The Great Central Railway Class 1A, classified B8 by the LNER, was a class of 4-6-0 mixed-traffic locomotives designed by John G. Robinson for fast goods, relief passenger and excursion services. They were known as the ‘Glenalmond Class’ and were a smaller wheeled version of Robinson's earlier Sir Sam Fay express passenger class (LNER Class B2), which they closely resembled.

GCR Class 1A
LNER Class B8
No. 1349 at Retford (GC) Locomotive Depot 13 April 1947
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerJohn G. Robinson
BuilderGorton Works
Build date1913–1915
Total produced11
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte4-6-0
 • UIC2'Ch2
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 6 in (1.067 m)
Driver dia.5 ft 7 in (1.702 m)
Length63 ft 0.3 in (19.210 m)
Loco weight122 long tons (124 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity6 long tons (6.1 t)
Water cap.4,000 imperial gallons (18,000 L; 4,800 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Grate area26 sq ft (2.4 m2)[1]
Boiler:
 • Diameter5 ft 6 in (1,680 mm)
Boiler pressure180 psi (1.24 MPa)
Heating surface2,183 sq ft (202.8 m2)[1]
Superheater:
 • Heating area294 sq ft (27.3 m2)[1]
CylindersTwo, inside
Cylinder size21.5 in × 26 in (546 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort27,445 lbf (122.1 kN)
Career
Operators
Withdrawn1947–1949
DispositionAll scrapped

History

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GCR locomotives

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The prototype was built at Gorton Locomotive Works, during 1913 and the remaining ten, one year later. They had the same design problems associated with the Sir Sam Fay class and were mainly used on secondary passenger and freight services.[1]

Numbering

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Table of numbers[2]
Built GCR Nos. LNER Nos. LNER 1946 Nos. Name Withdrawn
June 1913 4 5004 1349 Glenalmond November 1947
July 1914 439 5439 1350 Sutton Nelthorpe August 1947
August 1914 440 5440 1351 October 1947
September 1914 441 5441 1352 May 1947
September 1914 442 5442 1353 March 1949
October 1914 443 5443 1354 March 1948
October 1914 444 5444 1355 September 1948
November 1914 445 5445 1356 August 1947
November 1914 446 5446 1357 Earl Roberts of Kandahar April 1949
December 1914 279 5279 1358 Earl Kitchener of Khartoum August 1948
January 1915 280 5280 1359 March 1947

Preservation

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None have been preserved.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Boddy et al. 1975, p. 43.
  2. ^ Boddy et al. 1975, p. 46.
  • Boddy, M. G.; Brown, W. A.; Fry, E. V.; Hennigan, W.; Hoole, Ken; Manners, F.; Neve, E.; Platt, E. N. T.; Proud, P.; Yeadon, W. B. (March 1975). Fry, E. V. (ed.). Locomotives of the L.N.E.R., Part 2B: Tender Engines—Classes B1 to B19. Lincoln: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-73-8.