NSR New L Class

NSR New L Class
NSR New L class No. 2 at National Railway Museum Shildon.
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer John Henry Adams Builder NSR Stoke works Build date 1908–1923 Total produced 28
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-2T  • UIC C1 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 5 ft 0 in (1,524 mm) Trailing dia. 4 ft 0 in (1,219 mm) Wheelbase 23 ft 0 in (7.01 m) Length 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m) Height 12 ft 10 in (3.91 m) Loco weight 59 long tons 15 cwt (133,800 lb or 60.7 t) full Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 3 long tons 10 cwt (7,800 lb or 3.6 t) Water cap. 1,700 imp gal (7,700 L; 2,000 US gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 17.8 sq ft (1.65 m2) Boiler pressure 175 psi (1.21 MPa) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 108.3 sq ft (10.06 m2)  • Tubes and flues 1,011.7 sq ft (93.99 m2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 261 sq ft (24.2 m2) Cylinders Two, inside Cylinder size 18+1⁄2 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Career Operators North Staffordshire Railway London, Midland and Scottish Railway Class NSR: New L Class Power class 3F Number in class 28 Retired February 1928 – October 1937 Disposition 27 scrapped, 1 survivor

The North Staffordshire Railway (NSR) New L Class was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive designed by John H. Adams, third son of William Adams. They were designed as a development as the previous L Class, adding a boiler common to the M Class and differed from the L Class with, amongst other things higher bunker sides and new cab roofs, and the abandonment of the cast safety valve cover. 28 were built between 1908 and 1923, with the final four constructed under the auspices of the newly formed LMS with the whole class withdrawn by the end of 1937. There is one survivor.

The class were built at the NSR's Stoke works in four batches with a number of differences in weight, grate area and heating surfaces. Those built in 1913 had saturated Belpaire boilers identical to those on the H1 Class of 0-6-0s. The final batch had slightly fewer boiler tubes and did not have condensers nor lagging on the side tanks. in 1921 numbers 18 and 93 were experimentally converted to oil burning.

Although built primarily as a goods tank engine, it proved its worth on passenger trains as well and became an ideal mixed traffic tank locomotive. After grouping they travelled much further than any other NSR class, and thus became one of the most well known from the NSR.

All entered the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) stock upon formation in 1923, although with the LMS policy of standardisation, many NSR classes were prime targets for early scrapping due to the small size of the classes. As a result, all were withdrawn by the end of 1937. One was sold to the Longmoor Military Railway whilst four more were sold to Manchester Collieries Ltd. The rest were scrapped.

the Livery of the 'New L' Class was the NSR's Madder lake with straw lining, and NORTH STAFFORD lettering on the side tanks along with the company crest. the number appeared on the bunker. In LMS days some members of the class merely had the North Staffordshire lettering removed and the first few through the works received their new LMS number in NSR style. However, soon enough they received the standard plain black freight livery with large numerals on the side tanks.

No.2, one of the locomotives sold to the Manchester Collieries Ltd. was restored to NSR livery to celebrate the City of Stoke-on-Trent in 1960 and put on show at Crewe works staged by British Railways. It then returned to colliery work but was then saved for preservation by being placed in the Staffordshire County Council museum at Shugborough Hall. In 1984 it was moved to Chatterley Whitfield Mining museum, and at some point it moved into the National collection and was on display at NRM Shildon. In April 2016 it was delisted from the collection and donated to the Foxfield Railway Stoke on Trent for display and eventual overhaul.

List of Locomotives

NSR number	Built	LMS number	Withdrawn	Notes
98	December 1908	2246	May 1936
99	December 1908	2247	February 1928
156	November 1908	2248	June 1937
157	November 1908	2249	March 1936
93	June 1909	2250	July 1934	Experimentally converted to oil firing in 1921
94	June 1909	2251	July 1936
95	June 1909	2252	April 1934
158	June 1909	2253	March 1936	Sold to the Longmoor Military Railway.
51	April 1913	2254	April 1934
64	November 1913	2255	May 1936
65	November 1913	2256	May 1935
69	November 1913	2257	May 1937	Sold to Manchester Collieries
89	November 1913	2258	June 1934
96	May 1913	2259	October 1936
97	May 1913	2260	June 1934
172	June 1913	2261	February 1937
72	1920	2262	January 1937	Sold to Manchester Collieries
18	1921	2263	October 1936	Experimentally converted to oil firing in 1921
22	1921	2264	June 1936	Sold to Manchester Collieries
25	1921	2265	July 1936
26	1921	2266	December 1936
29	1921	2267	April 1935
27	1922	2268	January 1936
28	1922	2269	December 1934	Came into service after grouping.
1	1923	2270	October 1937	Came into service after grouping. Sold to Manchester Collieries.
2	1923	2271	October 1937	Came into service after grouping. Sold to Manchester Collieries. Initially preserved as part of the National Railway Museum collection. Subsequently donated to Foxfield Railway in April 2016 for display and eventual overhaul.
10	1923	2272	July 1935	Came into service after grouping.
48	1923	2273	February 1937	Came into service after grouping.