CBSCR Bandon Tank
Encyclopedia
The CBSCR Bandon Tanks, were a class of 4-6-0T locomotives, and were the best known of the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway
(CB&SCR) locomotives.
They were built by Beyer, Peacock and Company
between 1906 and 1920 and were used as mixed-traffic
engines where they excelled due to their elegant design, high power output and narrow gauge style wheel arrangement which suited the West Cork track layout.
The wheelbase
was also short-coupled (close to each other) so as to manage the tight radii present on the route.
Operationally they were well regarded as a small and powerful passenger engine, apart from the cramped cab and the difficulty of cab access due to the rear wheel splashers
. They had 1,100 gallon water tanks, could hold 2 tons of coal and weighed 56 tons. Five were rebuilt with Belpaire
superheated boilers.
While the majority of the class were employed on the West Cork section, 468, 466, 469 and 470 were transferred to suburban duties on the Dublin-Bray section of the Dublin and South Eastern Railway
between 1929 and 1956 working out of Westland Row. 465 and 469 were withdrawn in 1945 and five of them survived past 1960 until the withdrawal of steam working in 1963.
and reddish-orange lining. However from the photographic record, their later colours vary a bit.
Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway
Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway , was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland. It opened in 1851 as the Cork and Bandon Railway, changed its name to Cork Bandon and South Coast Railway in 1888 and became part of the Great Southern Railway in 1924....
(CB&SCR) locomotives.
They were built by Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...
between 1906 and 1920 and were used as mixed-traffic
Mixed-traffic locomotive
A mixed-traffic locomotive is one designed to be capable of hauling both passenger trains and freight trains. The term is mostly used in the United Kingdom and those nations following British practice...
engines where they excelled due to their elegant design, high power output and narrow gauge style wheel arrangement which suited the West Cork track layout.
Introduction and service with the CB&SCR
The only 4-6-0 tank locomotives built by Beyer Peacock, the first, No. 11 (later Great Southern Railways no. 465) was delivered in June, 1906 at a cost of £3,145 (£1.32 million in 2008 pounds). The 4-6-0T wheel arrangement was more typically found on narrow gauge lines. This is because the restricted bunker space (and resultant limited coal capacity) is less of a hindrance on the typically shorter journeys of such lines. However, the more spacious 4-6-2T design was not used as it was too long for the CBSCR’s turntables. Subsequently, the Bandon tanks proved to have no difficulty managing the 94 mile line distances.The wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
was also short-coupled (close to each other) so as to manage the tight radii present on the route.
Operationally they were well regarded as a small and powerful passenger engine, apart from the cramped cab and the difficulty of cab access due to the rear wheel splashers
Footplate
The footplate of a steam locomotive is a large metal plate that rests on top of the frames and is normally covered with wooden floorboards. It is usually the full width of the locomotive and extends from the front of the cab to the rear of cab or coal bunker just above the buffer beam. The...
. They had 1,100 gallon water tanks, could hold 2 tons of coal and weighed 56 tons. Five were rebuilt with Belpaire
Belpaire firebox
The Belpaire firebox is a type of firebox used on steam locomotives. It was invented by Alfred Belpaire of Belgium. It has a greater surface area at the top of the firebox, improving heat transfer and steam production...
superheated boilers.
While the majority of the class were employed on the West Cork section, 468, 466, 469 and 470 were transferred to suburban duties on the Dublin-Bray section of the Dublin and South Eastern Railway
Dublin and South Eastern Railway
The Dublin and South Eastern Railway was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland from 1846 to 1925.It was incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1846 as the "Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin Railway Company". In 1860 it was renamed the "Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway Company" and on 31...
between 1929 and 1956 working out of Westland Row. 465 and 469 were withdrawn in 1945 and five of them survived past 1960 until the withdrawal of steam working in 1963.
Livery
They were painted an olive or greyish green colour with blackBlack
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
and reddish-orange lining. However from the photographic record, their later colours vary a bit.
- 467 was a dark blue green in 1953
- 470 was a dark matt off-black in 1954 and 463 was the same in 1962.
- 464 appeared to be gloss black in 1961