BR standard class 2 2-6-2T
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84007 in the snow at Annesley 13 January 1963. |
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Power type | Steam |
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Designer | R. A. Riddles |
Builder | Derby Works |
Build date | 1953 |
Total production | 30 |
Configuration | 2-6-2T |
Gauge | 4' 8½" |
Driver size | 5' 0" |
Locomotive weight | 63 tons 5 cwt |
Fuel type | coal |
Boiler pressure | 200 psi |
Cylinders | two outside |
Cylinder size | 16½" x 24" |
Tractive effort | 18,515 lbf |
Class | 2MT |
The British Railways standard class 2 2-6-2T was a class of steam locomotive, one of the standard classes of the 1950s.
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[edit] Design and construction
The class was designed at Derby Works derived from the LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T which BR had built past nationalisation, and introduced in 1953. Modifications were made to the Ivatt design including a reduced cab to reduce the loading gauge and some standard fittings. BR classified them 2MT, emphasising a mixed-traffic role.
As most services which required 2MT 2-6-2Ts were already served by the 130 Ivatt engines, B.R. only ordered 30 engines, which eliminated pre-grouping steam locomotives as much as possible on local services.
The first 20 engines were outshopped at Crewe works, and intended for use on ex-London Midland and Scottish Railway routes, then known as the London Midland Region. The second batch, this time built at Darlington, were numbered 84020-84029, and intended for Southern Region lines.
[edit] Liveries
Only two liveries were carried by the 2MTs- British Railway lined black with the earlier and later emblems. Although all locomotives received the latter, only 84000-84019 received the early emblem as the Darlington built locomotives were constructed in 1957, following the 1956 changeover to the late crest. The Darlington engines carried large 10 inch (approximately 25cm) high cab-side numerals, whilst the Crewe engines carried standard 8 inch (Approximately 20cm) high numerals.
[edit] Service
The LMR locomotives were used on push-pull routes, and were often allocated alongside the Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T engines with which they shared most of their origins. Numbers 84021-84029, the Southern Region locomotives were all allocated to the "Eastern Section" depot at Ashford for use on the lines over Romney Marsh and local trains on the Margate via Canterbury West route. Most were transferred away to the North Eastern Region in the early 1960s following electrification, but several locomotives (including some of the LMR allocation) were re-allocated to Eastleigh in 1965 for possible use on the Isle of Wight replacing life expired ex-London and South Western railway "O2" 0-4-4T engines, which dated from the turn of the century. However, this did not cover coaching stock replacement, and thus the locomotives were scrapped.
[edit] Preservation
Despite their potential usefulness to heritage railways none have survived the cutter's torch, with the last engines being the potential Isle of Wight locomotives, withdrawn in November 1965 . However, four of the sister 2-6-0s tender engines did and one of these, 78059, is to be rebuilt into 2-6-2T "84030" because of a lack of tender and the Bluebell Railway's preference for tank engines. http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/locos/84030.html
[edit] References
- A Detailed History of British Railways Standard Steam Locomotives: vol 3 Tank Engine Classes Paul J Chancellor, R K Taylor (Editor), (December 1997) Railway Correspondence & Travel Society (RCTS) ISBN 0-901115-77-0
[edit] External links
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