NCC Class B3
Encyclopedia
The LMS Class B3 4-4-0
passenger steam locomotive
s were rebuilds of Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BNCR) two-cylinder compound locomotive
s. They operated services throughout the NCC’s broad gauge
(5 ft 3 in / 1,600 mm) system in the north-east of Ireland
.
Class B3 were rebuilds of two classes of BNCR “Light Compounds”. These had been built by Beyer, Peacock and Company
in the 1890s to the design of the BNCR Locomotive Engineer Bowman Malcolm
. The first two members of the class were originally Class C Light Compound 2-4-0s. Rebuilding began with No.28 in 1927 and No.21 in the following year. The other three Class B3 locomotives (24, 60 and 61) were derived from Class B
Light Compounds whose only original difference was that they had always been 4-4-0s and not 2-4-0s.
However, before alteration to Class B3, Nos.60 and 61 had already undergone an earlier rebuilding to become Class B1 compounds in 1921 to be followed by No.51 in August 1926. On the other hand, No.24 was rebuilt as a simple (i.e. not compound) in February 1925 to become the solitary member of the somewhat ephemeral Class B2.
All five engines had 18 by 24 in (45.7 by 61 ) cylinders with 8 inches (203 mm) piston valves and retained their 6 in 0 in (1.83 m) driving wheels. The first three members of the class had boilers rated at 160 psi (1.1 MPa) but Nos.60 and 61 had the advantage of 200 psi (1.38 MPa) boilers.
During rebuilding, they were fitted with LMS standard boilers that had to placed higher than the originals to allow the firebox and ash pan to clear the rear driving wheel axle. The smokebox saddle was extended accordingly to offer support. The closely coupled driving wheels accentuated the appearance of the high-pitched boiler, earning these engines the nickname of “Whippet
” because of a perceived resemblance to the breed of racing dog.
All members of the class were officially named after Ulster counties.
No.28 was withdrawn in December 1938 having run just over a quarter million miles in her rebuilt form. The remaining locomotives served throughout World War II and were scrapped in 1946–1947.
gold capital letters were placed centrally on the tender sides. Number plates were brass with raised digits and edge; they were carried on the lower cab sides with another placed centrally on the back of the tender tank. Curved nameplates were fitted above the leading driving wheel splashers. Buffer beams and number plate and name plate backgrounds were painted red. The engine number was applied to the front buffer beam in shaded gold digits.
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
passenger 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 were rebuilds of Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BNCR) two-cylinder compound locomotive
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...
s. They operated services throughout the NCC’s broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
(5 ft 3 in / 1,600 mm) system in the north-east of 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 locomotives that comprised the Northern Counties CommitteeNorthern 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...
Class B3 were rebuilds of two classes of BNCR “Light Compounds”. These had been built by 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 the 1890s to the design of the BNCR Locomotive Engineer Bowman Malcolm
Bowman 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...
. The first two members of the class were originally Class C Light Compound 2-4-0s. Rebuilding began with No.28 in 1927 and No.21 in the following year. The other three Class B3 locomotives (24, 60 and 61) were derived from Class B
BNCR Class B
The Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Class B was a class of 4-4-0 two-cylinder compound steam locomotives that was introduced for passenger service in the north-east of Ireland during the late 1890s.- History :...
Light Compounds whose only original difference was that they had always been 4-4-0s and not 2-4-0s.
However, before alteration to Class B3, Nos.60 and 61 had already undergone an earlier rebuilding to become Class B1 compounds in 1921 to be followed by No.51 in August 1926. On the other hand, No.24 was rebuilt as a simple (i.e. not compound) in February 1925 to become the solitary member of the somewhat ephemeral Class B2.
All five engines had 18 by 24 in (45.7 by 61 ) cylinders with 8 inches (203 mm) piston valves and retained their 6 in 0 in (1.83 m) driving wheels. The first three members of the class had boilers rated at 160 psi (1.1 MPa) but Nos.60 and 61 had the advantage of 200 psi (1.38 MPa) boilers.
During rebuilding, they were fitted with LMS standard boilers that had to placed higher than the originals to allow the firebox and ash pan to clear the rear driving wheel axle. The smokebox saddle was extended accordingly to offer support. The closely coupled driving wheels accentuated the appearance of the high-pitched boiler, earning these engines the nickname of “Whippet
Whippet
The Whippet is a breed of dog in the sighthound family. They are active and playful and are physically similar to a small Greyhound.- Description :...
” because of a perceived resemblance to the breed of racing dog.
All members of the class were officially named after Ulster counties.
No.28 was withdrawn in December 1938 having run just over a quarter million miles in her rebuilt form. The remaining locomotives served throughout World War II and were scrapped in 1946–1947.
Building and withdrawal data
The following table summarises the rebuilding and renumbering history of the Class B3 locomotives.| Original No. |
Class | Date Built |
Date Rebuilt |
Class | Rebuilt to B3 |
New No. |
Name | Scrapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | C | 1926 August | B1 | 21 | County Down County Down -Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:... |
|||
| 24 | B | 1925 February | B2 | 24 | County Londonderry County Londonderry The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists... |
|||
| 58 | C | — | — | 28 | County Tyrone County Tyrone Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on... |
|||
| 60 | B | 1921 | B1 | 60 | County Donegal County Donegal County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county... |
|||
| 61 | B | 1921 | B1 | 61 | 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... |
|||
Livery
The Class B3 locomotives were painted in crimson lake with yellow and black lining. The LMS crest was carried on the upper cab sides. The initials “NCC” in shaded serifSerif
In typography, serifs are semi-structural details on the ends of some of the strokes that make up letters and symbols. A typeface with serifs is called a serif typeface . A typeface without serifs is called sans serif or sans-serif, from the French sans, meaning “without”...
gold capital letters were placed centrally on the tender sides. Number plates were brass with raised digits and edge; they were carried on the lower cab sides with another placed centrally on the back of the tender tank. Curved nameplates were fitted above the leading driving wheel splashers. Buffer beams and number plate and name plate backgrounds were painted red. The engine number was applied to the front buffer beam in shaded gold digits.