GCR Classes 8D and 8E
Encyclopedia
GCR Classes 8D and 8E were two pairs of three-cylinder compound steam locomotives of the 4-4-2
wheel arrangement built in 1905 and 1906 for the Great Central Railway
.
(GCR) had given comparative trials to two pairs of two-cylinder express passenger steam locomotives designed by their Chief Mechanical Engineer, John G. Robinson. These were similar in most respects, the main difference being that one pair (class 8B) were of the 4-4-2
wheel arrangement, whereas the other pair (class 8C) were 4-6-0
. These trials demonstrated that the 4-4-2 was best for the GCR conditions, and so five more of class 8B were ordered, soon followed by a batch of 12.
Whilst these were under construction, it was decided to compare the merits of these locomotives against a three-cylinder compound of similar size. Accordingly, two compounds of the 4-4-2 wheel arrangement were built: no. 258 in December 1905 followed by no. 259 in February 1906, and these formed Class 8D.
The class 8D locomotives were designed by Robinson according to the principles of Walter M. Smith
, in which there were three cylinders: the boiler fed a single high-pressure cylinder placed between the frames, where the steam was partially used; it was then passed to two low-pressure cylinders mounted outside the frames, which extracted the remaining useful work from the steam. The same system had already been tried by Smith's employers, the North Eastern Railway
in their class 3CC
of 1898, and with great success by the Midland Railway
(MR) in their 1000 class
of 1902. The GCR engines used the same size cylinders as the MR engines, but were arranged differently. On the MR engines, all three cylinders drove the same axle, but the GCR engines were designed so that the high-pressure cylinder drove the front coupled axle as on the MR engines, whereas the low-pressure cylinders drove the rear coupled axle; the first use of this arrangement in Britain.
Walter M. Smith's son, John W. Smith, joined the GCR at Gorton on 20 August 1906 as Works Manager & Chief Draughtsman. The GCR ordered ten more 4-4-2s for delivery in 1906: of these, eight were to the class 8B design, and two were compounds. These two, nos. 364/5, shared a number of components with the eight class 8B engines, and were sufficiently different from the two compounds of class 8D to warrant a separate classification, so became Class 8E. No more 4-4-2s were built for the GCR, of any of these classes, although in 1908, Robinson did consider ordering more compounds: but the introduction of superheating soon provided a simpler method of reducing coal consumption.
The four locomotives therefore remained the only compounds on the GCR. They were later given superheaters: the first was no. 365 in 1911, but it was not until 1927 before the last, no. 258, was superheated.
Initially based at Gorton, they were used on the express passenger trains between and . In 1920/1, the Manchester-London trains having become too heavy for them, they were transferred to Leicester, for use on the expresses between and London Marylebone. In 1932/3 they moved to Immingham, where they were mainly used on services between and , or . Withdrawal occurred between December 1946 and December 1947.
The locomotives were originally nameless. No. 259 was the first to be named, this occurring by November 1906 and was in honour of the reigning monarch; no. 364 was named by March 1907 after the wife of the GCR Chairman, Sir Alexander Henderson; no. 365 was named by October 1907 after the former GCR General Manager; and no. 258 was last, in June 1909, being named after the senior Director on the GCR Board. The nameplate of no. 258 had the name in three rows, the lettering of the middle row (the words "VISCOUNT CROSS") being of normal size, whereas the lettering of the other two rows was significantly smaller. No. 364 was renamed Lady Faringdon in 1917, Lady Henderson's husband having been raised to the peerage as the first Baron Faringdon
the previous year.
After the Grouping, the LNER increased the GCR numbers by 5000, this occurring in 1924–5. Under the 1946 renumbering, they became 2895–8 in the same order.
4-4-2 (locomotive)
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
wheel arrangement built in 1905 and 1906 for the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
.
History
In 1903, the Great Central RailwayGreat Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
(GCR) had given comparative trials to two pairs of two-cylinder express passenger steam locomotives designed by their Chief Mechanical Engineer, John G. Robinson. These were similar in most respects, the main difference being that one pair (class 8B) were of the 4-4-2
4-4-2 (locomotive)
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
wheel arrangement, whereas the other pair (class 8C) were 4-6-0
4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
. These trials demonstrated that the 4-4-2 was best for the GCR conditions, and so five more of class 8B were ordered, soon followed by a batch of 12.
Whilst these were under construction, it was decided to compare the merits of these locomotives against a three-cylinder compound of similar size. Accordingly, two compounds of the 4-4-2 wheel arrangement were built: no. 258 in December 1905 followed by no. 259 in February 1906, and these formed Class 8D.
The class 8D locomotives were designed by Robinson according to the principles of Walter M. Smith
Walter Mackersie Smith
Walter Mackersie Smith was a Scottish engineer who made an important contribution to the development of the compound steam locomotive. His middle name has sometimes been mis-spelt Mackenzie . He was born at Ferry-Port on Craig, Fife....
, in which there were three cylinders: the boiler fed a single high-pressure cylinder placed between the frames, where the steam was partially used; it was then passed to two low-pressure cylinders mounted outside the frames, which extracted the remaining useful work from the steam. The same system had already been tried by Smith's employers, the North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
in their class 3CC
NER Class 3CC
The NER Class 3CC was a 4-4-0 steam locomotive designed by Wilson Worsdell for the North Eastern Railway and built in 1893. Only one was built and it was a compound expansion version of the simple expansion NER Class M1...
of 1898, and with great success by 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....
(MR) in their 1000 class
Midland Railway 1000 Class
Midland Railway 1000 Class is a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotive designed for passenger work.-Overview:These were developed from a series of five locomotives introduced in 1902 by Samuel W...
of 1902. The GCR engines used the same size cylinders as the MR engines, but were arranged differently. On the MR engines, all three cylinders drove the same axle, but the GCR engines were designed so that the high-pressure cylinder drove the front coupled axle as on the MR engines, whereas the low-pressure cylinders drove the rear coupled axle; the first use of this arrangement in Britain.
Walter M. Smith's son, John W. Smith, joined the GCR at Gorton on 20 August 1906 as Works Manager & Chief Draughtsman. The GCR ordered ten more 4-4-2s for delivery in 1906: of these, eight were to the class 8B design, and two were compounds. These two, nos. 364/5, shared a number of components with the eight class 8B engines, and were sufficiently different from the two compounds of class 8D to warrant a separate classification, so became Class 8E. No more 4-4-2s were built for the GCR, of any of these classes, although in 1908, Robinson did consider ordering more compounds: but the introduction of superheating soon provided a simpler method of reducing coal consumption.
The four locomotives therefore remained the only compounds on the GCR. They were later given superheaters: the first was no. 365 in 1911, but it was not until 1927 before the last, no. 258, was superheated.
Initially based at Gorton, they were used on the express passenger trains between and . In 1920/1, the Manchester-London trains having become too heavy for them, they were transferred to Leicester, for use on the expresses between and London Marylebone. In 1932/3 they moved to Immingham, where they were mainly used on services between and , or . Withdrawal occurred between December 1946 and December 1947.
Numbers and names
| Number | Built | Class | Name | Withdrawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 258 | December 1905 | 8D | The Rt. Hon. Viscount Cross G.C.B. G.C.S.I. R. A. Cross, 1st Viscount Cross Richard Assheton Cross, 1st Viscount Cross, GCB, GCSI, PC, FRS , known before his elevation to the peerage as R. A. Cross, was a British statesman and Conservative politician... |
December 1946 |
| 259 | February 1906 | 8D | King Edward VII | April 1947 |
| 364 | December 1906 | 8E | Lady Henderson Alexander Henderson, 1st Baron Faringdon Alexander Henderson, 1st Baron Faringdon, CH , known as Sír Alexander Henderson, 1st Baronet, from 1902 to 1916, was a British financier and Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament.- Biography :... |
December 1947 |
| 365 | December 1906 | 8E | Sir William Pollitt | August 1947 |
The locomotives were originally nameless. No. 259 was the first to be named, this occurring by November 1906 and was in honour of the reigning monarch; no. 364 was named by March 1907 after the wife of the GCR Chairman, Sir Alexander Henderson; no. 365 was named by October 1907 after the former GCR General Manager; and no. 258 was last, in June 1909, being named after the senior Director on the GCR Board. The nameplate of no. 258 had the name in three rows, the lettering of the middle row (the words "VISCOUNT CROSS") being of normal size, whereas the lettering of the other two rows was significantly smaller. No. 364 was renamed Lady Faringdon in 1917, Lady Henderson's husband having been raised to the peerage as the first Baron Faringdon
Alexander Henderson, 1st Baron Faringdon
Alexander Henderson, 1st Baron Faringdon, CH , known as Sír Alexander Henderson, 1st Baronet, from 1902 to 1916, was a British financier and Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament.- Biography :...
the previous year.
After the Grouping, the LNER increased the GCR numbers by 5000, this occurring in 1924–5. Under the 1946 renumbering, they became 2895–8 in the same order.