BNCR Class S
Encyclopedia
The Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BNCR) Class S was a class of 2-4-2T two-cylinder compound
steam locomotive
s that was introduced for service on the 3ft (914mm) narrow gauge railways of County Antrim
in north-east Ireland
.
as a narrow gauge application of the Worsdell
-von Borries
system of two-cylinder compound locomotives that had been adopted by the BNCR
. Limited space between the frames required them to have outside cylinders and Walschaerts valve gear unlike their broad gauge counterparts. The smaller diameter high-pressure cylinder was on the left and the larger low-pressure one on the right.
Two engines were ordered from Beyer, Peacock and Company
in January 1892 and left Gorton Foundry in May 1892 entering service as numbers 69 and 70. They were renumbered 110 and 111 respectively in 1897. The class would only be enlarged after the BNCR had amalgamated with the Midland Railway
to become the Northern Counties Committee
(NCC).
The next engines were built by the NCC at York Road works to transport valuable iron ore traffic, that had been obtained in 1907, from the mines at Parkmore to Larne Harbour
via Ballymena
. Two engines entered service as No.112 in October 1908 and No.113 in March 1909. They were renumbered 102 and 101 respectively in 1920.
The last two members of the class were Nos.103 and 104. Outshopped from York Road in September 1919 and March 1920 respectively, they were the last von Borries compounds to be built.
Built for service on the Ballymena & Larne and Cushendall lines of the BNCR, various members of the class were transferred to the Ballycastle Railway
following that line's amalgamation with the NCC in 1924.
Nos.101 and 102 were rebuilt in 1930 and 1928 respectively with a coal bunker at the rear to reduce the need to store coal inside the cab and had the trailing radial truck extended accordingly; these were reclassified as Class S1
. No.110 was heavily rebuilt in 1931 as a 2-4-4T with a standard gauge boiler and reclassified as Class S2
.
Of the three unaltered Class S, 103 had the shortest existence and at the end of 1938 she was scrapped after being out of use for two years.
111 (ex-70) was renumbered a second time in December 1948, becoming No.44. Having spent her latter years on the Ballycastle line she accumulated a total of more than a million miles before being withdrawn after 58 years of service. No.44 was scrapped in February 1954.
104 was shedded at Ballymena for many years and was renumbered No.43 in October 1943. Four years later she received a heavy repair and was transferred to the Ballycastle line where she worked until the line closed in 1950. No.43 remained in stock until 1954 when she was scrapped.
took control, the engines were painted "invisible green" (a very dark bronze green that looked almost black). Lining appears to have been the same as in BNCR days, i.e. vermilion/light blue/chrome yellow. The initials "MR" in shaded, sans-serif gold capitals were on the side tanks ahead the number plate and the Midland crest- which was the earlier diamond shaped device - was on the cab side. Buffer beams were vermilion, and the smoke box was black. The brass number plates had an invisible green background.
During World War II, all the narrow-gauge engines were painted unlined black. Only the red buffer beams and number plate backgrounds relieved the somber effect.
, the narrow-gauge engines, for which there was no long term future, continued in the unrelieved black wartime colour scheme. This was eventually enlivened on Nos.43 and 44 by vermilion and yellow lining:
The UTA roundel, 14in in diameter, with "Ulster Transport" in orange block capitals, lined in red, surrounding a white shield bearing the red hand of Ulster
, all on a mid-green background, was placed in the middle of the side tanks of Nos.43 and 44.
Compound locomotive
A compound engine unit is a type of steam engine where steam is expanded in two or more stages.A typical arrangement for a compound engine is that the steam is first expanded in a high-pressure cylinder, then having given up heat and losing pressure, it exhausts directly into one or more larger...
steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s that was introduced for service on the 3ft (914mm) narrow gauge railways of County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
in north-east Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
History
The Class S was a class of six locomotives designed under the supervision of Bowman MalcolmBowman Malcolm
Bowman Malcom was an Irish railway engineer. He became Locomotive Superintendent of the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway at the age of 22 and later took on the additional role of Civil Engineer...
as a narrow gauge application of the Worsdell
Thomas William Worsdell
Thomas William Worsdell was a British locomotive engineer. He was born in Liverpool into a Quaker family.-Family:...
-von Borries
August von Borries
August Friedrich Wilhelm von Borries was one of Germany's most influential railway engineers, who was primarily concerned with developments in steam locomotives....
system of two-cylinder compound locomotives that had been adopted by the BNCR
Northern Counties Committee
The Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It was built to Irish gauge but later acquired a number of narrow gauge lines...
. Limited space between the frames required them to have outside cylinders and Walschaerts valve gear unlike their broad gauge counterparts. The smaller diameter high-pressure cylinder was on the left and the larger low-pressure one on the right.
Two engines were ordered from Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...
in January 1892 and left Gorton Foundry in May 1892 entering service as numbers 69 and 70. They were renumbered 110 and 111 respectively in 1897. The class would only be enlarged after the BNCR had amalgamated with the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
to become the Northern Counties Committee
Northern Counties Committee
The Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It was built to Irish gauge but later acquired a number of narrow gauge lines...
(NCC).
The next engines were built by the NCC at York Road works to transport valuable iron ore traffic, that had been obtained in 1907, from the mines at Parkmore to Larne Harbour
Larne Harbour railway station
Larne Harbour railway station, Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, serves the ferry port for ferries to Cairnryan and Troon, Scotland and Fleetwood, England...
via Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
. Two engines entered service as No.112 in October 1908 and No.113 in March 1909. They were renumbered 102 and 101 respectively in 1920.
The last two members of the class were Nos.103 and 104. Outshopped from York Road in September 1919 and March 1920 respectively, they were the last von Borries compounds to be built.
Built for service on the Ballymena & Larne and Cushendall lines of the BNCR, various members of the class were transferred to the Ballycastle Railway
Ballycastle Railway
Ballycastle Railway was a narrow gauge railway line which ran from Ballycastle to Ballymoney, both in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.-History:...
following that line's amalgamation with the NCC in 1924.
Nos.101 and 102 were rebuilt in 1930 and 1928 respectively with a coal bunker at the rear to reduce the need to store coal inside the cab and had the trailing radial truck extended accordingly; these were reclassified as Class S1
NCC Class S1
The Northern Counties Committee Class S1 was a class of two-cylinder compound 2-4-2T steam locomotives that was introduced for service on the 3 ft narrow gauge railways of County Antrim in north-east Ireland...
. No.110 was heavily rebuilt in 1931 as a 2-4-4T with a standard gauge boiler and reclassified as Class S2
NCC Class S2
The Northern Counties Committee Class S2 was a solitary two-cylinder compound 2-4-4T steam locomotive that was introduced for service on the 3ft narrow gauge railways of County Antrim in north-east Ireland. It was heavily rebuilt from a BNCR Class S locomotive by the addition of a standard gauge...
.
Of the three unaltered Class S, 103 had the shortest existence and at the end of 1938 she was scrapped after being out of use for two years.
111 (ex-70) was renumbered a second time in December 1948, becoming No.44. Having spent her latter years on the Ballycastle line she accumulated a total of more than a million miles before being withdrawn after 58 years of service. No.44 was scrapped in February 1954.
104 was shedded at Ballymena for many years and was renumbered No.43 in October 1943. Four years later she received a heavy repair and was transferred to the Ballycastle line where she worked until the line closed in 1950. No.43 remained in stock until 1954 when she was scrapped.
Technical details
When starting a locomotive from rest, a simpling valve was opened which admitted steam directly from the boiler to the low pressure cylinder as well as the high pressure one. Not only did this provide maximum tractive effort when starting but also avoided problems that might arise if the high pressure piston was in a dead centre position. Once moving, the simpling valve was closed and the locomotive continued in compound operation.BNCR
Under the BNCR, the colour of the engines is believed to have been a dark laurel green lined out in vermilion/light blue/chrome yellow as follows:| Panel: | laurel green | |
| ⅛in line: | vermilion | rounded corners |
| 1in band: | laurel green | rounded corners |
| ⅜in line: | light blue | rounded corners |
| ⅜in line: | chrome yellow | rounded corners |
MR (NCC)
When the Midland RailwayMidland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
took control, the engines were painted "invisible green" (a very dark bronze green that looked almost black). Lining appears to have been the same as in BNCR days, i.e. vermilion/light blue/chrome yellow. The initials "MR" in shaded, sans-serif gold capitals were on the side tanks ahead the number plate and the Midland crest- which was the earlier diamond shaped device - was on the cab side. Buffer beams were vermilion, and the smoke box was black. The brass number plates had an invisible green background.
LMS (NCC)
During LMS ownership, the locomotives were painted in LMS crimson lake or maroon. The smokebox was black and the buffer beam was red. The LMS (NCC) crest was carried on the cab side-sheet. The initials "NCC" were sited on the side tanks, in shaded serif gold capitals, placed in front of the number plates. The number plate backgrounds were at first maroon, but were later painted red. The lining was as follows:| Panel: | crimson lake or maroon | |
| ⅜in line: | yellow ochre | square corners |
| 2½-3in band: | black | square corners |
| Edge | ||
During World War II, all the narrow-gauge engines were painted unlined black. Only the red buffer beams and number plate backgrounds relieved the somber effect.
UTA
Under the Ulster Transport AuthorityUlster Transport Authority
The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
, the narrow-gauge engines, for which there was no long term future, continued in the unrelieved black wartime colour scheme. This was eventually enlivened on Nos.43 and 44 by vermilion and yellow lining:
| Panel: | black | |
| ⅜in line: | vermilion | square corners |
| 1in band: | black | square corners |
| ¼in line: | yellow | square corners |
The UTA roundel, 14in in diameter, with "Ulster Transport" in orange block capitals, lined in red, surrounding a white shield bearing the red hand of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
, all on a mid-green background, was placed in the middle of the side tanks of Nos.43 and 44.