Caledonian Railway 439 Class

Caledonian Railway 0-4-4T

Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Designer	John F. McIntosh
Build date	1895–1925

Specifications
Configuration:
• Whyte	0-4-4T
Gauge	4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver dia.	5 ft 9 in (1.753 m)
Loco weight	53 long tons 16 cwt (120,500 lb or 54.7 t) to 59 long tons 12 cwt (133,500 lb or 60.6 t)
Fuel type	Coal
Boiler pressure	18 psi (120 kPa)
Cylinders	Two, inside
Cylinder size	18 in × 26 in (457 mm × 660 mm) or 18 ¹⁄₄ in × 26 in (464 mm × 660 mm)

Performance figures
Tractive effort	18,680 or 19,200 lbf (83.1 or 85.4 kN)

Career
Class	CR: 439
Power class	2P

The Caledonian Railway 439 Class is a class of 0-4-4 T steam locomotive. It was a development of earlier Caledonian Railway 0-4-4T locomotives, including the 19 Class and 92 Class, and predecessor of the 431 Class. The 439 Class was introduced by John F. McIntosh in 1900 and a modified version was introduced by William Pickersgill in 1915.

Introduction

Ninety-two engines of the class were built between 1900 and 1925, a few under LMS auspices. Seventy-four Class 439s passed into British Railways ownership in 1948 and they were numbered 55159-55236 (with gaps).

Earlier versions

19 Class Introduced 1895
92 Class Introduced 1897, developed from 29 Class 0-6-0T

The 19 and 92 Classes were originally fitted with condensing apparatus for use on Glasgow Central Low Level lines. Twenty-four of them passed into British Railways ownership and they were numbered 55119-55146 (with gaps).

Later versions

In 1922 Pickersgill introduced the 431 Class with larger cylinders and cast-iron front buffer beam for banking. The idea was, presumably, to move the centre of gravity forwards and put more weight on the driving wheels. However, it seems strange to use a large-wheeled 0-4-4T (rather than a small-wheeled 0-6-0T) for banking. The 431 Class was numbered 431–434 by the Caledonian, 15237–15240 by the LMS, and 55237–55240 by British Railways.

In 1925 the LMS introduced their own version of the 439 Class and these were numbered 55260-55269 by British Railways.

In the 431 and LMS classes, the cylinder bore was increased to 18¼" and this increased the tractive effort to 19,200 lbf (85,000 N).

Preservation

CR 419

One example, CR 419, (later LMS number 15189, BR 55189) has been preserved and is the flagship locomotive of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society.

The locomotive is currently undergoing a major overhaul and is temporarily out of service.

Sources

Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1948 edition, part 3, pages 45-46 and 1961 edition, part 3, page 54

External links

Caledonian Railway locomotives
Robert Sinclair (1847–1856)	59 (2-2-2) 96 101 111
Benjamin Connor (1856–1876)	59 (2-4-0) 552 600
George Brittain (1876–1882)	1 130 140 152 179 485 486 670
Dugald Drummond (1882–1890)	66 80 123 124 171 262 264 272 294 323
Hugh Smellie (1890)	Appointed 1 September 1890. Died 19 April 1891
John Lambie (1891–1895)	1 13 19 211 538A
John F. McIntosh (1895–1914)	29 43 49 55 92 139 140 179 184 439 498 611 652 711 721 766 782 812 879 900 903
William Pickersgill (1914–1923)	60 72 113 159 191 300 431 956
Miscellaneous	Highland Railway River Class

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