The LNER Encyclopedia

I have added a small collection of locos designed by Thomas Wheatley designs between 1867-1874
Wheatley became the North British Railway's (NBR) Locomotive Superintendent in February 1867, and found a railway experiencing increasing prosperity. The NBR had also completed a series of amalgamations, and had greatly increased in size. These changes resulted in an urgent need for larger mineral and freight locomotives. Wheatley quickly met this need with his new Class E (LNER J31) design. These locomotives were noted for being larger and more robust than the existing Hurst locomotives. To meet the urgent need, twenty six J31s were built between 1867 and 1869 by contractors (Neilson & Co. and Dubs & Co). These were followed by a total of sixty two engines built at Cowlairs in six batches between 1869 and 1875. The last of these batches was built under the tenure of Drummond before he introduced his NBR Class C (LNER J32) freight locomotives

Wheatley J31 (NBR Class R) 0-6-0 Locomotives

381

https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-LbCn3sj


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years

1132


https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-DwxPVZf


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years
10146

https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-D8dGSfN


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years

10206 Kipps c1936 with cut down chinmey

https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-XGqBJFx


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years
No.1


https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-N6WGhf4


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years
A total of eight of Wheatley's Class P 2-4-0s were built in 1873 at Cowlairs. These engines were originally built with 16in x 22in cylinders. During Drummond's tenure, the Class Ps received a number of detail modifications and variations, including the addition of smokebox wingplates. At least one (No. 428) received a round cab, and five received names
Although Wheatley pioneered the use of inside cylinder 4-4-0 locomotives for express passenger work in the British Isles, all of these locomotives were withdrawn before Grouping (1923). In fact, the six Class E7 2-4-0s were his only North British Railway (NBR) express designs to survive into LNER ownership. This was probably due to them being rebuilt twice during their lives.


10247


https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-8Q4qLBS


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years

Wheatley J81 (NBR Class E) 0-6-0 Tank Engines


https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-ggXC5WB


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years

Neil

Thanks for the pics Neil.
The J31 is particularly handsome.
I'm surprised at the lack of weather protection for the footplate crew in all these locos except for the 2-4-0.
Was this normal loco practice in the mid to late 1800s?
Interestingly, Thomas Wheatley resigned 'under a cloud' from the NBR, and moved 'down south' to the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Railway in1875. I wonder what the cloud was?

I have added some new photos to the collection of Wheatley designed locos for the N.B.R.

1178 Wheatley J31 (NBR Class R) 0-6-0 Locomotives


https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-MFqQXXs


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years
10146 Cowlairs c1928 Wheatley E7 (NBR Class P) 2-4-0

https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-xcVP55w


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years
10247 Cowlairs c1928 Wheatley E7 (NBR Class P) 2-4-0

https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-hpCNhBX


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years
Wheatley J31 (NBR Class R) 0-6-0 Locomotives


https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-DwxPVZf


Wheatley designed assorted locos - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years
And further info has been provided on this previously mentioned photo


https://railway-photography.smugmug.com ... /i-LbCn3sj


381 Wheatley J31 Many thanks to Roderick Low for the following : The picture of the J31 above (with a '3' on its smokebox) is interesting as this is the locomotive the LNER chose to represent the 'olden days' during the 1825 - 1925 celebrations of 100 year
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years
Neil