The Great Western Railway (GWR) experimented with oil burning steam locomotives at two points in its history. A single experimental tank engine was constructed to burn oil in 1902, and 37 engines of four different classes were converted to burn oil between 1946 and 1950. Neither experiment resulted in the long-term use of oil as fuel for steam locomotives. A single pannier tank locomotive was also converted under British Rail in 1958.

No. 101 of 1902

GWR No. 101 was an experimental 0-4-0 side-tank locomotive built at Swindon Works under the direction of Churchward in June 1902. Initially built as an oil-burning locomotive, it was rebuilt in 1905 as a coal burner, with the cab backplate replaced by a bunker. No further engines were built to this design, and the locomotive was withdrawn and scrapped in 1911.[1]

Oil burning after WWII

GWR locomotives had been designed to take advantage of high quality Welsh steam coal. Following the end of World War II, coal supplies were scarce and of poor quality as the best coal was exported. GWR CME Hawksworth obtained permission to try using oil as a fuel in steam locomotives. He modified a number of locomotives of different classes, and the results were successful enough that it was planned to turn Cornwall into an oil fired area. The Government decided that such a scheme should be extended across the country, and asked Hawksworth to provide details of the technology to other railway companies. Several million pounds were spent on the scheme before it foundered on the uneconomic cost of the imported fuel, which had to be purchased using scarce foreign exchange. All the locomotives involved were reconverted to burn coal.[2]

Initial plans were to convert a number of 2800 class 2-8-0, and 4200 class 2-8-0T engines working in South Wales, although in the end no tank engines were converted. The fireboxes were modified by replacing the firebars with a plate that had openings for the air supply, lining part of the firebox with high alumina firebrick to cope with the change in combustion, and mounting a single burner at the front of the firebox that directed the oil, atomized by steam, upwards towards the back of the firebox. Initial problems with the burner saw them replaced by the Laidlaw-Drew type. Tenders were altered to hold a 1,800 imp gal (8,200 L) tank for oil, with steam heating coils to make the heavy grade of oil used thin enough to flow. The success of the initial conversion saw the scheme extended to Castle and Hall class 4-6-0 locomotives, for work in Cornwall.[3]

Oil burners had their own maintenance requirements, including the daily removal and cleaning of the atomizers to keep them effective. Overall, though, they were easier for the firemen to maintain and run than coal fired engines. Depots were re-equipped for refuelling the engines at Bristol Bath Road, Bristol St Philip's Marsh, Cardiff Canton, Didcot, Gloucester, Llanelly, Newport Ebbw Junction, Newton Abbot, Old Oak Common, Plymouth Laira, Reading, Severn Tunnel Junction, Swindon, and Westbury. Work at Banbury and Swansea was cancelled before completion.[4]

A total of thirty-seven locomotives were converted to burn oil, starting with No. 5955 Garth Hall in June 1946 and continuing into the next year. Some locomotives carried new numbers while they were oil burners. Reconversion to coal firing started in September 1948, and was complete by April 1950. Renumbered engines went back to their old numbers.[5]

Locomotives converted

All engines were converted back to coal firing by 1950, and regained their original numbers. However, the 1400s were never renumbered back to 4800s.[5][6]

List of locomotives converted[5]
ClassOriginal
number		Oil burner
number		Date
converted		Date
reverted		Name
280028324806Nov 1946Apr 1949
280028344808Jul 1947Jan 1950
280028394804Nov 1946Oct 1948
280028454809Aug 1947Dec 1949
280028474811Sep 1947Jun 1949
280028484807Jun 1947Jul 1949
280028494803Nov 1946Apr 1949
280028534810Aug 1947Jun 1949
280028544801Nov 1946Feb 1949
280028624802Nov 1946Sep 1948
280028634805Nov 1946Mar 1949
280028724800Nov 1946Sep 1948
288428884850Nov 1946Sep 1948
288438134855Jul 1947Jun 1949
288438184852Nov 1946Sep 1948
288438204856Jul 1947Jun 1949
288438314857Aug 1947Mar 1949
288438374854Jun 1947Aug 1949
288438394853Jul 1947Nov 1949
288438654851Nov 1946Apr 1949
Castle100A1[lower-alpha 1]Jan 1947Sep 1948Lloyds
Castle5039[lower-alpha 1]Dec 1946Sep 1948Rhuddlan Castle
Castle5079[lower-alpha 1]Jan 1947Oct 1948Lysander
Castle5083[lower-alpha 1]Dec 1946Nov 1948Bath Abbey
Castle5091[lower-alpha 1]Oct 1946Nov 1948Cleeve Abbey
43006320[lower-alpha 1]Mar 1947Aug 1949
Hall49073903May 1947Apr 1950Broughton Hall
Hall49483902May 1947Sep 1948Northwick Hall
Hall49683900May 1947Mar 1949Shotton Hall
Hall49713901May 1947Apr 1949Stanway Hall
Hall49723904May 1947Oct 1948Saint Brides Hall
Hall59553950Jun 1946Oct 1948Garth Hall
Hall59763951Apr 1947Nov 1948Ashwicke Hall
Hall59863954May 1947Feb 1950Arbury Hall
Hall69493955May 1947Apr 1949Haberfield Hall
Hall69533953Apr 1947Sep 1948Leighton Hall
Hall69573952Apr 1947Mar 1950Norcliffe Hall

Pannier conversion by BR

In April 1958, under British Rail, GWR 5700 Class 0-6-0PT No. 3711 was converted to burn oil, with a fuel tank installed in the bunker. The conversion was done by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns.[7]

See also

Oil burner (engine)

Notes and references

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Not renumbered

References

  1. ↑ Haresnape (1976).
  2. ↑ Griffiths (1987), pp. 47, 123.
  3. ↑ Griffiths (1987), pp. 123–124.
  4. ↑ NRMFriends (2022).
  5. 1 2 3 Whitehurst (1973), p. 98.
  6. ↑ Haresnape (1978), p. 73.
  7. ↑ Haresnape (1978), p. 59.

Sources

  • Friends of the NRM (19 May 2022). "A brief flirtation with Oil - Firing". Friends of the NRM. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  • Griffiths, Denis (1987). Locomotive engineers of the GWR. Wellingborough: Stephens. ISBN 0-85059-819-2.
  • Haresnape, Brian (1976). Churchward locomotives : a pictorial history. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0697-0.
  • Haresnape, Brian (1978). Collett & Hawksworth locomotives : a pictorial history. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0869-8.
  • Whitehurst, Brian (1973). Great Western engines, names, numbers, types, classes: 1940 to preservation. Oxford: Oxford Pub. Co. ISBN 0-902888-21-8.
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