The GER Class T18 was a class of fifty 0-6-0 tank steam locomotive

Steam locomotive

A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...

s designed by James Holden

James Holden (engineer)

James Holden was an English locomotive engineer.He is remembered mainly for the "Claud Hamilton" 4-4-0, his pioneering work with oil fuel, and his unique "Decapod".- Biography :...

 for the Great Eastern Railway

Great Eastern Railway

The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...

. They passed to the London and North Eastern Railway

London and North Eastern Railway

The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...

 at the grouping

Railways Act 1921

The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...

 in 1923 and received the LNER classification J66.

Overview

When James Holden took office on the Great Eastern, there were few 0-6-0T locomotives, most shunting being done by 0-4-4T and obsolete tender locomotives.

These small locomotives had 16+1/2 by cylinder

Cylinder (steam locomotive)

The cylinders of a steam locomotive are the components that convert the power stored in the steam into motion.Cylinders may be arranged in several different ways.-Early locomotives:...

s, 4 in 0 in (1.22 m). coupled wheels

Coupling rod

right|thumb|connecting rod and coupling rods attached to a small locomotive driving wheelA coupling rod or side rod connects the driving wheels of a locomotive. Steam locomotives in particular usually have them, but some diesel and electric locomotives, especially older ones and shunters, also have...

 and a grate area of 12.4 sq ft (1.2 m²). They were rebuilt between 1898 and 1908.

Table of orders and numbers

Year	Order	Builder	Quantity	GER Nos.	LNER Nos.	Notes
1886	T18	Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway...	10	275–284	7275–7284
1887	K19	Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway...	20	285–304	7285–7304
1888	H21	Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway...	10	307–316	7307–7316
1888	T21	Stratford Works Stratford Works Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway...	10	317–326	7317–7326

Withdrawals started in 1936 when four (7278, 7287, 7303 and 7308) were sold to Robert McAlpine and Son, the latter concern also having five on loan from late 1936 to mid-1938. Three others were sold, with No. 297 going to the Mersey Railway

Mersey Railway

The Mersey Railway connected Liverpool and Birkenhead, England, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel under the River Mersey. Opened in 1886, it was the second oldest urban underground railway network in the world. The railway contained the first tunnel built under the River Mersey. It was constructed by...

in 1939 as their No. 3 to work ballast trains. By the end of 1940, thirty-one had been withdrawn, and the remaining 19 locomotives continued with no further retirements until 1950. In the LNER 1944 renumbering plan, the locomotives were renumbered 8370–8388. Withdrawal re-started in 1950 and all were gone by the end of 1955.

In 1952, Three locomotives, 8370 and 8378, and 8382 were transferred to the service list as 32, 36, and 31 respectively.

External links

• J. Holden locomotives — Great Eastern Railway Society
• The Holden J66 (GER Class T18) 0-6-0T Locomotives — LNER Encyclopedia