NZR B class (1874)
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| NZR B class (1874) | |
| Power type | Steam |
|---|---|
| Builder | Avonside Engine Co |
| Build date | 1874 |
| Configuration | 0-4-4-0T |
| Length | 31' 2" |
| Total weight | 28 tons |
| Tender capacity | Coal: 1.7 tons Water: 700 gallons |
| Boiler pressure | 130 lbf/in² (896 kPa) |
| Tractive effort | 6912 lbf |
| Career | NZGR |
| Number in class | 2 |
| Number | 10, 27 |
| First run | 1915 |
| Preserved | 0 |
| Disposition | Withdrawn |
The NZR B class of 1874 was the first of two steam locomotive classes to be designated as B by the Railways Department that then oversaw New Zealand's national rail network (the second B class was introduced in 1899). Ordered from the Avonside Engine Co. in 1874, the locomotives were of the Double Fairlie type and were the first British-built locomotives to feature Walschaert valve gear. They were not the first Double Fairlies to operate in New Zealand, as the first two members of the E class had commenced operations in 1872.
The first member of the B class, nicknamed Snake, was introduced in September 1874, and was followed by its partner Lady Mordaunt on 5 April 1875. The numbers allocated to the locomotives did not stay the same all their lives; Lady Mordaunt was initially B 27 but later became B 165, while Snake was initially B 10, then B 51, and finally B 238. The two Bs proved unpopular with crews and they failed to generate sufficient power, thus leading to their early withdrawal from service. Snake was retired in 1890 not long after receiving the number of B 238, while Lady Mordaunt lasted another six years. With both locomotives removed from the Railways Department's books, the B classification was free to be used again.
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