G&SWR 8 Class

The Glasgow and South Western Railway (GSWR) 8 class were a class of sixteen 2-4-0 steam locomotives built between 1868 and 1870.

G&SWR 8 class
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer James Stirling (1835–1917) Builder Kilmarnock Locomotive Works Build date 1868–1870 Total produced 15
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-4-0 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 7 in (1.09 m) Driver dia. 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m) Wheelbase 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) + 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) Loco weight 31 long tons 4.25 cwt (69,900 lb or 31.7 t) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure 130 psi (896 kPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 17 in × 24 in (430 mm × 610 mm)
Career Operators Glasgow and South Western Railway Class 8 Withdrawn 1900–1917 Disposition All scrapped

The sixteen examples of this class were designed by James Stirling for the GSWR and were built at Kilmarnock Locomotive Works (Works Nos. 49 and 54-67) between 1868 and 1870. They were numbered irregularly, and not in chronological order between 8 and 183, to fill gaps in the sequence of running numbers. The members of the class were fitted with domeless boilers and a cut away cab. They were fitted with spring balance type safety valves, but this was replaced by those of the Ramsbottom design over the centre of the boiler.

Withdrawal

The bulk of the class, including all the rebuilds were scrapped between 1900 and 1905 but two survived until 1913 and 1917 respectively.

References

• Baxter, Bertram (1984). British locomotive catalogue 1825-1923. Vol. 4. Buxton: Moorland Publishing.