WD Austerity 2-8-0

WD Austerity 2-8-0

90733 at Haworth, 15 July 2007

Type and origin Power type Steam Designer R.A. Riddles Builder North British Locomotive Company Vulcan Foundry Build date 1943–45 Total produced 935

Specifications Configuration 2-8-0 UIC class 1′D h2 Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 2 in (965 mm) Driver dia. 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) Adhesive weight 61 long tons 5 cwt (137,200 lb or 62.2 t) Loco 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 cap 5,000 imperial gallons (23,000 l; 6,000 US gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 28.6 sq ft (2.66 m2) Boiler pressure 225 lbf/in2 (1.55 MPa) Heating surface:  • Tubes 1,068 sq ft (99.2 m2)  • Flues 451 sq ft (41.9 m2)  • Firebox 168 sq ft (15.6 m2) Superheater: ​  • Type 28-element Melesco  • Heating 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

Performance figures Tractive effort 34,215 lbf (152.20 kN)

Career Power class 8F Axle load class Route availability 6 Disposition One preserved, remainder scrapped.

The War Department (WD) "Austerity" 2-8-0 is a type of heavy freight steam locomotive that was introduced in 1943 for war service. A total of 935 were built, making this one of the most-produced classes of British steam locomotive.

The Austerity 2-8-0 was based on the LMS Class 8F, which until that point had been the government's standard design. Various modifications were made to the 8F design by R.A. Riddles in order to prioritise low cost over design life. These included a boiler of simpler construction which was parallel rather than tapered and a round-topped firebox rather than a Belpaire firebox. The firebox was made of steel rather than the rarer and more expensive copper.

The North British Locomotive Company (NBL) of Glasgow built 545 (split between their two works at Hyde Park and Queen's Park) and the Vulcan Foundry (VF) of Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, built 390. North British also built a larger 2-10-0 version.

WD nos. 800–879 were ordered as LMS Class 8F. No. 9312, the last one built, was named Vulcan when new. NBL builder's plates were not all in correct sequence, and were mixed up between the two works as well as between batches. All locomotives had their WD numbers increased by 70000 prior to shipping to mainland Europe; those completed after 5 September 1944 carried their 70000 series numbers from new. All but three (WD nos. 77223, 77369 and 79250) saw service with the British Army in mainland Europe after D-Day.