NBR G Class
Encyclopedia
The North British Railway
(NBR) G Class (LNER Class Y9) is a class of 0-4-0
ST steam locomotive
designed for shunting
. Some locomotives were equipped with small wooden tenders
to carry extra coal. They were introduced in 1882 and thirty-eight entered service on the NBR between 1882 and 1899. Like most 0-4-0 tanks of the period it has outside cylinders and inside slide valves
driven by Stephenson valve gear
.
of Hyde Park Works, Springburn
, Glasgow
, who built the first examples of the type, mainly for industrial customers
, in the 1870s. One such, built in 1876, is in the collection of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society
at Bo'ness.
bought from Neilsons four locomotives of the same design.
Between 1885 and 1908, the Caledonian built thirty-four more, at the company's own works at Glasgow St Rollox
.
.
Effectively, Neilsons seem to have licensed the design to the two main line railways, both of whom built it with detail modifications and then ascribed the design to their Chief Mechanical Engineer
s, Dugald Drummond
and Matthew Holmes
.
Class 209
is similar but has a flat-topped saddle tank. One example is preserved at North Woolwich Old Station Museum
.
collection and is a static exhibit. This was bought from British Railways straight out of traffic at St Margaret's Shed, Edinburgh
by J.Morris, and was displayed at his former museum at Lytham St Annes
until it was bought by SRPS in 1992.
An example of the original design by Neilson & Co. is also preserved by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society. It was built in 1876 and named Kelton Fell.Kelton Fell
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
(NBR) G Class (LNER Class Y9) is a class of 0-4-0
0-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
ST 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...
designed for shunting
Switcher
A switcher or shunter is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been...
. Some locomotives were equipped with small wooden tenders
Tender locomotive
A tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...
to carry extra coal. They were introduced in 1882 and thirty-eight entered service on the NBR between 1882 and 1899. Like most 0-4-0 tanks of the period it has outside cylinders and inside slide valves
D slide valve
The slide valve is a rectilinear valve used to control the admission of steam into, and emission of exhaust from, the cylinder of a steam engine.-Use:...
driven by Stephenson valve gear
Stephenson valve gear
The Stephenson valve gear or Stephenson link or shifting link is a simple design of valve gear that was widely used throughout the world for all kinds of steam engine. It is named after Robert Stephenson but was actually invented by his employees....
.
Industrial locomotives
The design was originated by Neilson and CompanyNeilson and Company
Neilson and Company was a locomotive manufacturer in Glasgow, Scotland.The company was started in 1836 at McAlpine Street by Walter Neilson and James Mitchell to manufacture marine and stationary engines...
of Hyde Park Works, Springburn
Springburn
Springburn is an inner city district in the north of the Scottish city of Glasgow, home to various working and middle-class households.Springburn developed from a small rural hamlet at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Its industrial expansion began with the establishment of a chemical...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, who built the first examples of the type, mainly for industrial customers
Industrial railway
An industrial railway is a type of railway that is not available for public transportation and is used exclusively to serve a particular industrial, logistics or military site...
, in the 1870s. One such, built in 1876, is in the collection of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society
Scottish Railway Preservation Society
The Scottish Railway Preservation Society is a charity, whose principal objective is the preservation and advancement of railway heritage in Scotland. The Society was formed in 1961, and it has been actively collecting and displaying railway artifacts of Scottish significance ever since...
at Bo'ness.
Caledonian Railway
Also in 1876, the Caledonian RailwayCaledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
bought from Neilsons four locomotives of the same design.
Between 1885 and 1908, the Caledonian built thirty-four more, at the company's own works at Glasgow St Rollox
St. Rollox railway works
St. Rollox Locomotive Works and St Rollox Carriage and Wagon Works were built in 1856 in Springburn, an area in the north-east of Glasgow, for the Caledonian Railway, moving away from their works at Greenock...
.
North British Railway
The "G" class on the North British Railway came about in much the same way – the NBR bought two locomotives from Neilson in 1882, and by 1899 they had built thirty-six for themselves at their Cowlairs WorksCowlairs railway works
Cowlairs Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Works , at Cowlairs in Springburn, an area in the north-east of Glasgow, Scotland, was built in 1841 for the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway and was taken over by the North British Railway in 1865. It was named after the nearby mansion of Cowlairs, with both...
.
Effectively, Neilsons seem to have licensed the design to the two main line railways, both of whom built it with detail modifications and then ascribed the design to their Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer
Chief Mechanical Engineer and Locomotive Superintendent are titles applied by British, Australian, and New Zealand railway companies to the person ultimately responsible to the board of the company for the building and maintaining of the locomotives and rolling stock...
s, Dugald Drummond
Dugald Drummond
Dugald Drummond was a Scottish steam locomotive engineer. He had a career with the North British Railway, LB&SCR, Caledonian Railway and London and South Western Railway...
and Matthew Holmes
Matthew Holmes
Matthew Holmes was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the North British Railway from 1882 to 1903..-Locomotives:Locomotives designed by M. Holmes include:* NBR Class C, later LNER Class J36, 0-6-0...
.
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern RailwayGreat 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...
Class 209
GER Class 209
The GER Class 209 was a class of 0-4-0 saddle tank steam locomotives of the Great Eastern Railway. These locomotives were similar to the NBR G Class but had flat-topped, instead of round-topped, tanks...
is similar but has a flat-topped saddle tank. One example is preserved at North Woolwich Old Station Museum
North Woolwich Old Station Museum
The North Woolwich Old Station Museum was a small railway museum in East London. It was housed in what was the original Great Eastern Railway terminal station building at North Woolwich railway station. The building was in use as a ticket office until 1979 when it was replaced by a more austere...
.
LNER and BR ownership
The LNER acquired most of the NBR examples in 1923 and classified them Y9. Thirty-three of them passed into British Railways ownership in 1948 and were numbered 68092–68124.Preservation
One, NBR No.42 (BR 68095), has survived to preservation in the Scottish Railway Preservation SocietyScottish Railway Preservation Society
The Scottish Railway Preservation Society is a charity, whose principal objective is the preservation and advancement of railway heritage in Scotland. The Society was formed in 1961, and it has been actively collecting and displaying railway artifacts of Scottish significance ever since...
collection and is a static exhibit. This was bought from British Railways straight out of traffic at St Margaret's Shed, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
by J.Morris, and was displayed at his former museum at Lytham St Annes
Lytham St Annes
Lytham St Annes is a conurbation in the Fylde district of Lancashire, England. The neighbouring towns of Lytham and St-Anne's-on-the-Sea have grown together and now form a seaside resort...
until it was bought by SRPS in 1992.
An example of the original design by Neilson & Co. is also preserved by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society. It was built in 1876 and named Kelton Fell.Kelton Fell