LNER Class ES1
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NER No.1, Locomotion museum, Shildon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The NERClass ES1(Electric Shunting 1)[1]was a class of twosteeplecabelectric locomotivescommissioned by theNorth Eastern Railwayin 1902.
Both locomotives passed to theLondon and North Eastern Railwayin 1923 and then toBritish Railwaysin 1948, but both were withdrawn beforeTOPSnumbers could be applied.
History
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/The_Street_railway_journal_%281904%29_%2814575234558%29.jpg/220px-The_Street_railway_journal_%281904%29_%2814575234558%29.jpg)
TheNorth Eastern Railwaywas an enthusiastic and relatively early adopter ofelectric tractionfor railways. As part of a 1902 scheme to electrify the suburban railway networks in theTynesidearea, the NER's Chief Mechanical Engineer,Wilson Worsdell,also wished to electrify a3⁄4-mile (1.2 km),horseshoe-shapedfreight line that went from Trafalgar Yard inManorstoNewcastle Quayside Yard.Passing through threetunnels,this line hadgradientsas steep as 1:27 (3.70 %) and a number of sharp curves: it presented a formidable challenge for steam traction. Working conditions inside the tunnels were atrocious because the locomotives had to work exceptionally hard to manage the gradients which meant they produced vast quantities of choking fumes that could not disperse from the tunnels; the sparks they produced were a constant fire risk to the flammable packing materials in the yards. Electrification was the obvious answer.
The specification for new electric locomotives demanded that they be able to start a train of 150 tons on the steepest gradient, while on the level they were expected to be able to haul 300 long tons (305 t; 336 short tons) at 14 mph (23 km/h). The end-to-end journey on the branch was to be completed in 4.5 minutes.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Heaton_Locomotive_Depot_geograph-2899256-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg/220px-Heaton_Locomotive_Depot_geograph-2899256-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg)
In 1900,General Electric(GE) andThomson-Houstondesigned and builtsteeplecab-type locomotive for theMilan-Vareserailway in Italy, electrified at 650VDCusing thethird railsystem. That railway opened in 1901, and the locomotive design proved successful. The North Eastern Railway's ES1s were derived from that American design, although they were designed from the start for both third rail and overhead operation: the Newcastle Quay branch used both systems—third rail in the tunnels, andoverhead lineson the rest of the line.
A contract was signed with the British Thomson-Houston company on 15 December 1902, for delivery by the end of the following year. British Thomson-Houston sub-contracted the mechanical parts toBrush Electrical Engineering Co.
The electrified line was operational from 5 June 1905, and in the following year both locomotives performed exceptionally well. In 1906, they were fitted with electric heaters, the men having complained they were too cold on wintry mornings. A few years later, thebow collectorsoriginally fitted on their bonnets were removed and apantographinstalled on the roof instead. With few other changes, they remained in operation until the line was de-electrified and they were replaced with diesel locomotives on 29 February 1964.[2]The line was closed five years later.
Early photographs show the locomotives with "CLASS ELECTRIC 1" painted on thebufferbeams,but this does not appear in official records.[3]In common with other LNER electric locomotives, no classification was given to these locomotives until 4 October 1945, when Nos. 1 and 2 were classified ES1 (Electric Shunting 1).[1]No. 1 exchanged numbers withClass D3steam locomotive No. 4075 on 30 September 1944, but after the steam locomotive was again renumbered (to no. 2000), the electric locomotive was able to resume its original number on 24 October 1944.[4]On 14 June 1946, Nos. 1 and 2 were renumbered to 6480/1; and underBritish Railways,they became Nos. 26500/1 in April 1948.[4]
Preservation
[edit]From 1968, ES1 (number 26500 under British Rail's number scheme) was transferred to Leicester Railway Museum. After that closed, in 1977 it was taken into the National Collection of theNational Railway Museum,and is currently on display atLocomotion,Shildon.
See also
[edit]- SNCF BB 1280,contemporary design, originally built for theCompagnie du chemin de fer de Paris à Orléans,also deriving from GE design
Notes
[edit]- ^abBoddy et al. (1990),p. 90.
- ^"Current Off – And On".Modern Railways.May 1964. p. 305.
- ^Hoole (1988),p. 9.
- ^abBoddy et al. (1990),p. 91.
Sources
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- The LNER Encyclopaedia on the ES 1
- Hoole, K.(1988).The Electric Locomotives of the North Eastern Railway.Headington: Oakwood Press.ISBN0-85361-367-2.Locomotion Papers LP167.
- Boddy, M.G.; Fry, E.V.; Hennigan, W.;Hoole, Ken;Mallaband, Peter; Neve, E.; Price, J.H.; Proud, P.;Yeadon, W.B.(April 1990). Fry, E.V. (ed.).Locomotives of the L.N.E.R., part 10B: Railcars and Electric Stock.Lincoln:RCTS.ISBN0-901115-66-5.