NBR G Class

NBR G Class
LNER Class Y9

300px Class Y9 68110 at Kipps Shed in 1961. Note the tender, used for carrying extra coal and the dumb buffers to prevent buffers interlocking while shunting.

Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Neilson and Company Builder Neilson and Company Build date 1882-1899

Specifications Configuration 0-4-0ST Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver diameter 3 ft 8 in (1.118 m) Loco weight 27.8 long tons (28.2 t; 31.1 short tons) Tender weight 6 long tons (6.1 t; 6.7 short tons) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure 130 psi (0.90 MPa) Cylinders two outside Cylinder size 14 in × 20 in (356 mm × 508 mm)

Performance figures Tractive effort 9,845 lbf (43.79 kN)

Career Power class 0F

The North British Railway (NBR) G Class (LNER Class Y9) is a class of 0-4-0ST steam locomotive designed for shunting. Some locomotives were equipped with small wooden tenders to carry extra coal. They were introduced in 1882 and thirty-eight entered service on the NBR between 1882 and 1899. Like most 0-4-0 tanks of the period it has outside cylinders and inside slide valves driven by Stephenson valve gear.

Origin

Industrial locomotives

The design was originated by Neilson and Company of Hyde Park Works, Springburn, Glasgow, who built the first examples of the type, mainly for industrial customers, in the 1870s. One such, built in 1876, is in the collection of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society at Bo'ness.

Caledonian Railway

Main article: Caledonian Railway 0F Class

In 1876 the Caledonian Railway bought four locomotives of the same design from Neilsons. Between 1885 and 1908, the Caledonian built thirty-four more, at the company's own works at Glasgow St Rollox.

North British Railway

The "G" class on the North British Railway came about in much the same way – the NBR bought two locomotives from Neilson in 1882, and by 1899 they had built thirty-six for themselves at their Cowlairs Works. Effectively, Neilsons seem to have licensed the design to the two main line railways, both of whom built it with detail modifications and then ascribed the design to their Chief Mechanical Engineers, Dugald Drummond and Matthew Holmes.

Great Eastern Railway

The Great Eastern Railway Class 209 is similar but has a flat-topped saddle tank. One example is preserved at North Woolwich Old Station Museum.

LNER and BR ownership

File:St Margarets Locomotive Depot ex-NBR Y9 Dock 0-4-0T geograph-2890859-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg

No. 8122 (later 68122) at St Margaret's Locomotive Depot, Edinburgh, 13 August 1948

The LNER acquired most of the NBR examples in 1923 and classified them Y9. Thirty-three of them passed into British Railways ownership in 1948 and were numbered 68092–68124.

Preservation

One, NBR No.42 (BR 68095), has survived to preservation in the Scottish Railway Preservation Society collection and is a static exhibit. This was bought from British Railways straight out of traffic at St Margaret's Shed, Edinburgh by J.Morris, and was displayed at his former museum at Lytham St Annes until it was bought by SRPS in 1992.

An example of the original design by Neilson & Co. is also preserved by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society. It was built in 1876 and named Kelton Fell.

External links

• LNER encyclopedia
• Info about preserved No.42
• Railuk database