The L&YR Class 24 was a class of short-wheelbase steam locomotives of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR). It was designed by Aspinall and introduced in 1897 for shunting duties. Twenty locomotives were built, but six were withdrawn between 1917 and 1922. They were the first locomotives on the L&YR built with Belpaire fireboxes.
Design and construction They were designed for use in freight yards with sharp curves and steep inclines where more power was needed than that provided by alternative Aspinall Pugs.
This was the first time for a new build on the L&YR a Belpaire firebox was used. The short-wheelbase design included outside cylinders with Richardson balanced valves on top; these being controlled by a combination of Allan motion and rocking shaft. These locomotives – together with the Improved Precedent Class on the London and North Western Railway – were the last locomotives built with the Allan straight link motion.
Modifications The steam reversing gear, helpful for faster shunting operations, was later replaced by a screw which negated this effect. The push and pull regulator handle seemed to have been responsible for a number of minor accidents through lack of fine control was also replaced by a standard type. Those working in the Liverpool docks area had bells fitted beneath the boiler.
Seven of the remaining engines were re-built with Barton Wright type round top boilers around the 1917–1919 period.
Fleet + Table of locomotives L&YR no. LMS no. BR no. Withdrawn 1351 1916 or earlier 1352 11533 1926 1353 11534 1928 1354 1914 1355 11535 51535 1956 1356 11536 51536 1954 1357 1917 1358 11537 51537 1961 1359 11538 1932 1360 11539 1926 493 1914 494 11540 1931 495 11541 1926 496 11542 1931 499 11543 1932 501 11544 51544 1959 503 1914 505 11545 1936 506 11546 51546 1959 507 1914
Service The class was allocated mostly to yards in the Liverpool area with Newton Heath and Agecroft depots receiving a number for use in their local larger marshalling yards. One based at Ormskirk was noted for performing on the main line between shunting duties.
Fourteen locomotives passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway at the grouping in 1923. After further withdrawals, 5 locomotives passed to British Railways (BR) in 1948 and they were numbered as shown in the table above.Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1948 edition, part 3, page 42 All had been withdrawn by 1961. None were preserved.
See also LMS Fowler Dock Tank, a similar LMS design which also incorporated outside cylinders regarded as unusual practice for a dock tank
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