GER Class Y14

Infobox Locomotive
powertype=Steam
name = GER Class Y14
LNER Class J15

---

caption = No. 65462 with a demonstration freight train
designer = T. W. Worsdell
builder =
builddate = 1883-1913
totalproduction = 289
whytetype = 0-6-0
gauge = standard gauge
leadingsize =
driversize = 4' 11"
length = 47' 3"
weight = 37 tons 2 cwt
tender, 30 tons 13 cwt
fueltype = coal
fuelc

waterc

cylindercount = two inside
cylindersize = 17½" x 24"
firearea =
boilerpressure = 160 psi
tractiveeffort = 16,940 lbf
railroadclass= 1P2F|

The Great Eastern Railway (GER) Class Y14 is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive. The LNER classified them J15.

The Class Y14 was designed by T.W. Worsdell for both freight and passenger duties - a veritable 'maid of all work'. Introduced in July 1883, they were so successful that all the succeeding chief superintendents continued to build new batches down to 1913 with little design change, the final total being 289 [ [http://www.gersociety.org.uk/loco/index.htm?jholden.htm Locomotives of the Great Eastern Railway ] ] . During World War I, 43 of the engines served in France and Belgium [ [http://www.lner.info/locos/J/j15.shtml The Class J15 (GER Class Y14) 0-6-0 Locomotives ] ] .

Background

On December 10th, 11th 1891, the Great Eastern Railway's Stratford Works built one of these locomotives and had it in steam with a coat of grey primer in 9 hours 47 minutes; this remains a world record. The locomotive then went off to run 36,000 miles on Peterborough to London coal trains before coming back to the works for the final coat of paint. It lasted 40 years and ran a total of 1127,750 miles [Allen, Cecil J. "The Great Eastern Railway" (London Ian Allan 1955, 56, 61) p. 110] .

Because of their light weight the locomotives were given the Route Availability (RA) number 1, indicating that they could work over nearly all routes.

Notable features

As built all the locomotives had a stovepipe chimney; this was replaced in L.N.E.R days by a cast chimney with a small lip. The original Wordsell and early Holden series had three-ring boilers with the steam dome placed in the middle. Also the Wordsell boilers had a flat grate, however from 1890 Holden developed a boiler with a sloping grate and a two-ring telescopic barrel with the dome located well forward. The advantage of the dome position was a short 5½ inch steam pipe which limited pressure drop between the boiler and the cylinders. This boiler was adopted as standard and persisted on all Great Eastern Locomotives down to 1898; from then on it was perpetuated on the smaller locomotives as long as these remained essentially in their original configuration - which could be down to the 1960s [ [http://www.lner.info/locos/J/j15.shtml The Class J15 (GER Class Y14) 0-6-0 Locomotives ] ] . As with all Great Eastern classes, the Y14 had a cab with a low wooden roof covered with canvas sealed by a coat of lead paint. This was replaced in L.N.E.R days by a higher arched sheet metal roof. Some engines had special side window cabs for service on the exposed Brightlingsea and Colne Valley branches [ [http://www.lner.info/locos/J/j15.shtml The Class J15 (GER Class Y14) 0-6-0 Locomotives ] ] .

In fiction

In The Railway Series, The Old Engine is based on the Class Y14.

Preservation

Number 65462 is preserved on the North Norfolk Railway and owned by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society [ [http://www.mandgn.co.uk/ Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society - Home ] ] .

References

External links

* [http://www.winwaed.com/rail/LNER/locos/J/j15.shtml LNER encyclopedia]
* [http://www.railuk.co.uk/steam/getsteamclass.php?item=J15 Railuk database]