Wikipedia

CBSCR Bandon Tank

The CBSCR Bandon Tanks were a class of 4-6-0T mixed-traffic locomotives built for the Cork, Bandon & South Coast Railway (CB&SCR) between 1906 and 1920.[2] The Bandon Tanks were the only 4–6–0 tank locomotives to be built by Beyer, Peacock & Company. The class went on to serve with the CB&SCR's successors: the Great Southern Railways from 1925 and CIÉ from 1945.

CB&SCR 4-6-0T
GSR Class 463 (B4)
Bandon tank
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderBeyer, Peacock & Company
Serial number4752, 5265, 5413, 5616, 5822, 5954, 6034, 6077[1]
Build date1906–1920[1]
Total produced8[1]
Rebuild date1935–1950[1]
Number rebuilt5[1]
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0T[1]
 • UIC2′C n2t
Gauge5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 0 in (914 mm)[2]
Driver dia.5 ft 2+1⁄2 in (1,588 mm)[2]
Length36 ft 6+1⁄2 in (11,138 mm)[2]
Axle load14 long tons 5 cwt (31,900 lb or 14.5 t)[2]
Adhesive weight42 long tons 1 cwt (94,200 lb or 42.7 t)
Loco weight56 long tons 10 cwt (126,600 lb or 57.4 t)[2]
Fuel capacity2 long tons 15 cwt (6,200 lb or 2.8 t)
Water cap.1,100 imp gal (5,000 L; 1,300 US gal)
Firebox:​
 • Grate area24 sq ft (2.2 m2)[1]
Boiler pressure160 psi (1.10 MPa)[2]
Heating surface:​
 • Firebox107.5 sq ft (9.99 m2)
 • Tubes1,182.5 sq ft (109.86 m2)[1]
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size18 in × 24 in (457 mm × 610 mm)[2]
Performance figures
Tractive effort16,030 lbf (71.30 kN)[2]
Career
Operators
Class
  • GSR/CIÉ: 463
  • Inchicore: B4
NumbersGSR/CIÉ: 463–470
NicknamesBandon Tanks
Withdrawn1945–1963[1]
DispositionAll scrapped

The Bandon Tanks excelled due to their elegant design, high power output and compact wheel arrangement, which suited the track of the CB&SCR network.

Introduction and CB&SCR service edit

The 4–6–0T wheel arrangement was more typically found on narrow gauge lines, because the restricted bunker space (and resultant limited coal capacity) is less of a hindrance on the typically shorter journeys of such lines. A 4-6-2T wheel arrangement would have given more bunker space, but it would have been too long for the CB&SCR's turntables.[citation needed] The wheelbase was also short-coupled (close to each other) in order to manage the tight curves on the CB&SCR lines.[3] Each locomotive had capacity for two tons of coal and 1,100 gallons of water and weighed 56 tons 10 hundredweight.[2]

The first member of the class was 11 which was ordered in 1905, cost £3,145 and was delivered in June 1906.[4] The next to be built was 14, which was ordered in 1908, cost £2,575 and was delivered in March 1909.[4] These were followed by 15 in October 1910, 20 in July 1912 and 19 in June 1914.[4]

The CB&SCR ordered no. 4 in April 1915 but World War I restrictions prevented Beyer, Peacock from completing and delivering it until October 1919.[4] The two final members of the class were 8 and 13, which were delivered in November 1920.[1] Post-war inflation had trebled the price of these final two locomotives to £8,163 and £9,163 respectively.[1]

Operationally the Bandon Tanks were small and powerful locomotives, well regarded apart from the cramped cab and the difficulty of cab access due to the rear wheel splashers.[citation needed] Despite the bunker size being limited by the 4–6–0T layout, Bandon Tanks had no difficulty covering distances on the CB&SCR network,[2] the greatest of which was 62 miles (100 km) between Cork Albert Quay and Baltimore.[5]

GSR and CIÉ service and withdrawal edit

The GSR renumbered the class 463 – 470 and later designated it Class B4. Between 1935 and 1947 the GSR rebuilt five of the class with type "R" Belpaire superheated boilers.[6]

The majority of the class continued to work on the former CB&SC network, but in 1929 the GSR transferred 468 to Grand Canal Street depot[7] in Dublin for suburban service on the former Dublin & South Eastern Railway main line between Dublin Westland Row and Bray.[2] In 1939 first 470 and then 466 were also transferred to Grand Canal Street.[7] 469 replaced 466 on the Bray line for just over a year, from 1941 until 1942.[7] 466 became the last Bandon Tank in service on the Bray line, remaining there until September 1956.[7]

465 and 469 were withdrawn in 1945.[1] CIÉ withdrew 467 in 1959.[1] CIÉ withdrew 466, 468 and 470 in 1961,[1] the year that it closed the former CB&SCR network. 463 and 464 stayed in service until 1963,[1] which was CIÉ's final year of steam traction.

Livery edit

In CB&SCR service the class was painted olive green with yellow lining.[8] Throughout the period of Great Southern Railways operation (1925-45), along with all locomotives on the West Cork system (and further afield), they were all-over unlined dark grey, which was carried over into CIE days. In CIÉ service there was some variation in liveries.

  • 466 was painted lined CIÉ green in December 1948.[7]
  • 467 was a dark blue-green in 1953.[3]
  • 470 was a dark matt off-black (likely to be a local variation of the standard dark grey livery) in 1954[3] and 463 was the same in 1962.[9]
  • 464 appeared to be gloss black in 1961.[10]

Any others remained dark grey.

Model edit

A 1:76 scale (OO and 21 mm gauges) nickel-silver kit is available from Studio Scale Models.[11] Both Belpaire and unsaturated versions can be made.

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Shepherd 2005, p. 148
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Clements & McMahon 2008, p. 163.
  3. ^ a b c Boocock 2009, p. 43.
  4. ^ a b c d Shepherd 2005, p. 109
  5. ^ Shepherd 2005, p. 147.
  6. ^ Shepherd 2005, pp. 109–110.
  7. ^ a b c d e Shepherd 2005, p. 110.
  8. ^ Shepherd 2005, p. 112.
  9. ^ Ferris 1995, p. 37.
  10. ^ Patience 2006, front page.
  11. ^ "Loco Kits and Accessories". Studio Scale Models. Retrieved 15 December 2012.

Bibliography edit

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