Vincent Raven N.E.R./LNER Designs

[neildimmer]

I have added a new collection of photos featuring Vincent Raven C7 (NER Class Z) 4-4-2 Atlantics
This first part features the locos in the N.E.R./LNER era (second part will deal with the Gresley modified locos)
Including this photo of
721 taking part in the Stockton & Darlington Centenary celebrations 21st June 1925
https://tinyurl.com/4wbwv94n
Full collection of new photos start here with N.E.R. and later LNER 3 digit numbering
701 in N.E.R. livery at Benningborough with a Newcastle-York express
https://tinyurl.com/357uv6a9
to
734
https://tinyurl.com/3kz33f2c
N.E.R./LNER 4 digit numbers start here with
2195
https://tinyurl.com/2p8uu7zr
to
2993
https://tinyurl.com/282cwy24

Neil
https://tinyurl.com/4wbwv94n

[neildimmer]

I have added a new collection of photos featuring Vincent Raven C7 (NER Class Z) 4-4-2 Atlantics

This second part features the locos in the N.E.R./LNER era with the Gresley modified locos

Starting here with
732 had Lentz rotary cam-operated valve gear fitted by Gresley from a Raven C7
https://tinyurl.com/yrsfvwuk

Neil

[neildimmer]

Compared to many other British main lines, the East Coast main line generally lacked severe gradients, but trains heading south from Edinburgh had to climb Cockburnspath Bank, a 4.5 mile winding gradient of 1 in 96. Double heading of heavy passenger trains was essential before the A1 Pacifics appeared in large numbers, and very common in the early days of the LNER. Gresley considered double heading wasteful, and created the C9 Class by rebuilding two Raven C7s with boosters as an experiment to solve the problem. Before Grouping (1923), Gresley had studied USA booster performance and had rebuilt one Ivatt C1 Atlantic with a booster on the rear pony truck. During the mid-1920s, the rebuilt C1 performed a series of trials on the Cockburnspath Bank. Fitting the booster to the rear pony truck of the C1 suffered from the large weight of the booster (20 tons), and the lack of space for adequate springing for a smooth ride. To overcome these problems, a scheme was devised where the pony truck was replaced with a two axle bogie that was also shared with the tender. The scheme was developed into a plan to rebuild two C7s with boosters and larger boilers. Nos. 727 and 2171 entered Darlington for repairs in early 1931, and selected for these rebuilds. Both left Darlington for trials at the end of 1931. There was some early confusion over their designation. During early trials they were referred to as 'C7 with booster', but the Locomotive Running Superintendent has been quoted as saying that they were described to him as '4-4-4-4's, ie. an articulated tank locomotive! For simplicity in incorporating the engines in the existing LNER classification scheme, the booster was considered split between the engine and the tender to give a 4-4-2 with 6-wheeled tender. From February 1932, they were officially classed as C9. The boilers also differed from standard C7 boilers in that their internal design followed Doncaster practice (rather than Darlington), and they had Robinson superheaters (rather than Schmidt). The internal tube arrangement of the boilers matched that of the Diagram 100 boilers used on the B17s.With non-standard boilers, withdrawals of the two C9s were relatively early. No. 2171 was withdrawn in April 1942, and No. 727 was withdrawn in January 1943. (LNER Encyclopedia)

727 unknown location
https://tinyurl.com/2p9hhva9
2171 Darlington with a mail train 1933
https://tinyurl.com/2p8wswcx

Neil
https://tinyurl.com/2p9hhva9

[neildimmer]

Vincent Raven became the North Eastern Railway's (NER) CME in 1910, and continued the transition to more powerful locomotives to meet the NER's immediate needs. The Class S2 (LNER B15) was Raven's first 4-6-0, and was designed for mixed traffic work unlike the NER's existing 4-6-0s (B13 and B14). The Class S2 incorporated a larger diameter boiler, following the successful use of such boilers on other recent NER designs. The design was finalised June 1911 and an initial batch of ten was built between 1911 and 1912. A second batch of ten was ordered in February 1912, and was built between 1912 and 1913.
786 with mixed service passenger and parcels service near Goswick 1928
https://tinyurl.com/47rd88ck
The last B15, No. 825, was built with Stumpf Uniflow cylinders.

825 unknown location May 1923 built with Stumpf Uniflow cylinders
https://tinyurl.com/ysharvcp

Neil
https://tinyurl.com/47rd88ck

[neildimmer]

I have added a new collection featuring Vincent Raven Q7 (NER Class T3) 0-8-0 Locomotives
North Eastern Railway Class T3, classified Q7 by the LNER is a class of 0-8-0 steam locomotive designed for heavy freight. Five were built by the NER in 1919 and a further 10 by the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1924.
The first of the T3s, No.901 was outshopped from Darlington Works in November 1919. A month later the NER organised a test train, over the Newcastle to Carlisle line, including a brake van and the company's dynamometer car to record the locomotive's performance. No.901 had 1,402 long tons (1,424 t; 1,570 short tons) in tow but handled the load with ease, registering both high power and steady acceleration. There were no problems starting on a 1 in 298 (0.335 %) grade and on the return, with a reduced load of 787 long tons (800 t; 881 short tons), the engine was untroubled by gradients as severe as 1 in 107 (0.93 %).
Despite their prowess, the original quintet of T3s was not augmented by the North Eastern Railway under the LNER. it authorised the construction of ten additional T3s and these emerged from Darlington Works during 1924.
Of the new engines two were allocated to York and a further four went to Hull. The remaining four gravitated to their natural habitat, Tyne Dock depot near South Shields. It was there eventually that all 15 T3s/Q7s congregated. Here they performed the role they were designed for. This was to haul 700-long-ton (710 t; 780-short-ton) rakes of iron ore hoppers to the steelworks at Consett 1,000 ft (305 m) above sea level. On the steepest section, as severe as 1 in 35 (2.86 %) in places, one 0-8-0 pulled while another pushed.
British Railways
All 15 passed into British Railways ownership in 1948 and they were numbered 63460-63474. They remained master of their task till the arrival of BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0s in the 1950s. With the loss of their bread and butter work British Railways retired all 15 of the Q7s in November and December 1962.

The first loco of the class NER 901 (BR 63460) has been preserved
Seen here in B.R. era
63460 & 62027 Carr House West Consett RCTS & SLS tour 28th September 1963
https://tinyurl.com/4np2yhd2
and as LNER 901 AT Bank Top Shed
https://tinyurl.com/5n73tcvs
Full collection starts here with
63460 Bishop Auckland R.C.T.S & S.L.S. North Eastern Rail Tour 27th September - 1st October 1963
https://tinyurl.com/27v4md48
to
63474 Durham 16th July 1951
https://tinyurl.com/5zxehxmv

Neil
https://tinyurl.com/4np2yhd2

[neildimmer]

I have added a couple of new photos to the collection of Ravens A2 pacific
The first London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Class A2 was a class of 4-6-2 steam locomotive designed by Vincent Raven for the North Eastern Railway Two were built by the NER in 1922 before the grouping and another three by the LNER in 1924. Their LNER numbers were 2400–2404. All five locomotives were named by the LNER.
The NER was the largest and most prosperous of the railway companies that would make up the LNER from 1923 and provided the general manager of the new railway company. However the chief mechanical engineer of the NER, Sir Vincent Raven was at retirement age and the new post was eventually offered to Nigel Gresley of the Great Northern Railway. He had introduced a powerful new A1 Class Pacific in April 1922, and Raven was anxious to show that the NER could keep up with the race for increased power. Raven's rival design was authorised at the same time as the introduction of the A1 class publicised in the railway press in July 1922 although the first two examples did not appear from Darlington Railway Works until late December, and only one of them ran before the beginnings of the LNER.
The new class was an enlarged version of the successful Z class Atlantics (later LNER C7 class) with a larger boiler, larger cylinders and wide firebox. The boiler pressure was also increased to 200 psi (1.38 MPa). They shared with the Gresley K3 class the record for the largest diameter boiler in Britain, at 6 ft (1.83 m). Also, because of the great length of their parallel boilers, the locomotives earned the nickname 'Skittle-alleys'.

2402 City of York & 2401 City of Kingston upon Hull unknown location
https://tinyurl.com/4n8zspnu
2402 City of York on the right and Gresley A1's 2596,2573,2563
https://tinyurl.com/2s39k9zp

Neil
https://tinyurl.com/4n8zspnu

[neildimmer]

Raven NER Class S3/LNER Class B16 4-6-0

The North Eastern Railway Class S3, classified B16 by the LNER, was a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotive designed for mixed traffic work. It was designed by Vincent Raven and introduced in 1920. The earlier members of this class were fitted with Westinghouse Brakes - all of this equipment was removed during the 1930s.
After World War I, the NER experienced an increase in both freight and passenger traffic. The North Eastern Railway's express goods services were being handled by the S Class (LNER B13), S1 Class (LNER B14), and S2 Class (LNER B15) 4-6-0s, which were difficult to operate and had a high coal consumption. After superheating, all three classes proved to be much more free-steaming. However, the locomotives still struggled to keep to time with the increase in traffic. Meanwhile, express passenger traffic was being handled by the V and V/09 Classes (LNER C6) and Z Class (LNER C7) Atlantics, as well as the R Class (LNER D20) and R1 Class (LNER D21) 4-4-0s. Even though the Atlantics were doing well, the 4-4-0s were also starting to struggle with the increasing train loads. The solution came in 1919, when the NER's chief mechanical engineer, Vincent Raven came up with a 4-6-0 that could be used on both express passenger trains and express goods trains. To provide a good balance between speed and adhesion, 5-foot 8-inch driving wheels were chosen. The NER's three-cylinder layout was also used to provide plenty of power and speed. This arrangement had been used by Raven's predecessor, Wilson Worsdell and first used on his X Class (LNER T1) 4-8-0 Tanks of 1909 and his Y Class (LNER A7) Pacific Tanks of 1910. All three cylinders used Stephenson link motion. On the Y Class, the cylinders drove the front driving axle; on the X Class, meanwhile, they drove the second axle. In both cases, this provided a powerful locomotive that was also easy to maintain and repair. The boiler would also be interchangeable with the T3 Class (LNER Q7) 0-8-0s, much like the S2s, which had interchangeable wheels and cylinders with the S Class and interchangeable cylinders and boilers with the T2 Class (LNER Q6) 0-8-0s. The result was the S3 Class (LNER B16), with the first five members, Nos. 840-844 appearing in December 1919 from Darlington Works.
Seventy S3/B16 locomotives were built between 1919 and 1924. The NER began numbering this class in the range No. 840 through to No. 943 (though not contiguously), those built after late 1922 (from No. 2365 onwards) directly receiving their LNER number. By the Groupings of 1923, thirty-eight locomotives passed to the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), which built thirty-two more starting with No. 2366 on January 4, 1923, and ending with Nos. 1384 and 1385 on January 1, 1924. Twenty-four of the class were rebuilt starting in the 1930s and 1940s. The original Raven-designed locomotives were designated class B16/1. Gresley rebuilt seven of the B16/1s, becoming class B16/2. Thompson, meanwhile, ordered seventeen B16/1s be rebuilt, these being designated class B16/3. Under the LNER, the B16s hardly ever left the North East. Their duties included fast freights, express passenger trains, excursions to Scarborough, and even football specials. During World War II, some of the B16s moved to the Great Central Main Line, working around Banbury and Woodford Halse After World War II, the B16s were used on their pre-war duties but were also used as far south as Peterborough, where they substituted for a failed V2 2-6-2 or a Thompson B1. The 1940s also saw the entire class receive new boilers, the last one being refitted in the late 1950s. Under the LNER renumbering scheme, of 1946, they received numbers 1400-1468. All but one of the B16s survived into BR ownership, being renumbered 61400-61468. (Nos. 61400-61409 were later renumbered 61469-61478 to give their old numbers to the last ten of Thompson's B1 Class). From WIKIPEDIA

This 1st collection features the original Raven locomotives designated B16/1
Including this photo of
61429 double heads a Stanier Black 5 possibly at York
https://tinyurl.com/2p8venzy
Full collection of 140 photos starts here with
NER/LNER era
https://tinyurl.com/2p8fevp9
to
2381
https://tinyurl.com/2p9aa3en

B.R. era starts here with
61400
https://tinyurl.com/yckjxrjt
to
61478
https://tinyurl.com/4cktmjax

Neil
https://tinyurl.com/2p8venzy

[neildimmer]

N.E.R./LNER : Raven H1 4-4-4T

Raven introduced these locomotives in 1913 to haul light express passenger trains over short distances. After the initial order of 20 locomotives, a second order was placed in 1914 but was cancelled due to World War I. 25 more engines were built between 1920 and 1922. The H1s mainly worked the coastal trains between Saltburn and Scarborough, as well as fast residential services in the Leeds - Harrogate area. Despite their speed, power, and compactness; the H1s were never a very popular class. They were later rebuilt by Gresley as A8 4-6-2T

Full collection of just 9 photos starts here with
2147 in North Eastern Livery
https://tinyurl.com/bdxbsz6x

Neil

[jwealleans]

1499 in this series has already been converted to A8, Neil.

[neildimmer]

I have added 2 new photos to the collection of Ravens B16 this collection features B16/2 Raven design/Gresley rebuild

61438 Scarborough Gresley B16-2 rebuild of Raven B16-1
https://tinyurl.com/2p8axxa9
61455 arriving at York from Scarborough line 13th July 1963
https://tinyurl.com/2p8axxa9

Neil
https://tinyurl.com/2p8axxa9

[neildimmer]

1499 in this series has already been converted to A8, Neil.

Thanks photo removed

Neil

[neildimmer]

I have added 2 new photos to the collection of Ravens B16 this collection features B16/2 Raven design/Gresley rebuild

61438 Scarborough Gresley B16-2 rebuild of Raven B16-1
https://tinyurl.com/3zvepada

61455 arriving at York from Scarborough line 13th July 1963
https://tinyurl.com/2p8axxa9

Neil
https://tinyurl.com/3zvepada

[neildimmer]

First of a 2 part collection featuring the Raven design/Gresley rebuild B16/2
Pt 1 : R.C.T.S. (West Riding Branch) The North Yorkshireman Rail Tour 25th April 1964 hauled by 61435 (also 67646+ 42639 featured in this tour)
61435 at Starbeck
https://tinyurl.com/a53y33tf
at Northallerton
https://tinyurl.com/m3539vm8
at Hawes
https://tinyurl.com/3df65x54
at Harrogate
https://tinyurl.com/2ssk9msd

Neil
https://tinyurl.com/a53y33tf

[neildimmer]

Collection of photos of the final rebuild of the Raven B16

This collection features the Thompson rebuilt locos B16/3

Including this clean looking loco at Thirsk
61472 at Thirsk
https://tinyurl.com/3y69wpdp

full collection of over 55 photos starts here with
61417 piloting a D49 near Scarborough July 1960
https://tinyurl.com/yc5hsmnj

Neil
https://tinyurl.com/3y69wpdp