BR ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids BR ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0
90474 at Woodford Halse, 1964
Power type	Steam
Designer	R.A. Riddles
Builder	North British Locomotive Company Vulcan Foundry
Build date	1943–45
Total production	733
Configuration	2-8-0
UIC classification	1′D h2
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading wheel diameter	3 ft 2 in (965 mm)
Driver diameter	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Length	63 ft 6 in (19.35 m) over buffers
Axle load	15 long tons 12 cwt (34,900 lb or 15.9 t)
Weight on drivers	61 long tons 5 cwt (137,200 lb or 62.2 t)
Locomotive weight	70 long tons 5 cwt (157,400 lb or 71.4 t)
Tender weight	55 long tons 10 cwt (124,300 lb or 56.4 t)
Fuel type	Coal
Fuel capacity	9 long tons 0 cwt (20,200 lb or 9.1 t)
Water capacity	5,000 imperial gallons (23,000 L; 6,000 US gal)
Boiler pressure	225 lbf/in2 (1.55 MPa)
Fire grate area	28.6 sq ft (2.66 m2)
Heating surface: Tubes	1,068 sq ft (99.2 m2)
Heating surface: Flues	451 sq ft (41.9 m2)
Heating surface: Firebox	168 sq ft (15.6 m2)
Superheater type	28-element Melesco
Superheater area	298 sq ft (27.7 m2)
Cylinders	Two, outside
Cylinder size	19 in × 28 in (483 mm × 711 mm)
Valve gear	Walschaerts
Valve type	10-inch (250 mm) piston valves
Tractive effort	34,215 lbf (152.20 kN)
Power class	8F
Axle load class	Route availability 6
Withdrawn	1959-1967
Disposition	All scrapped.

The British Railways (BR) ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0 was a class of 733 2-8-0 steam locomotives designed for heavy freight. These locomotives of the WD Austerity 2-8-0 type had been constructed by the War Department, as war locomotives 1943–1945. After the war, they were surplus and so in 1946 the LNER bought 200 of them, classifying them as LNER Class O7, and by the end of 1947 when the LNER was nationalised, had taken another 278 O7s on loan. After nationalisation, BR purchased 533 more 2-8-0s, including all of those on loan, giving a class total of 733. As many of these needed overhauling before being put to work, they were activated slowly. BR chose to reclassified from LNER Class O7 and renumbered them from the 6xxxx LNER series in the 90000–732 series for BR standard designs.

Naming

90732 was named Vulcan after the Vulcan Foundry.

Classification

BR considered them as standard classes, numbering them in the numbering series allocated for BR standard classes, assigned them the boiler diagram BR10; while their tenders were assigned the diagram BR5. BR built 53 new boilers at Crewe between 1951 and 1954.

Operation

The class were used almost entirely on freight services, and were always unusual on passenger work. Well over half the total number were always on the former LNER system, from East Anglia up to Scotland, and there was also a large number across the former Lancashire & Yorkshire railway depots. Some were initially used on the Southern Region, but later left there, while another smaller group was on the Western Region for much of their lives. The Scottish ones later spread from just the ex-LNER lines across the rest of the Region.

Accidents and incidents

• On 16 January 1958, locomotive 90277 was standing foul of the line at Preston when it was run into by a passenger train due to a signalman's error. The passenger train was derailed, 90277 ended up on its side. Thirteen people were injured.

Withdrawal

The engines were withdrawn from service as follows:

Preservation

Preserved Austerity in British Railways livery and carrying a BR series number, was actually never a BR engine.

None of the BR Austerity 2-8-0s was preserved. However, one Austerity 2-8-0 (out of a total of 935 engines) has survived; WD No. 79257. This has returned to Britain via the Netherlands and Sweden, and has been restored to original condition and given the "BR number" 90733. It is based at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

See also

• BR ex-WD Austerity 2-10-0
• WD Austerity 2-8-0