Isle of Man 2-4-0 Locomotives in Isle_of_Man


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class G H Wood (Locobase 10247)

Data from "New Locomotive, Isle of Man Railway.," Locomotive Magazine, Vol XII [12] (15 December 1906)), p. 208. Works numbers were 4662-4663 (1905), 5126 (1908), 5382 (1910).

After the Isle of Man Railway expanded to include special boat trains that connected Douglas and Ramsey (26 1/2 miles apart) as well as to serve new express-train service, it returned to Beyer, Peacock for two more, somewhat larger 2-4-0Ts and added one more in each of 1908 and 1910. Like all IMRy locomotives, this quartet had names: G H Wood, Maitland, Hutchinson, and Kissack.


Class Mannin (Locobase 7514)

Data from 1946 Beyer, Peacock catalogue hosted on Martyn Bane's website at [link] (accessed 21 May 2006); and "New Tank Locomotive, Isle of Man Ry", Locomotive Magazine, Volume 32, No. 405 (15 May 1926), p. 138-139.

Batch #144 (works# 6296) (Production data from The Beyer, Peacock production list -- [link], last accessed 29 May 2006). This little tank was the last in a line of BP engines of similar layout that had gone to the 46-mile-long narrow-gauge railway since 1873. The I of M connected all of the major towns on this island in the Irish Sea. Two lines ran from Douglas to Peel on the other side and from Douglas down the Southeast coast to Port Erin.

Mike's Railroad History site -- [link], last accessed 4 June 2006 -- reproduced an article from the 1930s that noted some typical qualities of this service: "The speeds are not high, for high speed must not be expected on a narrow-gauge railway serving extremely hilly country ; a maximum of thirty-five miles an hour is usual. The fine little locomotives could doubtless do considerably more than that, but it is improbable that they will ever be allowed to do so. The journey from Douglas to Peel takes thirty-eight minutes, with stops at all stations ; and to Ramsey, over the old Manx Northern line, one hour sad nineteen minutes."


Class Sutherland (Locobase 10245)

Data from "The Isle of Man Railway.," Locomotive Magazine, Vol VII (December 1902), p. 202. Works numbers were 1253-1255 (1873), 1416-1417 (1874), 1524 (1875), 2038 (1888), 3610 (1894), 3815 (1896). Also, when the Northern Manx Railway ordered its 3rd locomotive, it bought the same design with only a few detail differences (works number 2028).

At the time of this article, 9 had been delivered over a course of 26 years. The last batch had 160-psi boilers.

After describing the "roomy" and "comfortable" cab, he noted that "...from personal observation we can testify to their easy riding." This latter quality may be attributable in part to the Bissel pony truck; these were the first locomotives to be built in England using Levi Bissel's design.

The author added:"They steam freely, and readily attain a fairly high rate of speed and have little difficulty in climbing the severe bank from Douglas to Port Soderick, nearly 3 miles long,an average rise of 1 in 40 ( 2 1/2%) with a heavy load in 12 minutes."

One secret to performing so well: "Welsh coal is used exclusively."

Later IofM engines would be larger; see Locobase 10247. Only #2 Derby was not preserved. All of the others still exist.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassG H WoodManninSutherland
Locobase ID10247 7514 10245
RailroadIsle of ManIsle of ManIsle of Man
CountryIsle of ManIsle of ManIsle of Man
Whyte2-4-0T2-4-0T2-4-0T
Number in Class4110
Road Numbers10-13161-9, 14
GaugeStd3'Std
Number Built4110
BuilderBeyer, PeacockBeyer, PeacockBeyer, Peacock
Year190519261873
Valve GearAllanStephensonAllan
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 6.50 / 1.98 6.50 / 1.98 6.50 / 1.98
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)14.50 / 4.4214.50 / 4.4214.50 / 4.42
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.45 0.45 0.45
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)14.50 / 4.4214.50 / 4.4214.50 / 4.42
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)20,776 / 9424
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)40,992 / 18,594
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)45,976 / 20,85452,248 / 23,69940,796 / 18,505
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)576 / 2.18624 / 2.36576 / 2.18
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 1.60 / 2 0.80 / 0.70 0.60 / 1
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)34 / 17
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)45.30 / 115145 / 114345.30 / 1151
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)160 / 1100180 / 1240160 / 1100
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)11" x 18" / 279x45712" x 18" / 305x45711" x 18" / 279x457
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)6539 / 2966.048813 / 3997.516539 / 2966.04
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.65
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)121 - 1.625" / 41132 - 1.625" / 41121 - 1.625" / 41
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)8 / 2.348 / 2.44 7.69 / 2.34
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)51.40 / 4.7854 / 5.0251.40 / 4.78
Grate Area (sq ft / m2) 6.25 / 0.58 8.75 / 0.81 6.25 / 0.58
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)461 / 42.84500 / 46.45461 / 42.84
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)461 / 42.84500 / 46.45461 / 42.84
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume232.84212.21232.84
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation100015751000
Same as above plus superheater percentage100015751000
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area822497208224
Power L1438144124381
Power MT474.57

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