L&YR Class 27

L&YR Class 27
27 class locomotive on the East Lancashire Railway
Power type	Steam
Builder	L&YR, Horwich Works
Build date	1889–1918
Total produced	484
Configuration	0-6-0
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Wheel diameter	5 ft 1 in (1.549 m)
Length	48 ft 6 in (14.78 m)
Locomotive weight	42 long tons 11 cwt (95,300 lb/43.2 t)
Locomotive & tender combined weight	69 long tons 3 cwt (154,900 lb/70.3 t)
Fuel type	Coal
Boiler pressure	180 psi (1.24 MPa)
Cylinders	Two, inside
Cylinder size	18 × 26 in (457 × 660 mm)
Valve gear	Stephenson
Tractive effort	21,130 lbf (94.0 kN)
Locomotive brakes	Steam
Train brakes	Vacuum
Career	Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Class	Class 27
Power class	LMS & BR: 2F
Number	L&YR: random, LMS:12083–12467

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) Class 27 is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work.

Construction and operation

They were designed by John Aspinall and 484 were built between 1889 - 1918 at Horwich works. The Class 27 was the standard goods engine of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. Aspinall opted for the two cylinder format with a non superheated round top boiler. David Joy's configuration of valve gear was employed. By the time of Aspinall's departure from the L&YR in 1899 over 400 of these simple but powerful engines had been built. More were built under his successor Henry Hoy and George Hughes, albeit with some modifications. By 1918 the class totalled 484.

Superheating

LYR Class 27 0-6-0 52095 at Rose Grove Motive Power Depot, Burnley, Lancashire, on 28 March 1959

It was under Hughes that the class became the subject of early experiments in superheating. This was the process of increasing the temperature of the steam produced in the boiler so the minimum of energy was lost. After many months of trials a further 20 superheated engines were authorised to be built and the first of these superheated class 27's emerged from Horwich Works in 1909. The superheated 27's retained the boiler pressure of the originals (180 psi). This first batch had round topped boilers but in 1912 a second batch of 20 was constructed with Belpaire fireboxes.

Although the class was augmented by a further 60 engines between 1900 and 1909 with another ten added in 1917-18, the final five built reverted entirely to the original 1889 specification. It is a tribute to the soundness, usefulness and simple practicality of Aspinall's design that some 300 of the class passed into the hands of the LMS and around 50 were still in British Railways service as late as the summer of 1960.

One, 1896-built L&YR number 1300 (later LMS 12322 and BR 52322) has survived to preservation on the Ribble Steam Railway.

The rebuild

The Rebuild of the Class 27 was the L&YR Class 28, designed by George Hughes.

References

• Herring, Peter (2000) Classic British Steam Locomotives, Enderby: Abbeydale, p. 192, ISBN 1-86147-057-6
• Hall, Peter & Fox, Peter (2002) Preserved Locomotives of British Railways, Platform 5: Sheffield, ISBN 1-902336-30-5

External links

• Railuk database