C2 Passenger Tank

A tank engine of quite a new design, intended for local services, was introduced upon the G. N. R. in 1898, having ten wheels, inside cylinders, and side tanks, with a coal bunker at the trailing end. No. 1009, shown in the accompanying Fig. 94, was the first one of this class, which has so far comprised ten engines having the following dates and numbers : —

As originally built, Nos. 1009 and 1010 had ordinary rigid axle boxes to the trailing wheels, whilst the rest were provided with radial axle boxes in order to secure greater flexibility of wheel-base. No. 1009 also differed from the others in having its Doncaster number plate at the front end of the tank instead of on the frame.

In all other respects the engines of the class were identical, and they were built as nearly as possible to the standard dimensions introduced by Mr. Ivatt, according to the following official figures:

• the bogie and trailing wheels had a diameter of 3-ft. 7 1/2-in., and the coupled wheels had a diameter of 5-ft. 7 1/2-in. Wheel-base: bogie wheels, centre to centre 6-ft. 3-in., with the bogie pin only 3-ft. in advance of the hind bogie wheel axle; from hind bogie axle to driving axle, centre to centre 6-ft. 3-in.; coupled axles, centre to centre 8-ft. 3-in., and from centre of hind coupled axle to centre of trailing axle 6-ft. The frame plates had a total length of 33-ft. 3 3/4-in., with an overhang of 2-ft. 5-in. and 3-ft. 7 3/4-in. at the leading and trailing ends respectively.
• Cylinders 17 1/2-in. in diameter with a stroke of 26-in. The boiler was pitched with its centre line 7-ft. 6-in. above the rail level, and had a barrel measuring 10-ft. 1-in. long, and 4-ft. 3 7/8-in. in diameter outside the smallest ring. It contained 215 tubes of 1 3/4-in. outside diameter, and was provided with a smoke-box measuring 2-ft. 8 7/8-in. in length outside, and with a firebox casing having an outside length of 5-ft. 6-in.
• The working pressure of the boiler was 170 lbs. per sq. in., and the heating surface was made up to a total of 1123.8 sq. ft., of which the firebox contributed 103.1 sq. ft., and the tubes 1020.7 sq. ft., while the grate area measured 17.8 sq. ft.
• The capacity of the tanks was 1350 gallons, and of the coal bunker 50 cwt., 
• In full working order engines of this class weighed a total of 39 tons 15 cwt., distributed as follows: Bogie wheels 15 tons 10 cwt., driving wheels 16 tons 13 cwt., coupled wheels 17 tons, and trailing wheels 10 tons 10 cwt.

These ten engines were not provided with appliances for condensing, and were fitted with cast-iron chimneys of the usual height, so that they were not adapted for Metropolitan traffic involving trips through the “Underground” but subsequently other engines of the same general type and dimensions, but with special modifications fitting them for tunnel work, were built.

To meet the requirements for more engine power for trains in the Metropolitan district twenty new locomotives were built. These were tank engines of the ten-wheel type introduced at the beginning of 1898, slightly modified to render them specially suitable for running through the tunnels of the “Underground”.

In general dimensions they were identical with their forerunners of the No. 1009 class, save that they were all fitted with condensing apparatus, and that all except the first were supplied with short chimneys of the built-up pattern, with a height above the rails of only 12-ft. 5 3/8-in., and a corresponding reduction in the height of the steam dome in order to clear the loading gauges of the Metropolitan Railway.

These modifications give the engines the appearance of being larger, especially as regards the boiler barrel, than those without condensing arrangements, but the only differences between the two classes are those already stated, and an increase in weight in the condensing engines to a total of 62 tons 2 cwt. distributed as follows : bogie wheels 16 tons 10 cwt., driving wheels 18 tons, coupled wheels 16 tons 12 cwt., and trailing radial wheels 11 tons.

The capacity of the tanks and bunkers was also the same in the two classes, namely, 1,350 gallons and 2 1/2 tons respectively. Fig. 101 shows the external appearance of these locomotives, except so far as No. 1501 was concerned, this particular engine having the longer cast-iron chimney and larger steam dome of the earlier non-condensing class ; as a consequence it is not employed on the London service. These engines were built at Doncaster in the following order : —

More Information

This class became the LNER C12, and the Small Atlantics became the LNER C2