The Furness Railway Company owned many different types of locomotives, built by several locomotive building companies, including Sharp, Stewart and Company. Others were built by the Furness' constituent companies – the Whitehaven and Furness Junction Railway, among others.

Furness Railway locomotives

The classes listed below are not the official FR designations; they were made popular by author Bob Rush in his books about the Furness Railway.

FRclass Rushclass Whytetype Quantitymade ManufacturerSerial numbers Yearsbuilt FRnumber(s) LMSnumber(s) Year(s)withdrawn Comments 1 A1 2 Bury, Curtis & Kennedy 1844 1–2 — 1870 3 A2 2 Bury, Curtis & Kennedy 1846 3–4 — 1898 No. 3, "Old Coppernob" preserved 7 A3 4 Wm Fairbairn & Co. 1854–55 7–10 — 1899–1900 7 A4 4 Wm Fairbairn & Co. 1858–61 13–16 — 1899 17 A5 8 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1863–66 17–20, 25–28 — 1870–1918 Some rebuilt as .No. 20 preserved as ,No. 25 preserved as 5 B1 2 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1851 5–6 — 1873 B2 2 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1857 11–12 — 1873–98 21 B3 6 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1864–66 21–22, 34–37 — 1896–99 B4 1 1860 — B5 2 1850 — 23 C1 4 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1874 94–97 11258 1914–24 23 C2 2 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1862 23–24 — 1904 29 D1 55 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1866–84 Nicknamed "Sharpies" D2 2 1864 7 D3 6 Nasmyth, Wilson & Co. 1899 7–12 12468–12473 1928–32 6 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1899 13–18 12474–12479 1929–36 3 D4 4 North British Loco. 1907 3–6 12480–12483 1930–34 1 D5 4 North British Loco. 1913–14 1–2, 25–26 12494–12497 1932–56 2 North British Loco. 1914 27–28 12498–12499 1932–57 4 North British Loco. 1918 23–24, 29–30 12504–12507 1930–35 4 Kitson & Co. 1919 19–22 12500–12503 1930–57 5 North British Loco. 1920 31–35 12508–12512 1932–57 1 E1 19 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1870–82 10002 1907–24 Seven rebuilt as 2-4-2T F1 2 1866 — 51 G1 6 Sharp Stewart & Co. 1867–73 51–52, 68–69, 82–83 11549–11552 Nicknamed "Neddies" G2 13 1855–73 G3 1 1875 G4 1 1857 19 G5 6 Vulcan Foundry 1910 19–24 11553–11558 1930–43 Renumbered 55–60 2 Kitson & Co. 1915 51–52 11559–11560 1930–34 2 Vulcan Foundry 1916 53–54 11561–11562 1931–36 H1 1 1850 — J1 7 1891 47–48, 70–74 10619–10620 1914–24 Rebuilt from 2-4-0s 120 K1 4 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1891 120–123 10131–10134 1924–27 Nicknamed "Seagulls" 21 K2 6 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1896 21–22, 34–37 10135–10140 1929–31 Nicknamed "Larger Seagulls" 2 Sharp, Stewart& Co. 1900 124–125 10141–10142 1929–31 Nicknamed "Larger Seagulls" 126 K3 4 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1901 126–129 10143–10146 1930–31 130 K4 2 North British Loco. 1913 130–131 10185–10186 1932–33 2 North British Loco. 1914 132–133 10187–10188 1932–33 112 L1 3 Sharp, Stewart & Co. 1898 112–114 11622–11624 1927–28 98 L2 5 Nasmyth, Wilson & Co. 1904 98–102 11625–11629 1930–45 Nicknamed "Cleator Tanks" 5 North British Loco. 1904 103–107 11630–11634 1929–34 Nicknamed "Cleator Tanks" 98 L3 6 North British Loco. 1907 96–97, 108–111 11635–11640 1931–41 94 L4 2 Kitson & Co. 1912 94–95 11641–11642 1929–34 Nicknamed "Improved Cleator Tanks" 2 Kitson & Co. 1914 92–93 11643–11644 1932–34 Nicknamed "Improved Cleator Tanks" 38 M1 2 Kitson & Co. 1915 38–39 11080–11081 1930–32 2 Vulcan Foundry 1916 40–41 11082–11083 1930–32 2 Kitson & Co. 1915 42–43 11084–11085 1930–31 115 N1 5 Kitson & Co. 1920–21 115–119 11100–11104 1934–40 Photograph — — Railmotor 2 FR, Barrow 1905 1–2 — ?–1914

Cleator and Workington Junction Railway

The FR entered into a working agreement with the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway (C&WJR), where it would work the company's mainlines while the branch lines were worked by native engines. The loco list previously shown on this page has been amended thus:

C&WJR locomotives

All the nameplates used on this company's locomotives were named after residences of C&WJR company directors. Until recently there was uncertainty about the name of No. 2 but the personal notebook of the Company Accountant shows otherwise. The engine never ran in service with the name Ennerdale.

No. 1 Brigham Hill (1st) and Rothersyke (1st) An outside cylinder Built in 1894 by Fletcher Jennings Ltd for C&WJR. Builders No. 187. Nameplates carried: Brigham Hill (1882–1894) and Rothersyke (1894–1897) Renumbered: No known renumbering of this engine. Disposal: To West Stanley Colliery Coy. County Durham in 1897 No. 2 Unnamed for fifteen years, then Rothersyke (2nd) An outside cylinder . Built circa 1875 by Barclay & Co. (not an Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. product). Built originally for Ward, Ross & Liddlelow, railway contractors to the C&WJR, No. 2 was purchased second hand in 1882. No. 2 was originally named Ennerdale but the nameplates were removed after acquisition by the C&WJR on the order of the Managing Director. Nameplates Carried: None from 1882 to 1897. The redundant plates from engine No.1 Rothersyke were fitted when it was decided to sell the engine. Renumbered: No known renumbering of this engine. Disposal: To SD Coasdell of Workington in July 1898 for £150.Industrial Locomotive Society records No. 3 South Lodge An outside cylinder of 1884, built by Robert Stephenson and Company for the C&WJR. Builders No. 2553. The saddle tank did not cover the smokebox. Nameplates carried: South Lodge. (1884 to 1920) Renumbered: No known renumbering of this engine. Disposal: To J.F. Wake Ltd., Dealers, Darlington, County Durham, July 1920 No. 4 Harecroft An outside cylinder built in 1885 by the Lowca Engineering Co. Ltd. for the C&WJR. Builders No. 196. Similar in appearance to No. 3 and the saddle tank did not cover the smokebox. Nameplates carried: Harecroft (1885 to 1915) Renumbered: After disposal by new owner to 46 Disposal: Withdrawn September 1915 and sold to Workington Iron & Steel Company. No. 5 Moresby Hall An outside cylinder built in 1890 by Robert Stephenson and Company for the C&WJR. Builders No. 2692. The saddle tank did not cover the smokebox.Nameplates carried: Moresby Hall (1890 to 1919) Renumbered: No known renumbering of this engine. Disposal: Withdrawn and scrapped 1919. No. 6 Brigham Hall An outside cylinder built in 1894 by Robert Stephenson and Company for the C&WJR. Builders No. 2813. The saddle tank did not cover the smokebox.Nameplates carried: Brigham Hall (1894 to 1920) Renumbered: Allocated 11564 by the LMS in 1923 after the grouping, but not known if it was repainted into LMS colours. Disposal: Withdrawn 11 December 1926 and scrapped by the LM&SR No. 7 Ponsonby Hall An outside cylinder built in 1896 by Robert Stephenson and Company for the C&WJR. Builders No. 2846. The saddle tank did not cover the smokebox.Nameplates carried: Ponsonby Hall (1886 to 1926) Renumbered: Allocated 11565 by the LMS in 1923 after the grouping, but not known if it was repainted into LMS colours. Disposal: Withdrawn 18 December 1926 and scrapped by the LM&SR No. 8 Hutton Hall An built in 1907 by Peckett and Sons for the C&WJR. Builders No. 1134. Nameplates carried: Hutton Hall (1907 to 1927) Renumbered: Allocated 11566 by the LMS in 1923 after the grouping, and repainted into early LMS black goods livery. Disposal: Withdrawn 3 December 1927 and scrapped by the LM&SR No. 9 Millgrove An outside cylinder built in 1919 by Peckett and Sons for the C&WJR. Builders No. 1340. Nameplates carried: Millgrove (1919 to 1928) Renumbered: Allocated 11567 by the LMS in 1923 after the grouping, and repainted into early LMS black goods livery. Disposal: Withdrawn 5 December 1928 and scrapped by the LM&SR No. 10 Skiddaw Lodge An outside cylinder built in 1920 by Hudswell Clarke & Co. for the C&WJR. Builders No. 1400. Nameplates carried: Skiddaw Lodge (1920 to 1932) Renumbered: Allocated 11568 by the LMS in 1923 after the grouping, and repainted into early LMS black goods livery. Disposal: Withdrawn 1932 by LM&SR and sold to Hartley main Collieries Northumberland, via Robert frazer & Sons Ltd., Hebburn, County Durham.

Preserved locomotives

Three very early Furness Railway locomotives have been preserved:

Furness Railway No. 3 – "Old Coppernob" 0-4-0 tender engine of 1846, preserved at the National Railway Museum in York. Furness Railway No. 20 – Sharp Stewart Class A5 0-4-0 tender engine of 1863, now at Ribble Steam Railway in Lancashire. This is Britain's oldest working standard-gauge steam locomotive. It had been converted to a saddle-tank locomotive, but has now been restored to its original tender locomotive design. Furness Railway No. 25 – Sharp Stewart Class A5 0-4-0 tender engine of 1865, now at Ribble Steam Railway awaiting restoration.Owen (2025), p.48 Unlike No. 20 (above), this locomotive remains in its later saddle-tank format. Furness Railway No. 115 – Sharp Stewart Class D1 0-6-0 tender locomotive of 1881. The locomotive was lost when a mine working collapsed at Lindal-in-Furness on 22 September 1892; only the tender was rescued, which was then used on a loco to replace 115. The locomotive remains buried 200 ft underground, but is technically still in existence.

References

External links

Furness Railway: locomotive history at steamindex.com