L&YR Class 32
Encyclopedia
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Class 32 was a small class of 0-8-2T steam locomotive
s, intended for heavy shunting and banking
duties.
From 1903 and Ivatt's Class L1
, several of the UK railway companies introduced extremely large tank engines that were eight- or even ten-coupledHolden
's 0-10-0T Decapod for the Great Eastern Railway
, with few carrying axles, so as to achieve the maximum adhesive weight over their driving wheels. Although limited in their maximum speed by the lack of any pilot truck, their size was the maximum permitted by the loading gauge and their axle loading and so they could achieve a high tractive effort. This was put to use for either accelerating suburban passenger services, in competition with the new electric railways. Other railways required heavy shunters, to cope with the increasing weight of freight trains. These were particularly needed for the new technology of hump shunting. Although the tank engine layout restricted the coal and water capacity that could be provided (their large boilers left little space for side tanks), all of these uses were relatively short ranged, and so the engines did not require long endurance.
In 1908, Hughes
produced a locomotive of this type for the Lancashire and Yorkshire. These tank engines were based on the previous Aspinall
Class 30 0-8-0 tender engines, although their similarities have often been over-emphasised. Their coupled wheelbase was extended by two feet to 24 inch, requiring the two centre drivers to be flangeless, with widened tyre treads, to allow them to negotiate a tight radius curve within a marshalling yard. This was more successful than similar flangeless drivers had been with Hoy
's Class 26 2-6-2Ts, where they had shown a tendency for the centre drivers to drop between the rails if track in a siding wasn't maintained as well as main-line track.
The two inside cylinders were of 21.5 by 26 in (546.1 by 660.4 mm) and were the largest in size of any non-compound engine in the country.
and Ramsbottom safety valves were used. A similar boiler was fitted to Hughes' 1910 large-boilered Class 9 development of the Class 30. Although this was another feature often described as being in common with the 0-8-0s, they were actually longer than the L boiler. The L boiler was unique to the Class 32, although they were made on the same flanging plates as Hughes' Dreadnought class
. This unique boiler would eventually lead to the class' early withdrawal, when the boilers were due for replacement at twenty years old.
Superheating
was an innovation at this time and not yet firmly established, mostly owing to difficulties in providing adequate cylinder lubrication. Hughes was an advocate of superheating and used it when rebuilding the 7'3" Class 4 express 4-4-0s, fitting Schmidt superheaters and piston valves, along with Walschaerts valve gear. Despite this, he recognised that an intermittently worked shunting engine such as the 0-8-2Ts would not allow the superheater
elements to reach their optimum working temperature, and so retained a simpler saturated boiler.
Other detail fittings included vacuum brake
s and oval buffers, to avoid locking of buffer heads when working around tight curves with the engine's long overhang at each end.
in one batch between March and April 1908. They carried the full 'passenger' livery of the L&YR, in black with single red and double white lining.
The original intention had been to employ these engines in the hump shunting yards at Aintree
. However problems with the spring hangers fouling the electric third rail
system on the lines from Liverpool to Ormskirk between the engine shed and the sidings led to their withdrawal from this service.
1501 & 1502 were then allocated to Accrington
for working the 1 in 38 Baxenden
bank.
1505 was first allocated to Agecroft
for the Manchester Ship Canal
sidings at New Barnes junction. 1503 & 1504 were later allocated here, upon which 1505 joined the other engines at Accrington, as a spare.
The class were nicknamed either 'Egberts' or 'Little Egberts', after a troupe of circus elephants.
in 1923, LMS policy for weeding out non-standard types made the class superfluous. Their boiler's eventual need for replacement, and their unique design, led to the whole class' withdrawal between 1927 and 1929. All were allocated LMS numbers, but only 1504 was repainted in LMS black livery with its new number painted of 11803 and losing its original cast numberplate.
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
Class 32 was a small class of 0-8-2T 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, intended for heavy shunting and banking
Bank engine
A bank engine or helper engine or pusher engine is a railway locomotive that temporarily assists a train that requires additional power or traction to climb a grade...
duties.
From 1903 and Ivatt's Class L1
GNR Class L1
The Great Northern Railway Class L1 was a 0-8-2T side tank steam locomotive designed by Henry Ivatt. It was originally designed for suburban passenger traffic on the Metropolitan City Lines....
, several of the UK railway companies introduced extremely large tank engines that were eight- or even ten-coupledHolden
James 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 :...
's 0-10-0T Decapod for the Great Eastern Railway
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...
, with few carrying axles, so as to achieve the maximum adhesive weight over their driving wheels. Although limited in their maximum speed by the lack of any pilot truck, their size was the maximum permitted by the loading gauge and their axle loading and so they could achieve a high tractive effort. This was put to use for either accelerating suburban passenger services, in competition with the new electric railways. Other railways required heavy shunters, to cope with the increasing weight of freight trains. These were particularly needed for the new technology of hump shunting. Although the tank engine layout restricted the coal and water capacity that could be provided (their large boilers left little space for side tanks), all of these uses were relatively short ranged, and so the engines did not require long endurance.
In 1908, Hughes
George Hughes (engineer)
George Hughes was a locomotive engineer, and Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.-L&YR:...
produced a locomotive of this type for the Lancashire and Yorkshire. These tank engines were based on the previous Aspinall
John Aspinall (engineer)
Sir John Audley Frederick Aspinall was a British mechanical engineer who served as Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Southern and Western and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways. He introduced vacuum brakes to his locomotives in Ireland, a trend which was followed in Britain, and designed...
Class 30 0-8-0 tender engines, although their similarities have often been over-emphasised. Their coupled wheelbase was extended by two feet to 24 inch, requiring the two centre drivers to be flangeless, with widened tyre treads, to allow them to negotiate a tight radius curve within a marshalling yard. This was more successful than similar flangeless drivers had been with Hoy
Henry Hoy
Henry Albert Hoy was a locomotive engineer with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway . Hoy was born on 13 January 1855 in London, and educated at King Edward VI's Grammar School in St Albans, and at St John's College, Liverpool University....
's Class 26 2-6-2Ts, where they had shown a tendency for the centre drivers to drop between the rails if track in a siding wasn't maintained as well as main-line track.
The two inside cylinders were of 21.5 by 26 in (546.1 by 660.4 mm) and were the largest in size of any non-compound engine in the country.
Boiler design
The type 'L' boiler was again substantially different to any other class. It was 5' 9" in diameter, a foot larger than the 'J' boiler of the previous engines. A Belpaire fireboxBelpaire firebox
The Belpaire firebox is a type of firebox used on steam locomotives. It was invented by Alfred Belpaire of Belgium. It has a greater surface area at the top of the firebox, improving heat transfer and steam production...
and Ramsbottom safety valves were used. A similar boiler was fitted to Hughes' 1910 large-boilered Class 9 development of the Class 30. Although this was another feature often described as being in common with the 0-8-0s, they were actually longer than the L boiler. The L boiler was unique to the Class 32, although they were made on the same flanging plates as Hughes' Dreadnought class
L&YR class 8
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway class 8 was a four-cylinder 4-6-0 express passenger locomotive designed by George Hughes in 1908. As designed, they were fitted with Joy valve gear. These original locomotives were described as “poor performers” . They suffered coal consumption as high as 100...
. This unique boiler would eventually lead to the class' early withdrawal, when the boilers were due for replacement at twenty years old.
Superheating
Superheating
In physics, superheating is the phenomenon in which a liquid is heated to a temperature higher than its boiling point, without boiling...
was an innovation at this time and not yet firmly established, mostly owing to difficulties in providing adequate cylinder lubrication. Hughes was an advocate of superheating and used it when rebuilding the 7'3" Class 4 express 4-4-0s, fitting Schmidt superheaters and piston valves, along with Walschaerts valve gear. Despite this, he recognised that an intermittently worked shunting engine such as the 0-8-2Ts would not allow the superheater
Superheater
A superheater is a device used to convert saturated steam or wet steam into dry steam used for power generation or processes. There are three types of superheaters namely: radiant, convection, and separately fired...
elements to reach their optimum working temperature, and so retained a simpler saturated boiler.
Other detail fittings included vacuum brake
Vacuum brake
The vacuum brake is a braking system employed on trains and introduced in the mid-1860s. A variant, the automatic vacuum brake system, became almost universal in British train equipment and in those countries influenced by British practice. Vacuum brakes also enjoyed a brief period of adoption in...
s and oval buffers, to avoid locking of buffer heads when working around tight curves with the engine's long overhang at each end.
Service
All five engines were shopped from Horwich WorksHorwich Works
Horwich Works was a railway works built in 1886 by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in Horwich, near Bolton, in the North West of England when the company moved from its original works at Miles Platting, Manchester.-Buildings:...
in one batch between March and April 1908. They carried the full 'passenger' livery of the L&YR, in black with single red and double white lining.
The original intention had been to employ these engines in the hump shunting yards at Aintree
Aintree
Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside. It lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, about north of Liverpool city centre, in North West England....
. However problems with the spring hangers fouling the electric third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
system on the lines from Liverpool to Ormskirk between the engine shed and the sidings led to their withdrawal from this service.
1501 & 1502 were then allocated to Accrington
Accrington railway station
Accrington railway station serves the town of Accrington in Lancashire, England. It is a station on the East Lancashire Line 10 km east of Blackburn railway station operated by Northern Rail....
for working the 1 in 38 Baxenden
Baxenden railway station
Baxenden railway station served the village of Baxenden in Hyndburn. It was situated on the line from to , which was opened in August 1848 by the East Lancashire Railway...
bank.
1505 was first allocated to Agecroft
Agecroft
Agecroft may refer to several places near Salford, England:* Agecroft Hall, a Tudor estate near Pendlebury, Salford exported and rebuilt on the James River in Virginia, United States* Agecroft Bridge railway station, closed in 1861...
for the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
sidings at New Barnes junction. 1503 & 1504 were later allocated here, upon which 1505 joined the other engines at Accrington, as a spare.
The class were nicknamed either 'Egberts' or 'Little Egberts', after a troupe of circus elephants.
LMS service
Despite the urgency for their building there appears to have been little need for the class in service, especially in their later years. Soon after the GroupingGrouping
Grouping is a form of hierarchical knowledge representation, similar to mind mapping, concept mapping and argument mapping, all of which need to observe at least some of the principles of grouping....
in 1923, LMS policy for weeding out non-standard types made the class superfluous. Their boiler's eventual need for replacement, and their unique design, led to the whole class' withdrawal between 1927 and 1929. All were allocated LMS numbers, but only 1504 was repainted in LMS black livery with its new number painted of 11803 and losing its original cast numberplate.