The Last Steam Engines Built

[The Stationmaster]

16 hours ago, Neil Phillips said:

Since 0-6-0PTs 9400-9 were the last locomotives built at Swindon Works in GWR days I've always thought that for its historical significance it should be 9409 on display in the STEAM Museum there instead of 9400.

At the other end of the build I have read that 3409 was the last main line steam locomotive built for BR by private contractors. Makes sense, it wasn't constructed until 1956. Hmm, I wonder which BR emblem would have been applied to the sides of the last few then.....?

Not entirely correct.  Swindon was still turning out 2251 Class 0-6-0s after the first batch of 94XX completed delivery in May 1947.  As far as I can trace the last engine Swindon built and delivered in GWR ownership was 3217 in December 1947.  3409, delivered in October 1956 was definitely the last engine of GWR design to be delivered and as no BR Standards were built by outside contractors it probably was the last steam engine from outside builders to be delivered to BR.

[Wickham Green too]

11 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

.... 3409, delivered in October 1956 was .... probably was the last steam engine from outside builders to be delivered to BR.

..... though you could argue that that accolade could go to 48773/4 in 1957 !

[pH]

13 minutes ago, Wickham Green too said:

..... though you could argue that that accolade could go to 48773/4 in 1957 !

... and 48775!

[Halvarras]

3 hours ago, The Johnster said:

It must have been a unicycling lion, with black backed number plates, in 1956, but it definitely had a ferret and dartboard when I remember it at Radyr in the 60s, so it must have had at least one overhaul in it's short working life.  I've modelled Tondu's 8448, delivered new to the shed in 1954 and withdrawn from the shed in early 1959, never overhualed or allox anywhere else.  Currently a Limbach but the number plates'll be xfer to the new Bachmann when it comes.

 

I put a Limbach together about two years ago, since I had an 8750 going spare and fancied the challenge. When finished it will be Truro's last one 8486 - an online search turned up a brilliant colour pic of it at Reading 9/63 with the later emblem, I'm pretty sure it still had the earlier version at Truro in 1961 but I'd prefer the later one....... (another strange sight there that year was 5744 exhausting through its chimney liner, having had a spark arrestor removed - I have an old Baccy model and a bit of aluminium tube standing by for that as I didn't want to deface a nice new one!!)

39 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

Not entirely correct.  Swindon was still turning out 2251 Class 0-6-0s after the first batch of 94XX completed delivery in May 1947.  As far as I can trace the last engine Swindon built and delivered in GWR ownership was 3217 in December 1947.  3409, delivered in October 1956 was definitely the last engine of GWR design to be delivered and as no BR Standards were built by outside contractors it probably was the last steam engine from outside builders to be delivered to BR.

 

Oh, interesting. OK, the source I got the 9409 pointer from was either incorrect or I misunderstood. Never mind then, 3217 wouldn't fit where 9400 currently stands at STEAM!

 

26 minutes ago, Wickham Green too said:

..... though you could argue that that accolade could go to 48773/4 in 1957 !

 

12 minutes ago, pH said:

... and 48775!

 

Oh heavens, I'm out of my depth now - ask me something about diesel hydraulics!!

[pH]

42 minutes ago, Wickham Green too said:

..... though you could argue that that accolade could go to 48773/4 in 1957 !

 

28 minutes ago, pH said:

... and 48775!

Apologies, you are correct. I see 48775 was built at Crewe.

[LMS2968]

17 minutes ago, pH said:

 

Apologies, you are correct. I see 48775 was built at Crewe.

Yes, as LMS 8025, and survived still with its large WD top feed housing to the bitter end, August 1968.

[Wickham Green too]

48775 was, indeed built at Crewe and started out as ( LMS ) railway property - whereas the other two only carried LMS livery while on loan and didn't become ( nationalised ) railway property until they returned from travelling the world with the Forces.

Edited June 11, 2020 by Wickham Green too
photo

[Compound2632]

The Maryport & Carlisle Railway bought engines in - among the last were some big 0-6-0s by the Yorkshire Engine Co. - but it also built some in its Maryport works - any info as to which was the last? Smellie's Class 13 2-4-0s were built there in the 1870s - No. 10 built 1878; also his Class 4 0-4-2s, No. 4 built 1879. However I presume 0-4-4WT No. 26 of 1897 was built at Maryport too.

[Compound2632]

Ireland:

• Inchicore (GS&WR / GSR) E.C. Bredin's Class 800 4-6-0 No. 802, 1940 (ignoring Bulleid's turf burner of 1957).
• Broadstone (MGWR) W.H. Morton's Class Fb 0-6-0 (GSR J6), 1924 (unless one counts the Woolwich Moguls built from kits).
• Dundalk (GNR) Charles Clifford's Class LQG 0-6-0s of 1908.
• Limerick (WLWR) J.G. Robinson's 0-4-4T No. 27 of 1899.
• Grand Canal Street (DSER) R. Cronin's 4-4-2T No. 20 of 1911.

Grand Canal Street also takes the credit for being the first railway company-owned workshop in the world to build a locomotive, a 2-2-2T completed on 4 April 1841.

 

 

[Ken.W]

Gateshead, NER; W Worsdell's X Class 3-cyl 4-8-0T Nos. 1350-1359 of 1909, the last 4 completed 1910. (LNER T1)

These, interestingly, had the three cylinders and valve chests in a single casting.

 

Due to lack of space for expansion all new construction was subsequently concentrated at Darlington works

[kevinlms]

11 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

48775 was, indeed built at Crewe and started out as ( LMS ) railway property - whereas the other two only carried LMS livery while on loan and didn't become ( nationalised ) railway property until they returned from travelling the world with the Forces.

Yes, it ought to have carried the number 48025.

[LMS2968]

8025 was requisitioned from the LMS in September 1941 as WD 583. What became BR 48774 was built by North British Loco as WD320 but loaned to the LMS as 8246 before return to the WD in September 1941. 48773, now preserved, was also NB built as WD 307 and loaned to LMS as 8233; she has carried all three numbers in preservation. At various times in WD ownership it also carried the numbers 870307, 41.109 and 500.

 

The history of the 8Fs is very complex and it is probable that the origins of the three purchased by BR in 1957 were unknown, and rather than dig into records they were simply given the next three numbers on the 8F series.*

 

The photo is of 8773 after its 1966 Heavy Intermediate overhaul at Crewe, when it lost the oversized top feed so should no longer have carried the cabside yellow stripe. 8774/75 retained the bigger top feed to withdrawal, but never carried the stripe.

 

* The three were overhauled at Eastleigh prior to delivery to Polmadie shed, and the Southern, not recognising the correct class, originally numbered them in the WD series, 90733-35.

Edited June 12, 2020 by LMS2968
Extra information.

[AMJ]

Interesting topic, to make mention again of private builders as various people were trying to find the earliest of the closures and last locos taking Leeds as top trump card.

The first commercial builder of locos was Fenton, Murray & Jackson who went bankrupt in 1843. having built locos from 1812 in the Round Foundry.  

 

Ignoring Glasgow's output the various Leeds builders made more engines than any other city in the UK.  With the first and last industrial rather than experimental or recreational uses of steam locos produced.  See link in my footer.

[Steamport Southport]

3 minutes ago, AMJ said:

Interesting topic, to make mention again of private builders as various people were trying to find the earliest of the closures and last locos taking Leeds as top trump card.

The first commercial builder of locos was Fenton, Murray & Jackson who went bankrupt in 1843. having built locos from 1812 in the Round Foundry.  

 

Ignoring Glasgow's output the various Leeds builders made more engines than any other city in the UK.  With the first and last industrial rather than experimental or recreational uses of steam locos produced.  See link in my footer.

 

I thought that was Vulcan in Newton Le Willows and Beyer Peacock in Manchester.

 

They were building locomotives for export by the thousand. Not piddling little industrials either.

 

 

 

Jason

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, Steamport Southport said:

I thought that was Vulcan in Newton Le Willows and Beyer Peacock in Manchester.

 

They were building locomotives for export by the thousand. Not piddling little industrials either.

 

Maybe Manchester wins on tonnage and Leeds on absolute numbers?

 

For Manchester, don't forget Sharp, Stewart until they relocated to Glasgow.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Compound2632

[melmerby]

Melton Constable (M&GNR) built 19 locos, any idea which was the last?

[Compound2632]

14 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Melton Constable (M&GNR) built 19 locos, any idea which was the last?

 

The 4-4-2T No. 9 was the last, completed in March 1910.

 

Cylinders, motion, and wheels were made by Beyer Peacock - but many works bought in components. St Rollox bought in crank axles, one of which broke on the up "Corridor" - fortunately without too disastrous consequences but causing great embarrassment.

 

Have we had the last St Rollox engine?

Edited June 13, 2020 by Compound2632

[JeremyC]

On 10/06/2020 at 15:58, Wheatley said:

I did look for Cowlairs, honest, but the best I could could find was "ceased after Grouping" with no detail. Still looking for Kilmarnock (G&SWR), there must be others which went much earlier. 

 

Wigtown - rebuild of Wigtownshire Railway No.1 from 0-6-0T to 0-4-2WT in the goods shed in 1883. WR No.4 had similarly been rebuilt twice before that so not a one-off but hardly a major works. Does that count ?  

I think the last loco built at Cowlairs was in 1924, the final N15 LNER No. 9227 (69224)

Edited June 13, 2020 by JeremyC

[JeremyC]

St Margarets in Edinburgh is better known as a loco shed, but was the original North British Railway locomotive works. According to Harry Knox's book on St Margarets the last engine built there was NBR  No17 an 0-6-0 goods loco built in 1869.

Edited June 13, 2020 by JeremyC

[tomparryharry]

On 12/06/2020 at 01:43, Ken.W said:

Gateshead, NER; W Worsdell's X Class 3-cyl 4-8-0T Nos. 1350-1359 of 1909, the last 4 completed 1910. (LNER T1)

These, interestingly, had the three cylinders and valve chests in a single casting.

 

Due to lack of space for expansion all new construction was subsequently concentrated at Darlington works

 

A 3-cylinder type pattern is also used on the V2 locomotives. Due to its size, it requires 4 simultaneous pours; Front,back, left & right. The front & rear pours go to ensuring the quality of the casting.  I don't know what weight the casting made, but with 4 ladles going at once, that's a bit hit!

 

I used to have the Institute books, but after several moves, Lord know where.  

Edited June 15, 2020 by tomparryharry
Technical clean-up.

[pH]

23 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Have we had the last St Rollox engine?

Yes:

 

[pH]

On 10/06/2020 at 07:58, Wheatley said:

Still looking for Kilmarnock (G&SWR), there must be others which went much earlier. 

Go down this page to “R.H. Whitelegg”.
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotives_of_the_Glasgow_and_South_Western_Railway

 

There were 3 engines built at Kilmarnock in 1921, but no indication of which months, so can’t say from this which was the last. All 3 engines were new builds to the design of Whitelegg ‘rebuilds’ of older engines. 

 

Edited June 14, 2020 by pH

[Wickham Green too]

According to the British Locomotive Catalogue 4-4-0 No.485 & 0-6-0 No.150 were completed in July '21 and 0-6-0 No.151 in December - so the latter should be the loco you're looking for !

[CKPR]

On 11/06/2020 at 20:55, Compound2632 said:

The Maryport & Carlisle Railway bought engines in - among the last were some big 0-6-0s by the Yorkshire Engine Co. - but it also built some in its Maryport works - any info as to which was the last? Smellie's Class 13 2-4-0s were built there in the 1870s - No. 10 built 1878; also his Class 4 0-4-2s, No. 4 built 1879. However I presume 0-4-4WT No. 26 of 1897 was built at Maryport too.

This is complicated by the fact that some M&CR engines were built, rebuilt and then rebuilt again at Maryport. According to Simmons (1947), the last engine built new at Maryport was the third M&CR No. 1 in 1900 whilst the last rebuilds were in 1921-23.  After 1900, new engines were bought in from NBL (1908)  and YEC (1922).

Edited June 15, 2020 by CKPR