BNCR Class A1
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The Belfast and Northern Counties Railway had standardised on locomotives with a 2-4-0 wheel arrangement for its principal passenger trains during the 1870’s and construction continued through to the mid - 1890’s. With increasing loads and heavier trains a new, more powerful, design was needed and in 1897 the first 4-4-0 class arrived on the scene, the “Class B“. This was followed in 1901 with the introduction of the Class A, a class which following rebuilding became the Class A1 or Class U2.
[edit] History.
The Class “A”, designed by the BNCR Engineer, Bowman Malcolm, was the last design of steam locomotive for Irish broad gauge built for independent Belfast and Northern Counties Railway, the first two being completed before its purchase by the Midland Railway in 1903.
The first “A” class was built by the BNCR at York Road, Belfast in 1901 and building continued after the take - over of the company by the Midland Railway, several being then constructed at the Midland Railway's Derby works. The locomotives were built as two - cylinder compounds using the Worsdell - von Borries system, the two cylinders being 18" x 24" and 26" x 24". The driving wheels were of 6 feet diameter and they were fitted, as was usual on BNCR locomotives, with Walschaerts valve gear. The only visible difference between the two builders was the number of spokes on the bogie wheels, the Belfast - built batch had nine spokes, while those built at Derby had ten. Two main, and visibly obvious, changes were made to the locomotives when in traffic : the fitting of a Manson Tablet Exchanger Apparatus, for working single lines, and a rearwards projecting extension of the cab roof, offering more protection for the crew.
The first locomotive of the class was No. 34, outshopped from York Road in April 1901 and named "Queen Alexandra", the remainder following, from both York Road and Derby, over a 7 year period.
Following the end of the First World War the state of the locomotives operating in Northern Ireland was well below that which was needed to run the services effectively; much needed replacing but, however, cost was a major factor. It was decided to implement a "Renewal Programme" in which, not only new locomotives would be built but suitable classes of locomotives would be rebuilt, in the main following the style of the Midland / LMS. As part of this "Renewal Programme" all members of "Class A" were rebuilt and, dependent on the modifications, reclassified as either "Class A1" or "Class U2", between 1928 and 1936. Those reclassified as "Class A1's" were rebuilt with a Midland Railway type RG6 boiler and new cylinders of 18" x 24", the same that had been fitted to the new "Class U", which were built at Derby. The boiler was higher pitched than the original and an extension of 24 3/4" to the smokebox saddle was needed to offer support. All the class were named after mountains, however that allocated to No. 58, Lurigethan, was never carried.
Before being rebuilt five of the class were renumbered between 1924 and 1927.
The locomotives rebuilt and classified as "U2's" were again renumbered in a new series, these were later named.
Details of the delivery, renumbering and rebuilding of the class are shown in the table below:
| NCC No. | Builder | Date | Name | Re-No./Date | Rebuilt | New No. | New Class | Name | Scrapped/Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | York Rd | Apr 1901(a) | Queen Alexandra* | Apr. 28 | A1 | Knocklayd | October 1950 | ||
| 3 | York Rd | Jul 1902(a) | King Edward VII | 33 (1926) | Dec. 28 | A1 | Binevanagh | November 1949 | |
| 4 | York Rd | Aug 1903 | 62 (1924) | July 28 | A1 | Slemish | August 1954 | ||
| 9 | York Rd | Dec 1904 | 69 (1925) | June 33 | A1 | Slieve Bane | August 1954 | ||
| 20 | York Rd | May 1905 | Dec. 29 | 84 | U2 | ||||
| 63 | Derby | May 1905 | Queen Alexandra* | Jan. 36 | 87 | U2 | |||
| 64 | Derby | May 1905 | Aug. 29 | A1 | Trostan | August 1954 | |||
| 65 | Derby | May 1905 | June 29 | A1 | Knocklagh | October 1950 | |||
| 66 | Derby | May 1905 | May 30 | A1 | Ben Madigan | August 1954 | |||
| 5 | York Rd | Aug 1906 | 59 (1925) | Sept 32 | 86 | U2 | |||
| 17 | York Rd | Jan 1907 | 58 (1927) | Feb. 34 | A1 | Lurigethan (x) | August 1954 | ||
| 67 | Derby | Jun 1908 | Jan. 34 | 85 | U2 | ||||
| 68 | Derby | Jun 1908 | Dec. 27 | A1 | Slieve Gallion | November 1947 |
- The name "Queen Alexandra" was transferred from No. 34 to No.63 in November 1932.
(a) Built by the BNCR prior to being taken over by the Midland Railway in 1903.
(x) Allocated the name shown but this was never carried.
[edit] Livery.
The locomotive livery of the BNCR was known as "Invisible Green", the same as used by the Hull and Barnsley Railway in England and which was described as being black which looked to have a green hue in certain light conditions. Locomotive lining was white and red. This livery continued under the Midland Railway / LMS Northern Counties Committee until 1924 when the Midland / LMS style of crimson / lake was introduced, first appearing on the "Class U1".
