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LNER Peppercorn Class A1

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LNER Peppercorn Class A1
60155 Borderer primed and ready for duty, by the coaling stage at Gateshead depot. in 1951
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerArthur Peppercorn
BuilderDoncaster Works
Darlington Works
Build date1948 - 1949, 2008
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-2
Length72 ft 11.75 in (22.24 m)
Width9 ft 2.875 in (2.82 m)
Height13 ft 1 in (3.99 m)
60163 Tornado - 13 ft (3.96 m)
Axle load22.1 long tons (22.5 t)
Adhesive weight66.55 long tons (67.62 t)
Tender weight60.9 long tons (61.9 t)
Total weight166.1 long tons (168.8 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity9.0 long tons (9.1 t)
60163 Tornado - 7.5 long tons (7.6 t)
Water cap.5,000 imp gal (23,000 L)
60163 Tornado - 6,000 imp gal (27,000 L)
Firebox:​
 • Grate area50.0 square feet (4.65 m2)
BoilerDiagram 118
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) diameter
29 ft 2 in (8.89 m) length
Boiler pressure250 psi (1,700 kPa)
Heating surface:​
 • Firebox245.3 square feet (22.79 m2)
 • Tubes1,211.6 square feet (112.56 m2)
 • Flues1,004.5 square feet (93.32 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • Heating area697.7 square feet (64.82 m2)
Cylinder size(3) 19 in × 26 in (480 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort37,397lbf
2,700 metric horsepower (2,000 kW)
Career
Number in class49 original, 1 new build 60163 Tornado
LocaleNorth Eastern Region of British Railways
First runAugust 1948
Last runJune 1966
WithdrawnOctober 1962 - June 1966
Scrapped1962 - 1966
Disposition49 withdrawn and scrapped, a 50th completed in 2008
60133 Pommern passing Leeds-Holbeck High Level Station hauling Leeds Central to Kings Cross Yorkshire Pullman

The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn Class A1 is a type of express passenger steam locomotive. Forty-nine original Peppercorn Class A1s were built to the design of Arthur Peppercorn (who was the last Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London and North Eastern Railway) during the early British Railways era, but all were scrapped with the discontinuation of steam, with none of the original production run surviving into preservation. In 2008 a brand new Peppercorn A1 locomotive, 60163 Tornado, was completed, as the 50th member of the class.

Background

Most of the former LNER Class A1 locomotives designed by Sir Nigel Gresley had been rebuilt as LNER Class A3 locomotives prior to this class being conceived. The few straggling LNER Class A1 locomotives that remained unrebuilt during the tenure of Peppercorn's predecessor, Edward Thompson, were redesignated by him as Class A10s in preparation for the construction of his new Class A1 locomotives. Thompson rebuilt the pioneer LNER pacific Great Northern in 1945; originally this was the new Class A1, but the rebuild was not repeated. Instead, initiated by Thompson but largely taken forward by his successor Arthur Peppercorn, Great Northern was designated Class A1/1, and a new class of Peppercorn A1s ordered.

The locomotives were designed to cope with the heaviest passenger trains in the after-war period at the East Coast Mainline (London – York – Newcastle – Edinburgh – Aberdeen) which consisted normally of trains with up to 15 coaches and up to 550 tons. The ‘’’Peppercorn’’’ A1s were able to pull such a train on the flat at a speed of 60-70 mph (95-110 km/h. Like previous LNER pacifics, the class had a 3-cylinder arrangement. The chimney system was of the type Double-Kylchap.

BR locomotives

Construction

The new A1s were ordered by the LNER but delivered after that company had been nationalised to form part of British Railways at the start of 1948. The 49 engines were built at the Eastern Region's Doncaster and Darlington works between 1948 and 1949. Some of the dimensions in the information box on the right are taken from the LNER Encyclopedia.[1] The figures for boiler pressure and cylinder and driving wheel dimensions are confirmed by Ian Allan ABC [2] but there is a minor disagreement on weight (Ian Allan gives: locomotive 104 tons 2 cwt, tender 60 tons 7 cwt). For photographs and a weight diagram see Rail Album.[3]


Construction details
Nos Date built Works Notes
60114-22 1948 Doncaster
60123-9 1949 Doncaster
60130-43 1948 Darlington
60144-51 1949 Darlington
60153-7 1949 Doncaster Built with Timken roller bearings on all axles
60158-62 1949 Doncaster

Service

Above all though the A1s were renowned for their reliability. By 1961 the class had accumulated 48 million miles, equivalent to 202 miles each calendar day. These were unmatched by any other steam locomotive on British Railways. Some of the best performances were put in by Nos 60153-57, which in a move to increase mileage between general repairs were fitted with roller bearing axleboxes. Between 1949 and 1961 this quintet totalled 4.8 million miles with an average mileage between works overhauls of 120,000. In a single year No 60156 Great Central of Kings Cross ran 96,000 miles.

If there was one drawback to the Peppercorn A1 it was its riding. There were wide variations between individual class members with some very rough indeed. The cause apart from the inevitable axlebox wear lay in the leading bogie. This was the same as that fitted to the LNER Thompson Class B1 but no adjustments were made at the design stage to tailor it for the heavier A1. Changes to the loading of the bogie side control springs usually brought the riding up to a level comparable with other express types.

Withdrawal

By summer of 1966 all 49 class members had gone for scrap. The last to be withdrawn from stock was no 60145 Saint Mungo after a working life of just 17 years. An attempt to save it came to nought.

Withdrawal dates
Year No. withdrawn Nos
1962 6 60115/22/23/35/37/53
1963 6 60136/44/59-62
1964 11 60114/9/20/5/39/41/3/7/9/50/8
1965 24 60116-8/21/26-34/38/40/2/6/8/51/2/4-7
1966 2 60124/45

Tornado - 50th A1

60163 Tornado, August 2008, Darlington

None of the original production run of 49 Peppercorn A1s survived the scrapyard to be preserved, however in 2008 a brand new Peppercorn A1, 60163 Tornado, was completed.[4]

In 1991, a project was started by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust to build a new steam locomotive for the British main line. Due to the lack of preserved examples, the Peppercorn A1 class was chosen as the locomotive to build, which was assembled in the Trust's own Darlington Locomotive Works, a stone's throw from the original Peppercorn A1 Darlington works.

The locomotive is not a replica, but is considered (and is thus numbered as) the 50th member of the class.[5][6][7] It was built from brand new components to the original designs of the Peppercorn A1 retrieved from the National Railway Museum.

From early on in the project, the Trust conceived Tornado not as a true replica, or as a restoration project,[7] but as new locomotive representing an evolution of the Peppercorn A1 design, incorporating improvements that would have been made to the class had steam continued, such as correction of the rough riding faults.[8]

The subsequent changes from the original design were also made by the Trust to allow Tornado to be capable of operation on the 21st century main line, to meet modern safety regulations, to reflect advances in manufacturing techniques and materials, and to reduce costs.

Most notably, the boiler is all welded not rivetted, the firebox is steel not copper, the main braking system is air powered and the tender holds more water (at the exense of coal capacity). The locomotive is 1 inch shorter to satsify overhead line equipment regulations. The locomotive is also fitted with roller bearings as were latterly used on some of the original 49 class members.

On 13 December 2008, following main line testing in an ex-works grey undercoat paint scheme, Tornado was unveiled in her first proper running livery, an LNER Apple Green sheme with BRITISH RAILWAYS on the tender, the original scheme worn by the first 30 locomotives.[9][10]

List of locomotives

Below is a list of Peppercorn A1 Locomotives[11][12][13][14][1][15][16]

No. Name Built Works Withdrawn Notes
60114 AllenW.P. Allen August 1948 Doncaster December 1964
60115 Meg Merrilies September 1948 Doncaster November 1962
60116 Hal o' the Wynd October 1948 Doncaster June 1965
60117 Bois Roussel October 1948 Doncaster June 1965
60118 SturrockArchibald Sturrock November 1948 Doncaster October 1965
60119 StirlingPatrick Stirling November 1948 Doncaster May 1964
60120 Kittiwake December 1948 Doncaster January 1964
60121 Silurian December 1948 Doncaster October 1965
60122 Curlew December 1948 Doncaster December 1962
60123 IvattH.A. Ivatt February 1949 Doncaster October 1962
60124 Kenilworth March 1949 Doncaster March 1966
60125 Scottish Union April 1949 Doncaster July 1964
60126 RavenSir Vincent Raven April 1949 Doncaster January 1965
60127 WorsdellWilson Worsdell May 1949 Doncaster June 1965
60128 Bongrace May 1949 Doncaster January 1965
60129 ManneringGuy Mannering June 1949 Doncaster October 1965
60130 Kestrel September 1948 Darlington October 1965
60131 Osprey October 1948 Darlington October 1965
60132 Marmion October 1948 Darlington June 1965
60133 Pommern October 1948 Darlington June 1965
60134 Foxhunter November 1948 Darlington October 1965
60135 Madge Wildfire November 1948 Darlington November 1962
60136 Alcazar November 1948 Darlington May 1963
60137 Redgauntlet December 1948 Darlington October 1962
60138 Boswell December 1948 Darlington October 1965
60139 Sea Eagle December 1948 Darlington June 1964
60140 Balmoral December 1948 Darlington January 1965
60141 Abbotsford December 1948 Darlington October 1964
60142 FletcherEdward Fletcher February 1949 Darlington June 1965
60143 ScottSir Walter Scott February 1949 Darlington May 1964
60144 King's Courier March 1949 Darlington April 1963
60145 Saint Mungo March 1949 Darlington June 1966
60146 Peregrine April 1949 Darlington October 1965
60147 North Eastern April 1949 Darlington August 1964
60148 Aboyeur May 1949 Darlington June 1965
60149 Amadis May 1949 Darlington June 1964
60150 Willbrook June 1949 Darlington October 1964
60151 Midlothian June 1949 Darlington November 1965
60152 Holyrood July 1949 Darlington June 1965
60153 Flamboyant August 1949 Doncaster November 1962
60154 Bon Accord September 1949 Doncaster October 1965
60155 Borderer September 1949 Doncaster October 1965
60156 Great Central October 1949 Doncaster May 1965
60157 Great Eastern November 1949 Doncaster January 1965
60158 Aberdonian November 1949 Doncaster December 1964
60159 Bonnie Dundee November 1949 Doncaster October 1963
60160 Auld Reekie December 1949 Doncaster December 1963
60161 North British December 1949 Doncaster October 1963
60162 Saint Johnstoun December 1949 Doncaster October 1963
60163 Tornado 1994 - 2008 A1 Trust Darlington Locomotive Works operational

Notes on names

The names of the A1s [17] were an eclectic mix including:

  • Racehorses: Bois Roussel, Silurian, Scottish Union, Bongrace, Pommern, Foxhunter, Alcazar, Boswell, King's Courier, Aboyeur, Amadis, Willbrook, Flamboyant
  • Names of people: W. P. Allen (an LNER locomotive driver who became a member of the Railway Executive in 1948), Archibald Sturrock, Patrick Stirling, H. A. Ivatt, Sir Vincent Raven, Wilson Worsdell, Edward Fletcher (Locomotive Superintendents of pre-grouping railways), Sir Walter Scott, Saint Mungo
  • Names related to the works of Sir Walter Scott: Meg Merrilies, Hal o’ the Wynd, Kenilworth, Guy Mannering, Marmion, Madge Wildfire, Redgauntlet, Bonnie Dundee
  • Pre-grouping railway companies: North Eastern, Great Central, Great Eastern, North British
  • Birds: Kittiwake, Curlew, Kestrel, Osprey, Sea Eagle, Peregrine
  • Place-related names: Balmoral, Abbotsford (Sir Walter Scott's house), Midlothian, Holyrood, Bon Accord (motto of Aberdeen), Borderer (a person from the Scottish borders), Auld Reekie (a soubriquet for Edinburgh), Saint Johnstoun (an old name for Perth), Aberdonian

Models

Bachmann Branchline produce a model in OO gauge.

References

  1. ^ a b http://www.lner.info/locos/A/a1peppercorn.shtml
  2. ^ Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, summer 1961 edition, part 4, page 26
  3. ^ http://www.railalbum.co.uk/steam/lnera1-1.htm
  4. ^ "New steam loco ready for service". 19 November 2008 11:42 GMT. Retrieved 19 November 2008. The first new steam engine to be built in the UK for almost 50 years is ready for service after successfully completing all its trial runs ... Tornado, a Peppercorn class A1 Pacific steam locomotive ... {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "The Tornado Story". The Railway Magazine: 15. 2008. the new loco would carry the running number 60163 - next in sequence after St Johnstoun ... From its earliest days, the A1 Trust regarded 60163 not as a replica or copy of any one of the 49 Peppercorn A1's, but as the 50th member of the class {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  6. ^ "Presentation 'Tornado - the first 6 months of operation'". Events, Technical Lecture, 18 February 2009. IMechE. Retrieved 22November2008. This lecture will cover the history of the Peppercorn Class A1s, the design and manufacturing of the 50th A1 Tornado and its first 6 months of operation in main line service. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ^ a b "£300,000 in grants awarded". News archive. A1 Steam Locomotive Trust. 1996. Retrieved 22 November 2008. Tornado will be a completely new steam locomotive, built from the original 1940s drawings and is therefore neither a restoration project nor a replica, but the next in the original series, the 50th Peppercorn Class A1.
  8. ^ "Latest Computer Technology used at NRM". News archive. A1 Steam Locomotive Trust. 1993. Retrieved 22 November 2008. The A1 Project is [using CAD] in making modifications to correct A1 faults such as rough-riding just as the LNER/Eastern Region would have done if steam had continued
  9. ^ Mark Branagan (11 December 2008). "Golden age of steam comes back to life in newly-built loco". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 12 December 2008. She will be unveiled in the eye-catching apple green livery of the LNER – the London & North Eastern Railway – at the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York on Saturday in front of 500 people who funded the construction of the locomotive. Apple green was the original colour carried by the first 30 of the 49 Peppercorn class A1s
  10. ^ "Public unveiling for steam train". BBC News. 13 December 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008. She was unveiled in apple green, the colour carried by the first 30 Peppercorn class A1s.
  11. ^ Longworth (not including Tornado)
  12. ^ Railuk database (not including Tornado)
  13. ^ RCTS (not including Tornado)
  14. ^ Yeadon (not including Tornado)
  15. ^ A1LST history section (not including Tornado)
  16. ^ Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, summer 1961 edition, part 4, pp 26-27 )Names of 60114-60162 are given but it also includes the LNER Thompson Class A1/1 60113 Great Northern in the list, making 50 locomotives.)
  17. ^ http://www.a1steam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=69

Further reading

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