Highland Railway River Class
HR ‘River’ class
CR 938 class
|
|
| Specifications |
| Gauge |
4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
|
| Leading dia. |
3 ft 3 in (0.991 m) |
|
Driver dia. |
6 ft 0 in (1.829 m) |
| Loco weight |
72 long tons 6 cwt (162,000 lb or 73.5 t) |
| Boiler |
5 ft 1 13⁄16 in (1.57 m) diameter |
| Boiler pressure |
160 psi (1.10 MPa) |
| Heating surface |
1,599 sq ft (148.6 m2) |
| • Flues |
25.3 sq ft (2.35 m2) |
Superheater:
|
|
| • Type |
Robinson, 24 element |
| • Heating area |
350 sq ft (33 m2) |
| Cylinders |
Two, outside |
| Cylinder size |
21 in × 28 in (533 mm × 711 mm) |
| Valve gear |
Walschaerts |
| Valve type |
10-inch (254 mm) piston valves
|
|
|
|
| Career |
| Operators |
HR → CR → LMS
|
| Class |
HR: River
CR: 938 |
| Power class |
LMS: 4P |
| Withdrawn |
1939–1946 |
| Disposition |
All scrapped
|
|
| Specifications |
| Gauge |
4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
|
| Leading dia. |
3 ft 3 in (0.991 m) |
|
Driver dia. |
6 ft 0 in (1.829 m) |
| Loco weight |
72 long tons 6 cwt (162,000 lb or 73.5 t) |
| Boiler |
5 ft 1 13⁄16 in (1.57 m) diameter |
| Boiler pressure |
160 psi (1.10 MPa) |
| Heating surface |
1,599 sq ft (148.6 m2) |
| • Flues |
25.3 sq ft (2.35 m2) |
Superheater:
|
|
| • Type |
Robinson, 24 element |
| • Heating area |
350 sq ft (33 m2) |
| Cylinders |
Two, outside |
| Cylinder size |
21 in × 28 in (533 mm × 711 mm) |
| Valve gear |
Walschaerts |
| Valve type |
10-inch (254 mm) piston valves
|
| Career |
| Operators |
HR → CR → LMS
|
| Class |
HR: River
CR: 938 |
| Power class |
LMS: 4P |
| Withdrawn |
1939–1946 |
| Disposition |
All scrapped
|
The Highland Railway River class was a class of steam locomotive with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement. They were designed by F. G. Smith, who had joined the Highland Railway in 1904 from the North Eastern Railway. His initial post was as manager of the Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon works at Inverness (usually referred to as Lochgorm works). When Peter Drummond departed to the Glasgow and South Western Railway at the end of 1911 Smith was appointed Chief Mechanical Engineer in his place.
The 'Rivers' were Smith's only design for the Highland Railway, and they were the largest and most powerful locomotives built for that company. This involved a deadweight driving axle loading of 17.75 long tons (18.03 t; 19.88 short tons), which exceeded the maximum axle loading allowed by the company's Civil Engineer. However, Smith had taken this into account, and had designed the 'Rivers' to cause much lower 'hammer blow' upon the track than the existing Highland locomotives. When the effects of hammer blow were taken into account, the 'Rivers' put the same total weight onto the track as the previous 'Castle' Class 4-6-0s.
The first two engines were delivered to Perth around the end of August 1915, when a row immediately erupted between Smith and the company's Chief Civil Engineer Alexander Newlands. Smith and Newlands had a difficult working relationship and avoided speaking to one another. It seems that Smith had not discussed the high deadweight axle loadings with Newlands, and Newlands did not raise the matter until the locomotives arrived. On delivery, the locomotives were immediately placed in a siding while the engineers checked the drawings. Once this exercise was completed Newlands banned them from the line as being too heavy for a number of bridges and out of gauge. Smith argued that the effect of hammer blow needed to be taken into account, but the company's board sided with Newlands and Smith was forced to resign.
The Highland managed to sell all six locomotives to the Caledonian Railway, and legend has it that they made a profit of £500 per engine in the process. They were out of gauge to the 'Caley' as well, but the modifications required were slight and quickly made.
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Wikipedia
