Ballymena Northern Counties 2-4-2 Locomotives in Ireland


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class S (Locobase 2688)

Data from "Narrow-Gauge Locomotives of the Belfast and Northern Counties RY," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol VII (May 1902), p. 93; and 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. See also OS Nock RWC III (Plate 39) and [link], et.al. Works numbers were 3463-3464.

A very successful set of Worsdell-von Borries cross-compounds designed by the B & NC's Malcolm Bowman, these had a very long career. After the B & NC became part of the Northern Counties Committee system, Midland Railway's York Road works supplied two more in October 1908 and March 1909 (112-113, later 101-102) and two more in September 1919 and March 1920 (103-104).

The NCC absorbed Ballycastle Railway and delegated some locomotives to that service; one of those was 111, which finished its long career there. [Ballycastle Railway connected Ballymoney with Ballycastle, the latter a coastal town near the famous Giant's Causeway geological formation.]

110 was extensively modified in the late 1920s and emerged as a 2-4-4T in 1930. It was withdrawn in 1946. 111 ran over 1 million miles before its retirement in 1950.

OS Nock (RWC III, pl 39) gives the tractive effort as 13,150 lb, which is double the tractive effort of the one HP cylinder. (This is the theory that says the two sides should be balanced in effort.) The figure in the specifications is based on the 1924 ARA formula. See also [link] .

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassS
Locobase ID2688
RailroadBallymena Northern Counties
CountryIreland
Whyte2-4-2T
Number in Class6
Road Numbers69-70/110-113, 101-102 / 41-44,
Gauge3'
Number Built6
Builderseveral
Year1892
Valve GearWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 6.25 / 1.90
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)20.25 / 6.17
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.31
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)20.25 / 6.17
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)22,400 / 10,160
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)44,800 / 20,321
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)70,924 / 32,171
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)684 / 2.59
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 1.10 / 1
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)37 / 18.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)45 / 1143
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)175 / 1210
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)14.75" x 20" / 375x508 (1)
Low Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)21" x 20" / 533x508 (1)
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)9632 / 4369.01
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.65
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)63 / 5.85
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)11.29 / 1.05
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)677 / 62.90
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)677 / 62.90
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume342.32
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation1976
Same as above plus superheater percentage1976
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area11,025
Power L13248
Power MT319.67

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