Northern Counties Committee 0-4-0 Locomotives in Ireland


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class Donkey (Locobase 8026)

Data from W T Scott's article in the Railway Preservation Society's 5-Foot 3 journal, January 1968, reproduced on the web at [link] (accessed 23 December 2006).

This locomotive shunted along the Belfast Quay, having been built to supplement the Sharp, Stewart locomotive supplied several years earlier. The "Donkey" was an enduring success, as Scott notes in a charming note on usage: "In her life on the NCC 16 ran a total of 705,696 miles [1,136,171 km],..." -- this is impressive enough, but even more striking in its demonstration of persistence when Scott's qualifier is added, ...which was calculated on a basis of 5 mph [8 kph] average."

Scott also tells a story from the World War II days when many Americans, used to their much bigger locomotives, confronted the little Donkey on its rounds: "The (Donkeyÿ was putting carriages into number 5 at the time and one American asked the driver in a very amused way, 'What is this tiny little engine supposed to be?' The driver, in no way disconcerted and perhaps suspecting his engine was being disparaged, readily answered, (Oh! We only keep her around here for warming our shaving water.' ÿ

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassDonkey
Locobase ID8026
RailroadNorthern Counties Committee (NCC)
CountryIreland
Whyte0-4-0ST
Number in Class1
Road Numbers16
Gauge5'3"
Number Built1
BuilderNCC
Year1914
Valve Gear
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 7.75 / 2.36
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) 7.75 / 2.36
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase1
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) 7.75 / 2.36
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)38,640 / 17,527
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)67,200 / 30,481
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)67,200 / 30,481
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)67,200 / 30,481
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)600 / 2.27
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 0.60 / 0.50
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)56 / 28
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)48 / 1219
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)130 / 900
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)16" x 22" / 406x559
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)12,965 / 5880.83
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.18
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)118 - 1.875" / 48
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)10.25 / 3.12
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)70.24 / 6.53
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)11.39 / 1.06
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)661 / 61.41
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)661 / 61.41
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume129.11
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation1481
Same as above plus superheater percentage1481
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area9131
Power L12056
Power MT134.90

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