L&YR Class 26

The L&YR Class 26 was a class of 20 2-6-2T passenger steam locomotives of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway designed by Henry Hoy and introduced in 1903. Most passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) at the grouping in 1923 though they were withdrawn soon afterwards with none remaining in service after 1926.[1]

L&YR Class 26
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerHenry Hoy
BuilderHorwich Works
Order numberLot 49
Serial number861–880
Build dateOctober 1903 – August 1904
Total produced20
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-6-2T
 • UIC1′C1′ n2t
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 7+3⁄4 in (1.111 m)
Driver dia.5 ft 8 in (1.727 m)
Trailing dia.3 ft 7+3⁄4 in (1.111 m)
Length42 ft 4 in (12.9 m)
Loco weight77.5 long tons (78.7 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity3.75 long tons (3.81 t)
Water cap.2,000 imp gal (9,100 L; 2,400 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		26.0 sq ft (2.42 m2)
Boiler pressure175 lbf/in2 (1.21 MPa)
Heating surface2,038.6 sq ft (189.39 m2)
CylindersTwo, inside
Cylinder size19 in × 26 in (483 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearJoy
Performance figures
Tractive effort19,797 lbf (88.1 kN)
Career
Operators
Power classLMS: 3F
WithdrawnDecember 1920 – August 1926
DispositionAll scrapped

Design and construction

Hoy intended the class to work Manchester, Rochdale, Oldham and Bury services where heavier trains and on lines gradients were giving difficulties to the Aspinall 2-4-2T radial tank locomotives. To a degree they were an evolutionary design based on the enlarged version of the 2-4-2T radial tanks with six-coupled wheels and the belpaire firebox used on the Aspinall Atlantic High Flyers and Coal engine 0-8-0 types.[2]

Service

On their introduction in 1903 they were allocated to Liverpool to Southport workings covering a temporary shortage of electric stock; they were subsequently placed on their intended routes where they had an initially successful introduction.[2] Problems with the class shortly emerged. Their heavy weight was not good for the track and the long rigid wheelbase put pressure on rails with severe curves in sidings. The flanges were removed from the centre driving wheels which eased some issues but increased the risk of derailment on track which was slightly out of alignment and particularly notably at junctions, flangeless driving wheels working better on smaller wheels placed closer together. The side tanks had a propensity to severely leak and they gained a reputation for poor stopping ability.[3]

Where George Hughes produced a superheated upgrade to the 2-4-2T radial tank they were able to perform the services allocated to the 2-6-2Ts and the latter were removed from passenger services in 1913 and placed on banking and shunting duties with water pickup equipment and coal rail removed for increased visibility for these duties. They were not best suited to these duties due to large 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) driving wheels and having the flanges on the centre wheels removed.[3]

Numbering
Table of locomotives [4]
L&YR no. Built LMS no. Withdrawn Notes
202 Oct 1903 — Dec 1920
387 Nov 1903 11700 May 1925
404 Nov 1903 — Dec 1920
454 Nov 1903 11701 Jan 1926
467 Dec 1903 11702 May 1925
527 Jan 1904 11703 Mar 1926
712 Feb 1904 11704 Aug 1926
744 Feb 1904 11705 Aug 1926
837 Mar 1904 11706 Jun 1925
125 Mar 1904 — May 1923
1441 Apr 1904 11707 Aug 1926
1442 Apr 1904 11708 Jul 1925
1443 May 1904 11709 Jun 1925
1444 May 1904 11710 Jan 1925
1445 Jun 1904 11711 Sep 1924
1446 Jun 1904 11712 Aug 1926
1447 Jul 1904 11713 Feb 1926
1448 Jul 1904 11714 Feb 1925
1449 Jul 1904 11715 1924
1450 Aug 1904 11716 Aug 1926

Withdrawal

One was withdrawn with unrepairable cracked frames in 1920. A total of thee, Nos 202, 404 and 125 were withdrawn before being allocated a LMS number in 1923. In the event only two (11704 and 11711) actually carried their allocated LMS number and all members of the class were withdrawn by 1926.[5] All had been scrapped by 1928 and none have been preserved.

References
  1. Casserley & Johnston 1966, p. 120.
  2. Lane 2010, p. 116.
  3. Lane 2010, pp. 116–117.
  4. Baxter 1982, p. 85.
  5. Lane 2010, p. 119.

Sources
  • Baxter, Bertram (1982). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 3B: Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and its constituent companies. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. ISBN 0-903485-85-0.
  • Casserley, H. C. & Johnston, Stuart W. (1966). Locomotives at the Grouping 3: London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0554-0.
  • Lane, Barry C. (2010). Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Locomotives. Pendragon. ISBN 9781899816170.
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