| GCR Class 1 LNER Class B2 (later B19) |
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|---|---|
| Power type | Steam |
| Designer | John G. Robinson |
| Builder | GCR Gorton Works |
| Build date | December 1912 – December 1913 |
| Total produced | 6 |
| Configuration | 4-6-0 |
| UIC classification | 2′C h2 |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Leading wheel diameter |
3 ft 6 in (1.067 m) |
| Driver diameter | 6 ft 9 in (2.057 m) |
| Wheelbase | Loco: 28 ft 10 in (8.79 m) |
| Axle load | 19 tons 10 cwt (43,700 lb or 19.8 t) |
| Weight on drivers | 57 tons 10 cwt (128,800 lb or 58.4 t) |
| Locomotive weight | 75 tons 4 cwt (168,400 lb or 76.4 t) |
| Tender weight | 48 tons 6 cwt (108,200 lb or 49.1 t) |
| Fuel capacity | 6 tons 0 cwt (13,400 lb or 6.1 t) |
| Water capacity | 4,000 imp gal (18,000 l; 4,800 US gal) |
| Boiler pressure | 180 psi (1.24 MPa) |
| Firegrate area | 26.5 sq ft (2.46 m2) |
| Cylinders | Two, inside |
| Cylinder size | 21.5 × 26 in (546 × 660 mm) |
| Valve gear | Stephenson |
| Valve type | 10-inch (250 mm) piston valves |
| Tractive effort | 22,700 lbf (101.0 kN) |
| Career | GCR » LNER |
| Class | GCR: 1; LNER: B2 (B19 from 1945) |
| Number | GCR: 423–428; LNER: 5423–5428 (1490–1493 from 1942) |
| Nicknames | Sir Sam Fay class |
| Withdrawn | 1944 (2), 1947 (4) |
| Disposition | All scrapped |
The Great Central Railway Class 1 - London and North Eastern Railway Class B2, later B19 - was a class of steam locomotives designed by John G. Robinson and introduced to service between December 1912 and 1913.
Although commonly believed that they were intended as express passenger locomotives, the Great Central actually classified and used them as mixed traffic locomotives. The minutes of the Locomotive Committee show that they were ordered as a superheated version of the 8F (Immingham) class mixed traffic locomotives. They were described as mixed traffic locomotives in the contemporary Great Central publication 'Per Rail' which promoted the company's goods services. Three of the class were painted in lined black goods livery from the outset. Their initial allocations included the 'Pipe trains', the vacuum-brake fitted express goods services between Manchester and London, among the most important services on the Great Central. There is no evidence that they were intended to challenge the contemporary 11E (Director) class 4-4-0s for the generally light express passenger services of the pre-1914 years on the London Extension.
There is similarly no evidence to support the claims that they had problems in service which led to their alleged demotion from express passenger use. The design of the fire grate and ash pan was very similar to, for example, the later Gresley K3 2-6-0s, and their fireboxes were deep and relatively large for their 26.5 square feet (2.46 m2) grate area. Overheating troubles with axleboxes have been alleged, related to the large force from the inside cylinders. Robinson in fact took care to make the coupled boxes as large as possible, 9 by 9 inches (229 × 229 mm) on the two leading axles and 8 by 12 inches (203 × 305 mm) on the trailing set. In fact a more likely source of initial trouble was the marine-type big ends fitted to the first five, since the sixth reverted to strap and cotter type.
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