GER Class Y14
Encyclopedia
The Great Eastern Railway
(GER) Class Y14 is a class of 0-6-0
steam locomotive
. The LNER classified them J15.
The Class Y14 was designed by T.W. Worsdell for both freight and passenger duties - a veritable 'maid of all work'. Introduced in July 1883, they were so successful that all the succeeding chief superintendents continued to build new batches down to 1913 with little design change, the final total being 289. During World War I
, 43 of the engines served in France
and Belgium
.
built one of these locomotives and had it in steam with a coat of grey primer
in 9 hours 47 minutes; this remains a world record. The locomotive then went off to run 36,000 miles on Peterborough
to London
coal trains before coming back to the works for the final coat of paint. It lasted 40 years and ran a total of 1,127,750 miles.
Because of their light weight the locomotives were given the Route Availability
(RA) number 1, indicating that they could work over nearly all routes.
A class J15 locomotive was involved in a boiler explosion at Westerfield railway station
on 25 September 1900.
series had three-ring boilers with the steam dome
placed in the middle. Also the Wordsell boilers had a flat grate, however from 1890 Holden developed a boiler with a sloping grate and a two-ring telescopic barrel with the dome located well forward. The advantage of the dome position was a short 5½ inch steam pipe which limited pressure drop between the boiler and the cylinders. This boiler was adopted as standard and persisted on all Great Eastern Locomotives down to 1898; from then on it was perpetuated on the smaller locomotives as long as these remained essentially in their original configuration - which could be down to the 1960s.
As with all Great Eastern classes, the Y14 had a cab with a low wooden roof covered with canvas
sealed by a coat of lead paint
. This was replaced in L.N.E.R days by a higher arched sheet metal roof. Some engines had special side window cabs for service on the exposed Brightlingsea
and Colne Valley
branches.
On 1 January 1948 when British Railways took running the nation's railways, there were 127 J15 locomotives in existence.
children's books by Christopher Awdry
, a Class J15 appears in the book Toby, Trucks and Trouble.
and owned by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society.
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
(GER) Class Y14 is a class of 0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
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...
. The LNER classified them J15.
The Class Y14 was designed by T.W. Worsdell for both freight and passenger duties - a veritable 'maid of all work'. Introduced in July 1883, they were so successful that all the succeeding chief superintendents continued to build new batches down to 1913 with little design change, the final total being 289. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, 43 of the engines served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Background
On December 10th, 11th 1891, the Great Eastern Railway's Stratford WorksStratford Works
Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway...
built one of these locomotives and had it in steam with a coat of grey primer
Primer (paint)
A primer is a preparatory coating put on materials before painting. Priming ensures better adhesion of paint to the surface, increases paint durability, and provides additional protection for the material being painted.-When primers are used:...
in 9 hours 47 minutes; this remains a world record. The locomotive then went off to run 36,000 miles on Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
coal trains before coming back to the works for the final coat of paint. It lasted 40 years and ran a total of 1,127,750 miles.
Because of their light weight the locomotives were given the Route Availability
Route availability
Route Availability is the system by which the permanent way and supporting works of the National Rail network of Great Britain are graded. All routes are allocated an RA number between 1 and 10....
(RA) number 1, indicating that they could work over nearly all routes.
A class J15 locomotive was involved in a boiler explosion at Westerfield railway station
Westerfield railway station
Westerfield is a railway station in Westerfield Suffolk, England. The station is a junction of the Felixstowe Branch Line to Felixstowe, and the East Suffolk Line to Lowestoft 6 km east of Ipswich. Westerfield is a small village north of Ipswich and the station is situated on the south side...
on 25 September 1900.
Notable features
As built all the locomotives had a stovepipe chimney; this was replaced in L.N.E.R days by a cast chimney with a small lip. The original Wordsell and early HoldenJames Holden (engineer)
James Holden was an English locomotive engineer.He is remembered mainly for the "Claud Hamilton" 4-4-0, his pioneering work with oil fuel, and his unique "Decapod".- Biography :...
series had three-ring boilers with the steam dome
Steam dome
A Steam dome is a vessel fitted to the top of the boiler of a steam locomotive. It contains the opening to the main steam pipe and its purpose is to allow this opening to be kept well above the water level in the boiler...
placed in the middle. Also the Wordsell boilers had a flat grate, however from 1890 Holden developed a boiler with a sloping grate and a two-ring telescopic barrel with the dome located well forward. The advantage of the dome position was a short 5½ inch steam pipe which limited pressure drop between the boiler and the cylinders. This boiler was adopted as standard and persisted on all Great Eastern Locomotives down to 1898; from then on it was perpetuated on the smaller locomotives as long as these remained essentially in their original configuration - which could be down to the 1960s.
As with all Great Eastern classes, the Y14 had a cab with a low wooden roof covered with canvas
Canvas
Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame...
sealed by a coat of lead paint
Lead paint
Lead paint or lead-based paint is paint containing lead, a heavy metal, that is used as pigment, with lead chromate and lead carbonate being the most common. Lead is also added to paint to speed drying, increase durability, retain a fresh appearance, and resist moisture that causes corrosion...
. This was replaced in L.N.E.R days by a higher arched sheet metal roof. Some engines had special side window cabs for service on the exposed Brightlingsea
Brightlingsea
Brightlingsea is a coastal town in the Tendring district of Essex, England, located between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, situated at the mouth of the River Colne, on Brightlingsea Creek. It has an estimated population of 8500....
and Colne Valley
River Colne, Essex
The River Colne is a small river that runs through Colchester, England. It is not a tributary of any other river, instead having an estuary that joins the sea near Brightlingsea.-Source:...
branches.
Allocations
On 1 January 1923 there were 272 J15 locomotives in existence. They were allocated as follows:- Cambridge 48
- Colchester 14
- Ipswich 32
- King's Lynn 5
- Lincoln 3
- Lowestoft 7
- March 17
- Norwich 36
- Parkeston 2
- Peterborough East 19
- Stratford 91
- Yarmouth 4
On 1 January 1948 when British Railways took running the nation's railways, there were 127 J15 locomotives in existence.
In fiction
In The Railway SeriesThe Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
children's books by Christopher Awdry
Christopher Awdry
Christopher Awdry is an English author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine, which was started by his father, the Rev. W. Awdry. He has also produced children's books based on a number of other railways, as well as non-fiction articles...
, a Class J15 appears in the book Toby, Trucks and Trouble.
Preservation
Number 65462 is preserved on the North Norfolk RailwayNorth Norfolk Railway
The North Norfolk Railway – also known as the "Poppy Line" – is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the coastal town of Sheringham and Holt, It cuts through the countryside to the east of Weybourne with views of its windmill and passes through the well preserved country...
and owned by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society.