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BR standard classes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The BR Standard steam locomotives were an effort to standardise locomotives from the motley collection of older pre-grouping locos. Construction started in 1951. Due to the controversial British Railways' modernisation plan of 1955, where steam traction was abandoned in favour of diesel and electric traction, many of the locomotives' working lives were very short: between 7 and 17 years. Many have been preserved, mainly due to being sent to Barry Scrapyard.

Ex-WD Austerity engines

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The first BR standards were the BR ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0 and BR ex-WD Austerity 2-10-0s. They were given the numbers 90000-732 and 90750-774. They were assigned the boiler types BR10 and BR11, and both had the tender type BR5.

Background

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Robert Riddles put his case for continuing to build steam locomotives in his presidential address to the Institution of Locomotive Engineers in November 1950.[1] He compared capital costs to show that steam was cheaper than the alternatives, though he did not mention productivity differences, except to say fuel costs did not rank very high relative to total costs. For example, a Class 5 cost £16,000, compared to £78,100 for a 1,600 h. p. diesel, £138,700 for a gas turbine, or £37,400 for electric. He calculated the costs per drawbar horse power as £13 6s (steam), £65 (diesel), £69 7s (turbine) and £17 13s (electric).[2] Riddles retired in 1953.

Design

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From 1951, BR started to build steam locomotives to its own standard designs, which were largely based on LMS practice but incorporating ideas and modifications from the other constituent companies, continental Europe and North America. Their design was overseen by Riddles.

Characteristic features were taper boilers, high running plates, two cylinders and streamlined cabs.

Construction

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Although more were ordered, 999 BR "Standards" were constructed: the last, 92220 Evening Star, was built in 1960. Most never achieved their potential service life and were withdrawn in working order.

Construction was split between the ex-LMS works at Crewe, Derby and Horwich, the ex-LNER works at Darlington and Doncaster, the ex-GWR works at Swindon, and the ex-SR works at Brighton.

Class Numbers Power
class
Wheel
arr.
Quantity
built
Dates
built
RA Tenders types
Class 7 (Britannia) 70000–70054 7MT 06424-6-2 55 January 1951–September 1954 8 BR1, BR1A, BR1D
Class 8 (Duke of Gloucester) 71000 8P 06424-6-2 1 May 1954 8 BR1E until 1957, BR1J thereafter
Class 6 (Clan) 72000–72009 6P5F 06424-6-2 10 December 1951-March 1952 8 BR1
Class 5 73000–73171 5MT 06404-6-0 172 April 1951–June 1957 7 BR1, BR1B, BR1C, BR1F, BR1G, BR1H
Class 4 4-6-0 75000–75079 4MT 06404-6-0 80 May 1951–June 1957 4 BR2, BR2A
Class 4 2-6-0 76000–76114 4MT 06202-6-0 115 December 1952–November 1957 4 BR2, BR2A, BR1B
Class 3 77000–77019 3MT 06202-6-0 20 February 1954 to September 1954 4 BR2A
Class 2 78000–78064 2MT 06202-6-0 65 December 1952–November 1956 3 BR3
Class 4 Tank 80000–80154 4MT 0624T2-6-4T 155 June 1951–March 1957 5
Class 3 Tank 82000–82044 3MT 0622T2-6-2T 45 April 1952–August 1955 4
Class 2 Tank 84000–84029 2MT 0622T2-6-2T 30 July 1953–June 1957 3
Class 9F 92000–92250 9F 10202-10-0 251 January 1954–March 1960 9 BR1B, BR1C, BR1F, BR1G
Total 999 1951–60

Tenders

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Std 4 2-6-0 number 76089 with a BR2A tender.

The tenders used with the Standard locomotives were also new designs. There were different types due to the use of different coal-to-water ratios, weight restrictions and later improved designs. It was standard practice for there to be fewer tenders than locomotives, as tenders took little time to overhaul compared to locomotives, locomotives entering works for overhaul would tend to lose their tenders to locomotives leaving works after overhaul.

Tender details
Tender
Type
Quantity
built
Years
built
Coal
(long
tons)
Water
(imp.gal.)
Weight
full
(long
tons)
RA Used with Classes Notes
BR1 100 1951–53 7 4,250 49.15 8, 7, 6
BR1A 5 1952 7 5,000 52.50 7 5,000-gallon version of BR1
BR1B 114 1955–57 7 4,725 51.25 5, 4 (4-6-0), 4 (2-6-0), 9F
BR1C 123 1954–58 9 4,725 53.25 5, 7 9-ton version of BR1B
BR1D 10 1954 9 4,725 54.50 7 BR1C with coal pusher
BR1E 1 1954 10 4,725 55.50 8 10-ton version of BR1D. Rebuilt to BR1C in 1958
BR1F 95 1954–58 7 5,625 55.25 5, 9F
BR1G 61 1954–60 7 5,000 52.50 5, 9F BR1A updated with fall plate
BR1H 12 1954 7 4,250 49.15 5 BR1 updated with fall plate
BR1J 1 1958 10 4,325 53.70 8
BR1K 3 1958 9 4,325 52.35 9F Fitted with mechanical stokers. Rebuilt to BR1C in 1961
BR2 95 1951–54 6 3,500 42.15 4 (4-6-0), 4 (2-6-0)
BR2A 88 1954–57 6 3,500 42.15 4 (4-6-0), 4 (2-6-0), 3 BR2 updated with fall plate
BR3 65 1952–56 4 3,000 36.85 2 Updated version of LMS equivalent
Total 773

Preservation

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A total of 46 standards have survived - of these, 38 were rescued from Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Wales. The BR Standard Locomotive Owner's Group provides co-ordination.

Class No. preserved Percentage preserved Numbers Notes
7 (Britannia) 2 3.6% 70000/13
8 (Duke of Gloucester) 1 100% 71000 Has Caprotti valve gear
6 (Clan) 0 0% Replica 72010 “Hengist” under construction
5MT 5 2.9% 73050/82/96, 73129/56 73129 has Caprotti valve gear
4MT 4-6-0 6 7.5% 75014/27/29/69/78/79
4MT 2-6-0 4 3.5% 76017/77/79/84
3MT 2-6-0 0 0%
2MT 2-6-0 4 6.2% 78018/19/22/59 78059 being rebuilt to a tank version as ‘84030’
4MT 2-6-4T 15 11.6% 80002/64/72/78/79/80/97/98, 80100/04/05/35/36/50/51
3MT 2-6-2T 0 0% Replica 82045 under construction
2MT 2-6-2T 0 0% One being rebuilt from a standard 2-6-0.
9F 9 3.6% 92134, 92203/07/12/14/19/20/40/45
Total 46 4.6%

New Builds

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The new build of the 'Clan' class 72010 “Hengist” is progressing steadily.[3] The new build of the Class 3 Tank 82045 is well underway, work continues as of 2021.[4]

References

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  1. ^ http://jil.sagepub.com/content/40/218/675.full.pdf+html. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ "Standardisation and Comparative Costs of Motive Power on B.R.". The Railway Magazine. January 1951. pp. 60–61.
  3. ^ "Home". theclanproject.org.
  4. ^ "The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust : News".

Further reading

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  • Roden, Andrew (February 2008). "Standard Form". Hornby Magazine. No. 8. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. pp. 44–48. ISSN 1753-2469. OCLC 226087101.