steam locomotives of british railways

British Railways (BR) inherited a number of locomotives from its constituent "Big Four" companies, the vast majority of which were steam locomotives. BR also built 2537 steam locomotives in the period 1948-1960, 1538 were to pre-nationalisation designs, and 999 to its own standard designs. These locomotives were destined to lead short lives, some as little as only 5 years against a design life of over 30 years, because of the decision to end the use of steam traction in 1968. For an explanation of numbering and classification, see British Locomotive and Multiple Unit Numbering and Classification.

Background

British Railways was created in 1948 by the merger of the big four grouped railway companies; the Great Western Railway (GWR), the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and the Southern Railway (SR). It therefore inherited a wide legacy of rolling stock, much of which needed replacing due to the ravages of World War II.

Classification

BR adopted a slighlty modified version of the LMS' classification system, itself based on the Midland Railway's system. Each locomotive class was given a number 0-9 that signified its power, 0 for the least powerful and 9 for the most. They were then given a basic suffix of F or P indicating freight and passenger roles respectively. Freight power ranged from 0-9, passenger from 0-8. Many locomotives were used for both roles, in which case they were given two class numbers, the P first e.g. 3P4F or 6P5F. A slight change from the LMS system saw those where where the freight classification equalled the passenger classification, e.g. for the LMS black fives 5P5F, reclassified, e.g. as 5MT. Mixed traffic locos had power in the range of classes 2-6.

Locomotives acquired from constituent companies and the War Department

A wide variety of locomotives were acquired from the four constituent companies. These had generally standardised their own designs. See:

After initially, it was decided to add 30000 to the Southern numbers, 40000 to the LMS numbers and 60000 to the LNER numbers, the GWR numbers remaining unchanged since they used number plates. The 1948 Locomotive Trials pitted locomotives from each company against each other. In addition, two types purchased from the British War Department following their use during World War II on railways in Great Britain and elsewhere in Europe.

WD class 8F 2-8-0: 90000-732
WD class 8F 2-10-0: 90750-774

In addition, there was the LNER Class J94 "Austerity" 0-6-0ST of which a quantity were bought by the LNER.

Locomotives built by BR to Big Four designs

Initially, the newly nationalised network continued to be run as four different concerns, and pursued the policy of building of well-estalblished designs. Some of these were already quite old, one class (the J92 tank engines) were a pre-Grouping design.

ex-GWR designs

The Great Western management was opposed to nationalisation built many pannier tanks, resulting in a surplus of them. 452 locomotives were built to ex-GWR designs, of which 341 were pannier tanks.

umbers	Power classification	Wheel arrangement	Number Built	Dates Built
a href="/encyclopedia/GWR-1500-Class" title="GWR 1500 Class">1500	1500-9	4F	0-6-0PT	10	1949
a href="/encyclopedia/GWR-1600-Class" title="GWR 1600 Class">1600	1600-54	2F	0-6-0PT	55	1949-51, 1954
a href="/encyclopedia/GWR-9400-Class" title="GWR 9400 Class">9400	1655-9, 3400-9, 8400-99, 9410-99	4F	0-6-0PT	215	1949-56
a href="/encyclopedia/GWR-2251-Class" title="GWR 2251 Class">2251	3218-9	3MT	0-6-0	2	1948
a href="/encyclopedia/GWR-5101-Class" title="GWR 5101 Class">5101	4160-79	4MT	2-6-2T	20	1948-9
a href="/encyclopedia/GWR-5700-Class" title="GWR 5700 Class">5700 Class	6760-79, 9662-82	3F	0-6-0PT	41	1948-50
a href="/encyclopedia/GWR-6959-Class" title="GWR 6959 Class">Modified Hall	6981-99, 7900-29	5MT	4-6-0	49	1948-50
a href="/encyclopedia/GWR-4073-Class" title="GWR 4073 Class">Castle	7008-37	7P	4-6-0	30	1948-50
a href="/encyclopedia/GWR-7400-Class" title="GWR 7400 Class">7400	7430-49	2F	0-6-0PT	20	1948, 1950
a href="/encyclopedia/GWR-7800-Class" title="GWR 7800 Class">Manor	7820-9	5MT	4-6-0	10	1950

ex-SR designs

The only ex-SR designs built by BR were 50 Bullied pacifics. Many of these were later rebuilt as conventional engines.

umbers	Power classification	Wheel arrangement	Number Built	Dates Built
a href="/encyclopedia/SR-West-Country-Class" title="SR West Country Class">West Country Class	34071-110	7P5F	4-6-2	40	1948-51
a href="/encyclopedia/SR-Merchant-Navy-Class" title="SR Merchant Navy Class">Merchant Navy/Battle of Britain Class	35021-30	7P5F	4-6-2	10	1948-9

ex-LMS designs

640 locomotives were built to ex-LMS designs. They were built across the works, not just at Crewe, Derby and Horwich. Many of the later BR standard designs were based on the LMS designs.

umbers	Power classification	Wheel arrangement	Number Built	Dates Built
a href="/encyclopedia/LMS-Ivatt-2MT-2-6-2T" title="LMS Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T">Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T	41210-329	2MT	2-6-2T	120	1948-52
a href="/encyclopedia/LMS-Fairburn-2-6-4T" title="LMS Fairburn 2-6-4T">Fairburn Tank	42050-186, 42190-9	4MT	2-6-4T	147	1948-51
a href="/encyclopedia/LMS-Ivatt-4MT" title="LMS Ivatt 4MT">Ivatt 4MT	43003-161	4MT	2-6-0	159	1948-52
a href="/encyclopedia/LMS-Black-Five-Class" title="LMS Black Five Class">"Black Five"	44658-717, 44738-57	5MT	4-6-0	100	1948-51
a href="/encyclopedia/LMS-Princess-Coronation-Class" title="LMS Princess Coronation Class">"Duchess"	46257	8P	4-6-2	1	1948
a href="/encyclopedia/LMS-Ivatt-2MT" title="LMS Ivatt 2MT">Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0	46420-527	2MT	2-6-0	108	1948-53
a href="/encyclopedia/LMS-Kitson-saddle-tank" title="LMS Kitson saddle tank">Kitson saddle tank	47005-9	0F	0-4-0ST	5	1953-4

ex-LNER designs

BR built 396 locomotives to ex-LNER designs. One of these, the J72 Class was a North Eastern Railway design dating from 1898.

umbers	Power classification	Wheel arrangement	Number Built	Dates Built
a href="/encyclopedia/LNER-Peppercorn-Class-A1" title="LNER Peppercorn Class A1">Peppercorn A1	60114-62	8P6F	4-6-2	49	1948-49
a href="/encyclopedia/LNER-Peppercorn-Class-A2" title="LNER Peppercorn Class A2">Peppercorn A2	60526-39	8P7F	4-6-2	14	1948
a href="/encyclopedia/LNER-Thompson-Class-B1" title="LNER Thompson Class B1">Thompson B1	61273-409	5MT	4-6-0	136	1948-52
a href="/encyclopedia/LNER-Class-J72" title="LNER Class J72">J72	69001-28	2F	0-6-0T	28	1949-51
a href="/encyclopedia/LNER-Thompson/Peppercorn-Class-K1" title="LNER Thompson/Peppercorn Class K1">Thompson/Peppercorn K1	62001-70	6MT	2-6-0	70	1949-50
a href="/encyclopedia/LNER-Thompson-Class-L1" title="LNER Thompson Class L1">Thompson L1	67702-800	\|2-6-4T \|99 \|1948-50

BR standard classes

From 1951, BR started to build steam locomotives to its own standard designs, which were largely based on LMS practice, but incorporating ideas and modifications from the other constituent companies and America. Characteristic features of these were taper boilers, high running plates, two cylinders and streamlined cabs. Although more were ordered, a total of 999 BR standards were constructed, and the last, 92220 Evening Star, was built in 1960. Most never saw the end of their usefulness and being in good condition, several are preserved.

umbers	Power classification	Wheel arrangement	Number Built	Dates Built
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-7" title="BR standard class 7">Std Class 7 (Britannia Class)	70000-54	7P6F	4-6-2	55	1951-54
Std Class 8 (Duke of Gloucester)	71000	8P	4-6-2	1	1954
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-6" title="BR standard class 6">Std Class 6 (Clan Class)	72000-9	6P5F	4-6-2	10	1952
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-5" title="BR standard class 5">Std Class 5	73000-171	5MT	4-6-0	172	1951-57
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-4-4-6-0" title="BR standard class 4 4-6-0">Std Class 4 4-6-0	75000-79	4MT	4-6-0	80	1951-57
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-4-2-6-0" title="BR standard class 4 2-6-0">Std Class 4 2-6-0	76000-114	2MT	2-6-0	115	1952-57
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-3" title="BR standard class 3">Std Class 3	77000-19	3MT	2-6-0	20	?
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-2" title="BR standard class 2">Std Class 2	78000-64	2MT	2-6-0	65	1952-56
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-4-tank" title="BR standard class 4 tank">Std Class 4 Tank	80000-154	4MT	2-6-4T	155	1951-57
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-3-tank" title="BR standard class 3 tank">Std Class 3 Tank	82000-44	3MT	2-6-2T	45	?
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-2-tank" title="BR standard class 2 tank">Std Class 2 Tank	84000-29	2MT	2-6-2T	30	1953-57
a href="/encyclopedia/BR-standard-class-9F" title="BR standard class 9F">Std class 9F	92000-250	9F	2-10-0	251	1954-60

Withdrawal

The 1955 Modernisation Plan called for the phasing out of steam traction. Major withdrawals occurred over the period 1962-1966, and steam traction finally ended in August 1968, coinciding with the Beeching Axe.

Preservation

Withdrawn locomotives were sent for scrap. Many went to Woodhams' Scrapyard in Barry, South Wales. Some have since been saved from Barry and elsewhere. Former main line locomotives, along with various smaller industrial shunters form the backbone of steam motive power for heritage railways. Main line running on charter trains is possible and in this they run under TOPS code as Class 98.

Vale of Rheidol

One notable exception to the standard gauge rule was the narrow gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway in Mid-Wales, which remained operated by British Rail until 1987 and which used three steam locomotives. After 1987 it was run as a heritage railway.