E72 Class 0-6-0 1912-1913
LNER Class J-18
1240-1249
T77 Class 0-6-0 1916-1920
LNER Class J-19
1140-1149, 1250-1254, 1260-1269
GERS Collection 7032/46
In a break from the usual practice a goods engine version of the new S69 class ‘1500’ 4-6-0s (q.v.) was not produced immediately. Instead, the G58 0-6-0 design was up-dated to include the same piston valve cylinders and motion design, whilst retaining the G58 boiler, which was also fitted with the Schmidtt superheater, making these new locomotives the first superheated GER goods engines. The motion arrangement of the 4-6-0s was more compact than the standard G58 type, whilst the cylinders were longer, and this resulted in the boiler having to be placed three inches further to the rear, where the rear of the firebox over-hung the trailing coupled axle. This feature, and the piston valves above the cylinders, meant that the boiler had to pitched higher, whilst the frames were lengthened at the back. The cab spectacle plate remained in the same position relative to the trailing axle, with the result that the cab was also longer. At the front end, the cylinders were provided with piston tail rods, necessitating the unusually-long front overhang of 8-ft. 6-ins. As can be seen in the official photograph of No. 1245, these engines rather looked like they should have been built as inside-cylinder 2‑6‑0s. Because of the larger size of the cylinders the boiler pressure on these engines was reduced to 160 lbs, otherwise the tractive effort would have unnecessarily high. As it was, these new engines reclaimed the title of having the most-powerful 0-6-0 for the GER. Ten locomotives were built in 1912 and numbered 1240-1249, and they were known as the E72 class.
Real Photographs/GERSHC 7026/008
A further ten new 0-6-0s were built in 1916, but by this time piston tail-rods had fallen out of favour with the GER, so these new locomotives had a shorter leading frame overhang of more-normal proportions. In addition, the Robinson superheater had become the GER standard, together with snifting valves, so these new locomotives were known as the T77 class. Otherwise, they were identical to the E72 class, and No. 1146 is seen here c1920. A further ten engines were built in 1917-19, delivery being protracted due to the War, followed by a final five in 1920.
Real Photographs 1230/GERSHC 7005/232
Under the LNER the E72 and T77 classes became classes J-18 and J-19. Following the rebuilding of the ‘Claud Hamilton’ 4-4-0s to class D-16/3 (q.v.) with larger round-topped boilers, one was fitted to J-19 8146 in 1934. A new LNER-style cab was fitted, and the smokebox slightly extended, with a similar flat base to that of the rebuilt B-12/3 4-6-0s (q.v.). The rebuild became class J-19/2, and the unrebuilt engines J-19/1. However, all of the J-19/1s were similarly dealt with by 1939. The photograph shows No. 8143 as rebuilt. From 1935 a similar rebuilding of the J-18s began, these engines having their piston tail rods removed and their front end frames shortened in addition. They were then identical to the J-19/2s and re-classified accordingly. However, three of the earliest rebuilds retained their original boilers for a short while, and therefore became J-19/1s until fitted with the new boilers and cabs. The J‑18s and J-19s originally worked on the heavy coal trains on the Cambridge main line, but following the grouping several underwent trial running at other LNER depots in the Durham area and on the Great Central lines, but they ultimately returned to the GE section. Following the introduction of larger 2-8-0 locomotives on the coal traffic the 0-6-0s began to spread to other east Anglian depots, and in the BR period they gravitated to the eastern side of the area, with a large allocation to Colchester in particular. Under the LNER 1946 renumbering the J‑19/2s became Nos. 8240-8254. They were withdrawn from 1958, and three still remained in stock at the end of the steam on the GE section in September 1962.