The LNER Encyclopedia

A couple of shots of LNER Y7 No.1310 at the Middleton Railway on the 22nd April during some sharp April showers.

Cracking little engine, well done to all involved in the restoration of the engine =]

Video Available Here

Ay up!

She always looks to me like she's shrunk in the wash

A lovely little loco, ive seen both survivors in action.

My wife used the term "cute". I don't think I've ever heard it applied to a steam engine before!

What would the haulage capacity of a Y7 be? Could it move a pacific around a station yard for example?

Yes. I have a photo in a book of either a Y7 or Y8 (I'm pretty certain it was a Y7 - the Y8 was even smaller!) with a V2 or Pacific at York.

Richard

richard wrote:Yes. I have a photo in a book of either a Y7 or Y8 (I'm pretty certain it was a Y7 - the Y8 was even smaller!) with a V2 or Pacific at York.

Richard

Now, that would be something to see!

The nearest I can get is this:

Found it, it is a Y8. RCTS Locomotives of the LNER Part 9B (Q1-Z5 tank engines), Figure 108.
Caption reads "Class Y8 No. 8091 acting as shed pilot at York c.1947."
The accompanying loco is a V2 (number not visible). As with the above photo, the centre line of the Y8's boiler is just below the bottom of the V2's boiler.

For comparison, the Y7 is quoted at 25'4" over buffers and 11,041lb TE vs. the Y8's 17' 10.5" and 5999lb TE.
Ie. the Y7 had almost double the tractive effort (@ 85% cutoff) of the Y8!

2002EarlMarischal wrote:What would the haulage capacity of a Y7 be? Could it move a pacific around a station yard for example?

You can use the tractive effort estimate to get an idea of the load a loco will move. Steam era stock needed something in the range 0.3 - 0.5% of its weight as force exerted on the drawbar to get it rolling at low speed on level track. So even 160 tons of pacific 'only' needs 0.8 ton force, thick end of 2,000lb tractive effort. Actually it needs a bit more than that, because all the engine components have to be broken out, and are then quite draggy, and even more so when the valve chests and cylinders are cold, with rings and shafts glued in place if any steam cylinder oil is around as it should be. There's also the little matter of yard track typically not being of the highest quality with sags and humps to be got over...

Great video. Despite having lived in Leeds for 6 months before, and having a keen interest in NER locomotives, I've never made the trip to Middleton but hope to rectify that this year. It's also home to one of my other favourite locomotives, Sentinel 68153

Hatfield Shed wrote:

2002EarlMarischal wrote:What would the haulage capacity of a Y7 be? Could it move a pacific around a station yard for example?

You can use the tractive effort estimate to get an idea of the load a loco will move. Steam era stock needed something in the range 0.3 - 0.5% of its weight as force exerted on the drawbar to get it rolling at low speed on level track. So even 160 tons of pacific 'only' needs 0.8 ton force, thick end of 2,000lb tractive effort. Actually it needs a bit more than that, because all the engine components have to be broken out, and are then quite draggy, and even more so when the valve chests and cylinders are cold, with rings and shafts glued in place if any steam cylinder oil is around as it should be. There's also the little matter of yard track typically not being of the highest quality with sags and humps to be got over...

Or as another example.
I have moved a Bullied pacific in Barry scrapyard initially with 2 x 5 ton tirfor jacks, once it was moving we managed to keep it going with one.

I think the Middleton is a very underated line, one of the joys of it to me is the visitors are genuinely interested but not the type who run around trying to get the best angles etc and who get annoyed when other passengers are in the way. I have always found the staff very helpful and chatty.
You will be in for a disapointment if the Sentinel is still a kit of parts in the yard.
There is a prototype for everything as the North Sunderland used a Y7 on passenger trains from Chathill to Seahouses.

Another little gem worth looking out for at Middleton is the little Danish shunter.

I understand the Sentinel is now at the front of the queue - so determined work has start (or soon will start) to get it going again.

When I saw it, it was a kit of parts, although looking better than the Y7 at the time! The Sentinel boiler was elsewhere - a low priority overhaul with someone else who had a Sentinel boiler iirc.