NER 1001 Class

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The North Eastern Railway (NER) 1001 Class was a class of "long-boiler" 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed in Britain.

The "long boiler" design dated back to a Stephenson design of 1842. At that time there was a controversy about keeping the centre of gravity low. The other point of view was espoused by John Gray who set out to improve efficiency and increase the pressure in shorter boilers using single drivers instead of coupled wheels. His ideas led to the design of the highly successful Jenny Lind locomotive.

Nevertheless the long boiler design with coupled wheels continued for slower heavier work , as with the NER 1001 class, of which 192 were built from 1852 by a number of private manufacturers, as well as the company's own works at Darlington and Shildon.

The small size of the firebox would seem remarkable in later years, but the engines were ideal where trains might spend long periods standing, waiting for a path, or when shunting. A minimum amount of fuel would have delivered sufficient heat to the large boiler to start heavy loads.

The last ten were delivered in 1875 but many were rebuilt in the following twenty five years, the last to be retired in 1923.

Number 1275 is preserved at the National Railway Museum in York.