L&YR Class 5

L&YR Class 5

46762, the Wirral Railway survivor, at Preston in 1950

Type and origin Power type Steam Designer J. A. F. Aspinall Builder Horwich Works Order number Lots 1, 4, 11, 12, 16, 22, 27, 28, 30, 34, 35, 36, 38, 41 Build date 1889–1911 Total produced 310

Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-4-2T  • UIC 1′B1′ n2t Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge 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) Loco weight Short frame: 55.95 long tons (56.85 t; 62.66 short tons) Long frame: 59.15 long tons (60.10 t; 66.25 short tons) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity Short frame: 2.00 long tons (2.03 t; 2.24 short tons) Long frame: 3.15 long tons (3.20 t; 3.53 short tons) Water cap Short frame: 1,340 imp gal (6,100 l; 1,610 US gal) Long frame: 1,540 imp gal (7,000 l; 1,850 US gal) Boiler pressure 160 psi (1.10 MPa), some later 180 psi (1.24 MPa) Heating surface 1,216.4 sq ft (113.01 m2) Cylinders Two, inside Cylinder size Lots 1 & 4: 18 in × 26 in (457 mm × 660 mm) Remainder: 17 1⁄2 in × 26 in (444 mm × 660 mm) Valve gear Joy Valve type Slide valves

Performance figures Tractive effort 16,848–19,496 lbf (74.9–86.7 kN)

Career Operators Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway → London, Midland and Scottish Railway → British Railways Class L&YR: 5 Power class LMS/BR: 2P Number in class 1 January 1923: 278; 1 January 1948: 110 Numbers LMS: 10621–10954 Withdrawn 1927–1961 Disposition One preserved, remainder scrapped

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Class 5 and Class 6 were two related classes of 2-4-2T steam locomotives.

The class began as a John Aspinall design of 1889. The first locomotives had 18-by-26-inch (457 mm × 660 mm) cylinders for a tractive effort of 18,955 lbf (84.32 kN) and power class 2P. Some later-built locomotives from 1893 had smaller diameter cylinders of 17 inches (432 mm) for a tractive effort of 18,360 lbf (81.67 kN). The original coal bunker capacity was of 2 tons. From 1898, some were rebuilt with increased capacity for both water and now 4 tons of coal. 270 were built in total.

In 1905, Hughes introduced a Belpaire firebox to replace the original round-topped boiler. 40 were built. From 1910, this boiler was also fitted to rebuilt locomotives.

110 eventually came into British Railways hands in 1948. By 1961, all but three had been scrapped.

Some of these locomotives were also fitted for push-pull working, being coupled to a driving trailer coach that contained a driver's cab and allowed the train to be driven in reverse, without running the locomotive around the train at the terminus.

One locomotive, 632, was built by Hoy in 1902 with an experimental Druitt Halpin thermal storage apparatus. Similar in some respects to a Flaman boiler, this resembled a second short boiler drum atop the normal drum, in place of the dome. Other locomotives: 1015, 1164, 1315, 1335 & 1375 were similarly fitted in 1905. Ivatt also experimented with a similar device on a GNR 2-4-0. Neither appears to have been successful and after problems with mud and scale build-up, Hughes had them removed.

In 1906, class 5 no. 869 suffered a boiler explosion at The Oaks station, north of Bolton. The firebox crown sheet broke free of its rod stays and burst downwards, although without splitting. 57 of the 150 one-inch (25-mm) rod stays failed, the steam escaping through the remaining holes scalding the driver, although both footplate crew survived their injuries. The cause of the accident, which was the L&YR's second major boiler explosion in five years, was put down to poor washing out of the firebox water spaces when at Colne shed. Afterwards, 72 pounds (33 kg) of scale was collected. Although boilers were supposed to be washed out every eight days, this quantity suggests that it was up to three weeks since this had last been done thoroughly, either through omission or by inadequate washing.