The evolution of the steam locomotive (1803 to 1898)

The broad-guage having been finally abandoned on the G.W.R. in May, 1892, it became necessary to re-arrange the locomotive power. Previous to that date Mr. W. Dean, the G.W.R. Locomotive Superintendent, had constructed at Swindon several six-wheeled express locomotives (Fig. 127), with “single” driving wheels, 7ft. 8in. in diameter, inside cylinders 20in. in diameter, and a stroke of 24in., and weighing 44 tons 4 cwt., of which 13 tons 4 cwt. was on the leading axle.

This class of engine was designed to work the West of England expresses between London and Newton Abbot, consequent upon the conversion of the gauge, and the locomotives were therefore built upon strictly narrow-gauge dimensions, but some few of them were worked on the West of England expresses whilst the gauge was yet broad, and for this purpose the wheels were fixed outside the framing. In this condition they had a very curious and ungainly appearance, intensified by the squat chimney, large dome, and bulged fire-box covering.

After the alteration of the gauge had been effected, and the wheels of the engines of this class had been fixed in their normal position, their appearance was considerably improved, but there still remained about the locomotives a somewhat indescribable want of symmetry and unison of outline. However, it was decided to substitute a bogie for the pair of leading wheels, whilst the diameter of the cylinders was reduced to 19 itches. These alterations, coupled with other minor improvements, added to the admittedly good qualities of the engines as locomotive machines, soon caused the class, thus improved, to gain a high place in the estimation of both experts and the railway public. The amount of bright brass about the engines and the names carried by them—mostly those of famous broad-gauge engines, or popular broad and narrow-gauge, Great Western Railway officials—have also added to the prestige of the design. Let cynics say what they will, one feels more interest for, say, the “Rover” than he can ever expect to for plain “No. 999.”

The adoption of water troughs on the Great Western Railway, and the addition of the “pick-up” apparatus to the tenders of these engines, enables the Great Western Railway to perform many daily runs for length and speed that, a few years back, would rightly have been considered quite phenomenal. Happily, we improve with giant strides in matters locomotive at the tail end of the 19th century.

With the adoption of the normal gauge over the whole of the Great Western Railway system, engines of this class are now used on the expresses on all sections where the character of the gradients allows such engines to be run with proper economy. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising to learn that additional batches of engines of Mr. Dean’s 7ft. 8in. “single” design (Fig. 128) are being added to the Great Western Railway locomotive stock at not infrequent intervals. At the present time, there are 71 of these engines at work, and nine others under construction—probably a larger number of one class of modern express locomotives than can be found elsewhere.

The huge pipe for delivering the feed-water to the boilers of these engines, formerly placed in a conspicuous position, has been removed, an alteration that has added much to the beauty of outline of these fine-looking locomotives.

Mr. Dean has constructed a class of four-coupled engines, with a leading bogie, known as the “Armstrong” class. In its salient features, the design is a modification of the 7ft. 8in. single class described above, but naturally several of the dimensions are dissimilar in the two classes. “Armstrong” is No. 7, “Gooch” (Fig. 129), No. 8, “Charles Saunders,” No. 14, and “Brunel,” No. 16.

Immediately subsequent to the change of gauge in May, 1892, a class of tank engines, with wheels four-coupled in front and a trailing bogie, was built for working the fast passenger traffic west of Newton Abbot. The bogies of these engines were fitted with Mansel wheels—quite an exceptional practice in locomotive building.

Mr. Dean has since designed another class of locomotive to work the fast train traffic over the severe gradients and curves so common to the Great Western Railway main line west of Newton Abbot.

These engines are popularly called the “Devonshire” or “Pendennis Castle” class (Fig. 130), after the name given to the first engine constructed on the plan. A prominent feature of the design is the “extension” smoke-box—a feature copied from modern American practice. Before constructing the “Pendennis Castle,” Mr. Dean had fitted another engine—No. 426—with an extended smoke-box, and the result of the trials made with this locomotive satisfied the Great Western Railway locomotive superintendent as to the advantages of the arrangement.

The cylinders of this class are 18in. diameter, the stroke being 26in. The coupled wheels (D. and T.) are 5ft. 7½in. diameter, that of the (leading) bogie being 3ft. 7½in. The use of Mansel wheels has also been adopted both for the bogies and the tenders of the locomotives of this class. The frames are double, and are specially contracted at the smoke-box end to allow sufficient play to the bogie wheels. Both inside and outside bearings are provided for the driving axle. The boiler is of steel, the heating surface being: Tubes, 1,285.58 sq. ft.; fire-box, 112.60 sq. ft.; steam pressure, 160lb.; grate area, 19 sq. ft.; weight of engine, 46 tons, of which 15 tons 7 cwt. is on the driving axle, 17½ tons on the bogie, and 13 tons 3 cwt. on the trailing (coupled) axle. The tender holds 2,000 gallons of water, and weighs, loaded, 24 tons. Ten engines of this design were originally constructed at Swindon—viz.:—

• 3252 Duke of Cornwall.
• 3253 Pendennis Castle.
• 3254 Boscawen.
• 3255 Cornubia.
• 3256 Excalibur.
• 3257 Guinevere.
• 3258 King Arthur.
• 3259 Lizard.
• 3260 Merlin.
• 3261 Mount Edgcumbe.

These proved so satisfactory in performing the peculiar duties required from passenger engines on the West of England main line of the Great Western Railway that a second batch of twenty was put in hand. These commenced running in the early months of 1898. They are named and numbered as follows:—

Several of these engines have the tenders fitted with the water pick-up apparatus.

The names, it will be observed, should specially please the patrons of the Great Western Railway residing in Devon and Cornwall, and help to palliate the keen regret with which the abolition of the broad-gauge was felt in those counties.

Among types of Great Western locomotives, one may be mentioned—the 7ft. “singles” (Fig. 131), largely used for hauling the express trains on the Birmingham and Northern lines. The cylinders are 18in. diameter, the stroke being 24in. Heating surface, 1,250.31 square feet.

Many of the passenger trains on the Gloucester and Weymouth sections are worked by the 6ft. 6in. four-coupled engines, illustrated by engine 2,202 (Fig. 132). The leading dimensions of this class are: Cylinders, 17in. diameter; stroke, 24in.; heating surface, 1,363.5 sq. ft. Weight of engine and tender, in working order, 59 tons 8 cwt.

North of Wolverhampton, for working the West to North expresses, and for other fast trains in the North Western district of the G.W.R., the engines represented by 3,225 (Fig. 133) are largely used. This class has cylinders 18in. by 24in. stroke; leading wheels 4ft. diameter, and coupled, driving, and trailing wheels, 6ft. diameter. The heating surface totals to 1,468.82 sq. ft.; and the weight of engine and tender, including the load of 4 tons of coal and 3,000 gallons of water, amounts to 74½ tons.

“Barrington” (Fig. 134) is one of Mr. Dean’s latest type of express passenger engine. These powerful locomotives are somewhat of the “Devonshire” type, having an extended smoke-box, whilst the “Belpaire” fire-box is also introduced. In the framing, it will be noticed, early G.W. practice is reverted to. The cylinders are 18in. by 26in. stroke. The bogie wheels are 4ft., and the coupled wheels 6ft. 8in. in diameter. The engine weighs 51 tons 13 cwt.; the tender, with the same amount of water and coal as “3,225” class, 32½ tons.

A good deal of the G.W. passenger trains are hauled by smart little six-wheel (four-coupled) tank engines, which are specially noted for getting away quickly, and immediately attained high speeds. “No. 576” (Fig. 135) represents a coupled in front engine of this description, but the more generally known Great Western Railway passenger tank engines have the driving and trailing wheels coupled; these are 5ft. diameter, the cylinders being 16in. diameter by 24ft. stroke.

Mr. Dean’s latest creation for the Great Western Railway is named “Bull Dog,” No. 3,312, and the design will be known as the “Bull Dog” class. Except that the bogie wheels have spokes, the wheels, framing, and motion are similar to the “Devonshire” class (Fig. 130). The boiler is of gigantic proportions; the fire-box is of the Belpaire type, and projects over the top and sides of the boiler barrel. The smoke-box is extended, and steaming reversing gear is employed, whilst another improvement, Davies and Metcalfe’s patent exhaust steam injector, is fitted to the engine, and is being extensively adopted on Great Western Railway locomotives. The name-plates are on the sides of the fire-box; the clack valves are below the boiler barrel, behind the smoke-box. The cab of the “Bull Dog” extends to the edge of the foot-plate, with a door in the front on the fireman’s side.

Before closing these remarks on modern Great Western Railway locomotives, some description of No. 36 is necessary. Here again we have an adaptation of American practice—a six-wheels-coupled engine, with a leading bogie, and an extension, smoke-box. The cylinders are inside, 20in. diameter by 24in. stroke, with the steam chests below them. The driving wheels are 4ft. 6in. diameter, the bogie wheels only 2ft. 8in. diameter. All the wheels have outside bearings, and the driving wheels have inside bearings in addition. The boiler contains 150 “Serve” tubes of 2½in. diameter. The total heating surface is 2,385 sq. ft.; steam pressure, 165lb.; grate area, 35 sq. ft. The weight is as follows: On bogie, 12 tons 6 cwt.; leading coupled wheels, 15 tons 12 cwt.; driving wheels, 16 tons 11 cwt.; and trailing wheels, 15 tons 1 cwt. Total weight of engine, 59½ tons; of tender, 32 tons; together, 91½ tons. The tender is fitted with a water pick-up apparatus. This locomotive has been employed in hauling goods trains for many months past, and it is stated to have hauled a train weighing 450 tons through the Severn Tunnel—despite the severe gradients and length—in ten minutes, although for such a load two goods engines of the usual Great Western design would be required, and they would take 18 minutes to perform the trip.

Consequent upon the death of the late Mr. Patrick Stirling—one of the best locomotive superintendents of his time—the directors of the Great Northern Railway appointed Mr. H. A. Ivatt to the supreme command at Doncaster. Mr. Ivatt received his early training in the science of locomotive construction at Crewe, and left the Great Southern and Western Railway (Ireland), where he was locomotive superintendent, to succeed Mr. P. Stirling on the Great Northern Railway.

Mr. Ivatt, having decided opinions of his own relative to locomotive design, soon set to work to introduce his ideas on the Great Northern system; so that after many years—more than two decades—of domeless locomotives, Doncaster awoke one morning to find a Stirling 8ft. “single” fitted with a steam dome encased in a green-painted cover. It was certainly a great surprise—the colour especially, for many had hoped to see bright brass—but those interested survived the shock, and waited to see some engines of Mr. Ivatt’s design on the Great Northern Railway.

Several engines, with pronounced Ivatt features, were soon running, but the main designs of all of them are cast after distinctly Stirling models, as they were already under construction at the time of Mr. Ivatt’s appointment.

In the 1070 class (four-coupled, six-wheeled engines) we find that the dome and cab, amongst external signs, are the work of the new chief at Doncaster; whilst those of the 1073 design have his leading bogie, splasher over the coupled-wheels, dome, and cab.

Coming to “No. 34,” a rebuilt 8ft. “single,” Mr. Ivatt is responsible for the dome, cab, and safety valve casing, whilst in the 1206, six-coupled saddle tanks, we again find the dome and new pattern valve casing.

Readers will notice that we have only referred to the apparent details that are attributed to Mr. Ivatt, but, by reference to the appended tables of dimensions, they will find that several alterations that do not so readily meet with notice have been made in other matters connected with the Great Northern locomotives.

6ft.   6in.
FOUR-WHEELS COUPLED ENGINE,
No. 1070.

6ft. 6in.
FOUR-WHEELS COUPLED
BOGIE ENGINE,
No. 1073.

(Illustrated by Fig. 136.)

Fig. 137 represents the larger and later type (just out) of the 6ft. 6in. four-coupled engine, with a leading bogie, on the Great Northern Railway. In these engines the boiler diameter has been augmented by 3in., so that it bulges out over the splashers; the heating surface is increased to 1,250 sq. ft., while the fire-box is greatly enlarged, having 120 sq ft. This enlargement of the fire-box has involved a lengthening of the side-rods and coupled-wheel base by 9in. The fire-grate area is 20.8in., instead of 17.8in., in the smaller engines. The chimney, which is much shorter owing to the height of the boiler, is built up in three pieces.

8ft. SINGLE PASSENGER
ENGINE No. 34.

4ft. 6in. SIX-WHEELS COUPLED
SADDLE TANK ENGINE, No. 1206.

Mr. Ivatt’s express passenger engine No. 990 (illustrated as a frontispiece to this volume) is quite a new departure in British locomotive practice, having a leading bogie, four-coupled wheels in front of the fire-box, and a pair of trailing wheels under the foot-plate. The dimensions are:—

Mr. Ivatt has also designed a new class of 10-wheel tank engines for the G.N.R., the leading dimensions being—

There now remains to be described Mr. Ivatt’s newest engine, a 7ft. 6in. single-wheeler with leading bogie, a large boiler, 11ft. 4in. long and 4ft. 5in. diameter, giving 1,268 sq. ft. of heating surface, 175lb. steam pressure, and a fire-box 7ft. long. The boiler centre stands 8ft. 3in. above the level of the rails. The cylinders are 18in. diameter by 26in. stroke. The grate area is 23 sq. ft. As this engine is only just out of the Doncaster shops none of her performances have as yet been recorded, but if she prove as good as she looks the Great Northern Railway will have a valuable addition to its already numerous “single” locomotives.

And now, perhaps, may be ventured an opinion on Mr. Ivatt’s innovations in Great Northern locomotive practice. In the first place, from an aesthetic point, there can be no two opinions that a dome greatly improves the appearance of a locomotive, but one of bright brass is infinitely superior to one covered with green paint. “To win the eye is to win all,” and plenty of bright brass about a locomotive is certainly an attraction; a large amount of the popularity of the Great Western engines is due to the fine display of brass. The same reason that causes us to prefer a brass dome makes us sorry to see the Stirling brass casing of the safety valve give place to Mr. Ivatt’s design. Green paint undoubtedly is a good thing, but then you can have “too much of a good thing.” Again, a curved splasher for coupled wheels, following the outlines of both wheels, looks much neater than the design used with Class 1073. The bogie is decidedly an improvement; so is an extended cab, but graceful outlines might be used in connection with the latter. Mr. Ivatt has certainly introduced some decided improvements into the composition of the Great Northern Railway locomotives, but the tout ensemble might be more pleasing; a few alterations in matters of detail would give observers a more appreciative opinion of modern Great Northern Railway engines.

Now water troughs are so much in fashion, it should not be difficult to find suitable locations for them on the Great Northern system, and with a double-bogie tank engine, with, outside cylinders, a 9ft. or larger driving wheel, York ought to be reached in less than three hours from King’s Cross, and without an intermediate stop. Will the 19th century see such an achievement? We hope so, but fear to prophesy; its sands are almost run.

The Manson engines of the Great North of Scotland Railway deserve notice. As long ago as 1878 and 1879 it was decided to place heavier and more powerful engines on that railway. The engines weighed 41 tons 5 cwt. each, and the tender 28 tons 5 cwt. in working order. The working pressure was 150lb. per square inch.

In 1884 Mr. Manson, who succeeded Mr. Cowan, got some six-wheel coupled inside cylinder tank engines from Kitson and Co., of Leeds. The following are the principal dimensions, viz.:—

In the same year Messrs. Kitson and Co. also supplied some four coupled passenger engines, with leading bogie and a six-wheeled tender.

The cylinders are “inside,” and the bogie is Kitson’s swing link type, which this Company has used since 1884. These engines were delivered with a brick arch in the fire-box, but this was afterwards taken out and air-tubes put into the front and rear of the fire-box, so as to consume the smoke. The principal dimensions are:—

In 1888 Mr. Manson brought out his engine with inside cylinders, having the valves placed on the top, which were of the balanced type introduced by Mr. Cowan. The valves were driven by the ordinary Stephenson link motion working on a rocking-shaft. In other respects the engine very much resembled those just described, except that the engine and tender were coupled by a central bar and one solid central rolling block in place of side spring buffers.

In 1890 Mr. Manson increased the capacity of the tender to 3,000 gallons, and in doing this introduced a bogie tender. The tender was carried on eight wheels 3ft. 9½in. diameter. The four trailing wheels were fixed, and the four leading carried a bogie similar to that on the engine.

The wheel base of the tender was 16ft. 6in., and the weight in working order 38 tons. The engine for these tenders was the same as that just described. These were built by Stephenson and Co.

In 1893 Mr. James Johnson, who succeeded Mr. Manson, designed some heavy bogie tank engines. They were four-wheels-coupled in front, with trailing four-wheeled bogie. The valves were of the ordinary type, placed between the cylinders, which were “inside.”

These engines were fitted with the brick arch, and since that time all the Company’s engines have had the air-tubes removed, and brick arches fitted.

The following are the principal dimensions:—

In the same year Mr. Johnson designed some inside cylinder passenger engines (Fig. 139), which had the same size of boiler as the bogie tank engines.

They had a four-wheeled bogie in front, and four-coupled driving wheels. The tender was on six wheels, and carried the same amount of water as the bogie tenders previously described. Spring buffers are used between engine and tender. The principal dimensions are:—

This is the present standard type of passenger engines on the Great North of Scotland Railway.

In addition to the engines of the Furness Railway, previously described, others deserve recognition, and it should be placed on record that the red-brown colour distinguishing the locomotives of this line has been the standard colour for a number of years. Some sixteen years or so back, the Midland Railway discarded green as the distinguishing colour for its engines, and adopted the red-brown shade of the Furness Railway. Some people have imagined that the Furness Railway locomotives are painted in imitation of the Midland, but the facts show the opposite to be the case.

In 1870 a type of four-wheels-coupled passenger engines were introduced on the Furness Railway. The leading dimensions of these were:—

At this period the standard goods engines of the Furness Railway were six-wheels-coupled, of the following dimensions:—

The modern main line Furness Railway passenger engines have four wheels coupled of 6ft. diameter, with a leading bogie, the wheels of which are 3ft. 6in. diameter. The cylinders are inside 18in. diameter, with a 24in. stroke. The other dimensions are:—

This express class of passenger engines was introduced in 1896.