GNR 18 Class 0-4-2

[GWRSwindon]

I'm trying to find out some more information on the 18 Class 0-4-2 locos. I believe they were considered express engines, at least until the Stirling Singles arrived.

Based gnr-history.org, Nos. 355, 358, and 959 were stored at Doncaster before being withdrawn in 1922, but I've also heard that No. 58A was sold to J. F. Waken making it to 1926.

[john coffin]

The class 18 was the first type of loco to actually be built at Doncaster, rather than by outside contractors.
They were not however, express engines. In later steam times, they would have been considered mixed traffic
types, since they were used on goods trains and certain secondary passenger trains.

I have also seen them described as "luggage engines", ie the locos that in the early days when luggage was
still kept on the top of carriages, a second train was often sent up with large luggage, trunks etc.

Stirling 6ft singles were included in the first orders placed once Stirling had taken over, and Stirling was
not convinced of the value of having no leading, non-driving wheels in high speed work, hence his building
of 2-4-0's in volume (comparatively) There were also a number of Sturrock singles and 2-4-0's to handle
the traffic before the 8ft single range extended.

Paul

[Hatfield Shed]

Bird's survey of GN locos remarks that the Stirling 0-4-2 were much used for passenger service in the West Riding, and an early example of a 'mixed' traffic loco intended to work both passenger and goods. He had assistance from Patrick Stirling in obtaining the information that eventually went into this book; though as ever have thought to the editing of earlier events in light of later developments.

[john coffin]

Whilst Bird has value, it is important to treat it with some scepticism.

I am not sure that any later commentators believe much about the involvement of Patrick Stirling, and there
are certainly some errors in the book. Groves is much more accurate overall. Not least since he got a lot
of help from Kenneth Leech, who also was not always correct.

The 0-4-2's were used more in the north of the GNR as well as East Lincolnshire than south.
Most people do not understand the amount of traffic the GNR had in the West Riding.

Paul

[Hatfield Shed]

Whilst Bird has value, it is important to treat it with some scepticism.

I am not sure that any later commentators believe much about the involvement of Patrick Stirling, and there
are certainly some errors in the book...

Quite so. But he was closer to those events than any of us, and variances of opinion among commentators are informative in themselves.

IRL I have not long had 'alternative report' of an event in which I was the key actor twenty-some years ago, and was asked for a response: which I have supplied with corrections to the major factual inaccuracies, accompanied by copies of the relevant documentation as supporting evidence. I can discern the likely origin of the inaccuracies as there was a body of opposition at that time, one of whom to my knowledge is still active and involved in related matters. People do so like to rewrite, amend or edit history, to match their percption. Scepticism always...

[GWRSwindon]

On further reading, it's certainly true Stirling took a dim view of coupled designs - "laddie runnin' wi' his breeks doon", after all.

[john coffin]

Worth remembering that the L&Y also bought some of these locos directly from Sharp Stewart, and used them for
"fast passenger traffic".

Paul