Castlederg & Victoria Bridge Tramway 0-4-0 Locomotives in Ireland


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class unknown (Locobase 5085)

Data from [link]. . (July 2002) and "The Castlederg and Victoria Bridge Tramway, Ireland", The Locomotive Magazine, Vol VIII (31 Jan 1903), p. 87. See also R M Livesey, "Rolling-Stock on the Principal Irish Narrow-Gauge Railways", Engineering, Volume 94, (2 August 1912), pp. 169-176, table on p. 175.

Small well-tanker (three well tanks) that operated for almost four decades on the 7 1/4-mile (11.7 km) long tramway. The C&VBT was financed using a "baronial guarantee"of government-issued bonds in which the baronies served by the railways would pay back the interest at a fixed rate over a set period of time.

Like most light railways in Ireland, this was a roadside railway and the locomotive had its complicated outside valve motion cased to avoid unnecessary involvement with pedestrians or cattle. A pioneering feature of these locomotives and rolling stock was the Westinghouse air brake system, needed to permit safe operation up the steep incline to the Victoria Bridge junction with the Great Northern. Indeed, this part of the line rose 215 ft in the first two miles, the greater part of it achieving a 1 in 30 slope (greater than 3%).

Requirements issued by Locomotive Superintendent Barton included the ability to pull a train of 50 tons up the 1 in 30 at 4 mph on a wet day. Their maximum speed was 12 mph.

Scrapped in December 1928 after being withdrawn in May.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Classunknown
Locobase ID5085
RailroadCastlederg & Victoria Bridge Tramway
CountryIreland
Whyte0-4-0WT
Number in Class2
Road Numbers3
Gauge3'
Number Built2
BuilderKitson & Co
Year1891
Valve GearWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 6.50
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) 6.50
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase1
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) 6.50
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)40,320 / 18,289
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)40,320 / 18,289
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)546 / 2.07
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)34 / 17
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)33 / 838
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)150 / 970
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)12" x 15" / 305x381
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)8345 / 3785.23
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.83
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)96 - 1.75" / 44
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m) 5.42
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)33.50 / 3.11
Grate Area (sq ft / m2) 7.30 / 0.68
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)269 / 25
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)269 / 25
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume137.00
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation1095
Same as above plus superheater percentage1095
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area5025
Power L11834
Power MT200.56

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