Great Central Railway Class 8N
LNER B6
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerJohn G. Robinson
BuilderGorton works
Build date1918 (1), 1921 (2)
Total produced3
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0
 • UIC2'Cn2
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 6 in (1.067 m)
Driver dia.5 ft 8 in (1.727 m)
Wheelbase50 ft 8.5 in (15.456 m)
Length61 ft 2.5 in (18.656 m)
Loco weight72.9 long tons (74.1 t)
Tender weight48.3 long tons (49.1 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity6 long tons 0 cwt (13,400 lb or 6.1 t)
Water cap.4,000 imp gal (18,000 L; 4,800 US gal)
Firebox:​
 • Grate area26.24 sq ft (2.438 m2)[1]
Boiler:
​
 • Diameter5 ft 6 in (1,680 mm)
Boiler pressure180 lbf/in2 (1.24 MPa)
Heating surface2,123 sq ft (197.2 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • Heating area308 sq ft (28.6 m2)[1]
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size21 in × 26 in (533 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearStephenson
Valve typePiston valves
Performance figures
Tractive effort25,798 lbf (114.76 kN)
Career
Operators
Class
  • GCR: 8N
  • LNER: B6
Number in class3
Numbers
  • GCR: 52-3, 416
  • LNER: 5416 5052-3;
  • later 1346-8
Retired1947
DispositionAll scrapped

The Great Central Railway Class 8N - London North Eastern Railway Class B6 - was a class of three 4-6-0 steam locomotives, designed by John G. Robinson in 1918. They were a mixed traffic class. All three examples were withdrawn in November and December 1947.

Design

The first member of the class (No. 416) was built 1918, in the middle of a batch of GCR Class 8A 2-8-0 locomotives and the design had an identical boiler, cylinders and motion to this class.[1] For three years this remained the only example of the class, but in 1921 Robinson built two further examples, with the intention of comparing their performance with his four-cylinder GCR Class 9P design and later decided to produce more of the 9Ps. The 8N was intended as an improved version of the 1A (LNER B8 class) of 1913, which had large inside cylinders and relatively small axleboxes on the driving axles. Although 8N was an improvement of the 1A design, .The 9P design of 1917 had four cylinders, resulting in a more balanced locomotive with smaller cylinders.

Allocation and work

Although very competent locomotives, the three examples of this class were non-standard and used on a variety of secondary freight and passenger duties over the former Great Central Railway system. They were eventually replaced in 1947 by members of the B1 class. No examples survived.

References

  • Boddy, M. G.; Brown, W. A.; Fry, E. V.; Hennigan, W.; Hoole, Ken; Manners, F.; Neve, E.; Platt, E. N. T.; Proud, P.; Yeadon, W. B. (March 1975). Fry, E. V. (ed.). Locomotives of the L.N.E.R., Part 2B: Tender Engines—Classes B1 to B19. Lincoln: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-73-8.


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