32 | 20.29 / 7.63 | 22 / 6.71 | 20.29 / 6.18 |
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.43 | 0.41 | 0.42 | 0.41 |
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 41.83 | 42.83 / 13.05 | ||
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | 32,592 / 14,784 | 33,600 | 34,272 / 15,546 | |
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 61,488 / 27,891 | 61,040 | 66,416 / 30,126 | 48,748 / 22,112 |
Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 87,416 / 39,651 | 90,160 | 101,304 / 45,951 | 74,256 / 33,682 |
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | 48,832 / 22,150 | 67,200 | 70,896 / 32,158 | |
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | 136,248 / 61,801 | 157,360 | 172,200 / 78,109 | |
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 2040 / 7.73 | 3000 / 11.36 | 3000 / 11.36 | 1920 / 7.27 |
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | 3.85 / 4 | 4.95 / 4 | 4.40 / 4 | 3.85 / 4 |
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 51 / 25.50 | 51 / 25.50 | 55 / 27.50 | 41 / 20.50 |
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | ||||
Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 70 / 1778 | 72 / 1829 | 72 / 1829 | 66.50 / 1689 |
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 150 / 1030 | 160 / 1100 | 170 / 1170 | 140 / 970 |
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 17.25" x 24" / 438x610 | 18" x 24" / 457x610 | 18.5" x 26" / 470x660 | 17" x 24" / 432x610 |
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 13,008 / 5900.34 | 14,688 / 6662.37 | 17,859 / 8100.72 | 12,412 / 5630.00 |
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 4.73 | 4.16 | 3.72 | 3.93 |
Heating Ability | ||||
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 166 - 2" / 51 | 230 - 1.75" / 44 | 233 - 1.75" / 44 | 172 - 2" / 51 |
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | ||||
Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 10.02 / 3.05 | 10.92 / 3.33 | 10.58 / 3.22 | |
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 101.60 / 9.44 | 99.50 / 9.25 | 117 / 10.87 | 86 / 7.99 |
Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 19 / 1.77 | 17 / 1.58 | 20.50 / 1.90 | 14.40 / 1.34 |
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 943 / 87.61 | 1157 / 107.53 | 1283 / 119.19 | 1041 / 96.71 |
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | ||||
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 943 / 87.61 | 1157 / 107.53 | 1283 / 119.19 | 1041 / 96.71 |
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 145.26 | 163.68 | 158.61 | 165.11 |
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | ||||
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 2850 | 2720 | 3485 | 2016 |
Same as above plus superheater percentage | 2850 | 2720 | 3485 | 2016 |
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 15,240 | 15,920 | 19,890 | 12,040 |
Power L1 | 3911 | 4494 | 4711 | 3620 |
Power MT | 280.45 | 324.63 | 312.75 | 327.43 |