NCC Class Y
Encyclopedia
The LMS
Northern Counties Committee
(NCC) Class Y was a class of 0-6-0
T steam locomotive
s formed when two LMS Fowler Class 3F
engines (Nos.7456 and 7553) were regauged from standard gauge
to the 5 ft 3 in (1600 mm) Irish broad gauge in 1944 becoming NCC Nos.18 and 19.
, the NCC was very short of shunting motive power and as no new engines were available, three engines were transferred from the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway (DNGR). The DNGR engines were not a success and the NCC turned to the parent LMS for help. They offered two standard LMS Fowler Class 3F
0-6-0T locomotives.
These engines had been developed from S. W. Johnson's
Midland Railway
locomotives introduced in 1899. Johnson's locomotives were originally built with round-topped fireboxes but they were all rebuilt with Belpaire firebox
es from 1919.
Developed by Sir Henry Fowler for the LMS and introduced in 1924 the new locomotives had a Belpaire firebox from new, wider side tanks, larger bunker and an extended smokebox. A ventilator was also fitted in the cab roof. This class became the LMS "standard" shunting locomotive. With the exception of a batch of 15 locomotives which were built by the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway workshops at Horwich, Lancashire, all were built by outside contractors.
NCC No.18, originally LMS No. 16539, was part of a batch of 15, numbered from 16535–16549, built by W. G. Bagnall & Co. of Stafford in 1926/7. In the LMS 1934 renumbering scheme it became No.7456.
NCC No.19, originally LMS No. 16636, was part of a large batch of 50 locomotives built by the Hunslet Engine Company
of Leeds, West Yorkshire, between 1927 and 1929 and originally numbered from 16625–16674. It was renumbered 7553 in the 1934 renumbering scheme.
The engines were reboilered by the LMS in 1944, just before delivery to the NCC in August. The conversion to 5 in 3 in (1.6 m) gauge was simply done by reversing the wheels and renewing the tyres and crank pins. Their frames were not altered at all and, possibly due to the light nature of their work, the engines do not seem to have suffered from widening the gauge.
One unusual feature of the engines was the position of the sandboxes which entailed having recesses in the tanks so that they could be filled. Another distinctive feature, and uncommon on the NCC, was the provision of "dogs" around the circumference of the smokebox to keep the joint airtight.
Designated Class Y, the engines were at first used on local trains to Carrickfergus but this practice was discontinued when it was discovered that the bearings were inclined to run hot. A test train of thirty wagons of coal was worked by No.19 from Belfast to Ballyclare Junction without any difficulty. No.18 worked a similar train but had trouble with lubrication.
Subsequently, they were put to work on the Belfast Harbour Commissioners' lines at Belfast docks where despite their relatively long wheelbase they could negotiate a 4 chain (80 m) curve if they proceeded slowly.
Altogether No.18 ran 219441 miles (353,155.2 km) on the NCC and a total of 612266 miles (985,344.2 km) in her life. A suspect crank pin led to her early withdrawal in 1956. No.19 ran 667521 miles (1,074,268.2 km) altogether, of which 291971 miles (469,880.6 km) were on the NCC. She lasted until 1963 although not doing much work in her final year.
In late Spring 1960 the Ulster Transport Authority
acquired two 0-6-4Ts from the former Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway
, which took over duties on Belfast docks. These became Nos.26 and 27 in the UTA stock list and continued to carry the names Lough Melvin and Lough Erne respectively.
Under the ownership of the UTA that company's crest was applied to the side tanks in place of the NCC lettering.
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
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) Class Y was 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...
T 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 formed when two LMS Fowler Class 3F
LMS Fowler Class 3F
The London Midland and Scottish Railway Fowler 3F 0-6-0T is a class of steam locomotive, often known as Jinty. They represent the ultimate development of the Midland Railway's six-coupled tank engines.- Introduction :...
engines (Nos.7456 and 7553) were regauged from standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
to the 5 ft 3 in (1600 mm) Irish broad gauge in 1944 becoming NCC Nos.18 and 19.
History
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the NCC was very short of shunting motive power and as no new engines were available, three engines were transferred from the Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway (DNGR). The DNGR engines were not a success and the NCC turned to the parent LMS for help. They offered two standard LMS Fowler Class 3F
LMS Fowler Class 3F
The London Midland and Scottish Railway Fowler 3F 0-6-0T is a class of steam locomotive, often known as Jinty. They represent the ultimate development of the Midland Railway's six-coupled tank engines.- Introduction :...
0-6-0T locomotives.
These engines had been developed from S. W. Johnson's
Samuel W. Johnson
Samuel Waite Johnson was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Midland Railway from 1873 to 1903. He was born in Bramley, Yorkshire and educated at Leeds Grammar School.-Career:...
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....
locomotives introduced in 1899. Johnson's locomotives were originally built with round-topped fireboxes but they were all rebuilt with Belpaire firebox
Belpaire 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...
es from 1919.
Developed by Sir Henry Fowler for the LMS and introduced in 1924 the new locomotives had a Belpaire firebox from new, wider side tanks, larger bunker and an extended smokebox. A ventilator was also fitted in the cab roof. This class became the LMS "standard" shunting locomotive. With the exception of a batch of 15 locomotives which were built by the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway workshops at Horwich, Lancashire, all were built by outside contractors.
NCC No.18, originally LMS No. 16539, was part of a batch of 15, numbered from 16535–16549, built by W. G. Bagnall & Co. of Stafford in 1926/7. In the LMS 1934 renumbering scheme it became No.7456.
NCC No.19, originally LMS No. 16636, was part of a large batch of 50 locomotives built by the Hunslet Engine Company
Hunslet Engine Company
The Hunslet Engine Company is a British locomotive-building company founded in 1864 at Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by John Towlerton Leather, a civil engineering contractor, who appointed James Campbell as his Works Manager.In 1871, James Campbell bought the company for...
of Leeds, West Yorkshire, between 1927 and 1929 and originally numbered from 16625–16674. It was renumbered 7553 in the 1934 renumbering scheme.
The engines were reboilered by the LMS in 1944, just before delivery to the NCC in August. The conversion to 5 in 3 in (1.6 m) gauge was simply done by reversing the wheels and renewing the tyres and crank pins. Their frames were not altered at all and, possibly due to the light nature of their work, the engines do not seem to have suffered from widening the gauge.
One unusual feature of the engines was the position of the sandboxes which entailed having recesses in the tanks so that they could be filled. Another distinctive feature, and uncommon on the NCC, was the provision of "dogs" around the circumference of the smokebox to keep the joint airtight.
Designated Class Y, the engines were at first used on local trains to Carrickfergus but this practice was discontinued when it was discovered that the bearings were inclined to run hot. A test train of thirty wagons of coal was worked by No.19 from Belfast to Ballyclare Junction without any difficulty. No.18 worked a similar train but had trouble with lubrication.
Subsequently, they were put to work on the Belfast Harbour Commissioners' lines at Belfast docks where despite their relatively long wheelbase they could negotiate a 4 chain (80 m) curve if they proceeded slowly.
Altogether No.18 ran 219441 miles (353,155.2 km) on the NCC and a total of 612266 miles (985,344.2 km) in her life. A suspect crank pin led to her early withdrawal in 1956. No.19 ran 667521 miles (1,074,268.2 km) altogether, of which 291971 miles (469,880.6 km) were on the NCC. She lasted until 1963 although not doing much work in her final year.
In late Spring 1960 the Ulster Transport Authority
Ulster 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...
acquired two 0-6-4Ts from the former Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway
Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway
The Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway was an Irish gauge railway in counties Cavan, Fermanagh, Leitrim and Sligo in north-west Ireland.-History:...
, which took over duties on Belfast docks. These became Nos.26 and 27 in the UTA stock list and continued to carry the names Lough Melvin and Lough Erne respectively.
Livery
All over black, red buffer beams with numbers in shaded digits. Lettered NCC on side tank, cast number plate with red background applied to bunker sides.Under the ownership of the UTA that company's crest was applied to the side tanks in place of the NCC lettering.