The LNWR 317 class, (also known as Saddle Tank Shunter, Dock Tank or Bissel Tank) consisted of a class of 20 square saddle-tanked steam locomotives built by the London and North Western Railway at their Crewe Works between 1896 and 1901. They had a very short coupled wheelbase, with a trailing Bissel truck to carry weight.

LNWR 317 class
4′ 3″ Saddle Tank Shunter
Locomotive 317, Crewe Works No.3464
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderCrewe Works
Serial number3741, 3946, 3977–3984, 4175–4184
Build date1896–1901
Total produced20
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte0-4-2ST
 • UICB1′ n2t
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.4 ft 3 in (1.295 m) + 2+12-inch (64 mm) tyres
Trailing dia.2 ft 6 in (0.762 m)
Wheelbase
  • Coupled: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Loco: 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m)
Loco weight34 long tons 17 cwt (78,100 lb or 35.4 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity1.5 long tons (1.5 t)
Water cap.620 imp gal (2,800 L; 740 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Grate area15 sq ft (1.4 m2)
Boiler pressure150 lbf/in2 (1.03 MPa)
Heating surface967 sq ft (89.8 m2)
CylindersTwo, inside
Cylinder size17 in × 24 in (432 mm × 610 mm)
Career
Operators
Power classLMS: 1P, later 0F
Number in class
  • 1 January 1923: 20
  • 1 January 1948: 2
NicknamesBissel tanks
LocaleLondon Midland Region
Withdrawn1927–1938, 1953, 1956
DispositionAll scrapped

History

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They were built in three batches of 1, 9 and 10; their first running number was chosen at random from the numbers left vacant by locomotives that had been transferred to the duplicate list. This fate was almost immediately suffered by the 317 class – after only one or two months in service.[1]

All passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923, who initially allocated them the numbers 6400–6419 in the passenger tank sequence. Only five (6402/03/07/14/18) had been renumbered before the numbers were changed to 7850–7869 in 1927, thus moving them into the goods and shunting tanks. The LMS changed their power classification from 1P[2] to 0F at the same time.

Two, 7862 and 7865, survived to enter British Railways service in 1948; 7865 was withdrawn in November 1953, and 7862 three years later. None were preserved.

 
Bissel tank 7862 at Crewe Works in May 1948. It didn't receive its BR number until March 1949, and lasted until November 1956, by which time it was the last of its class.

Fleet

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Table of locomotives[1]
First
LNWR No.
Crewe
Works
no.
Build date Duplicate
LNWR No.
Date
duplicated
1st
LMS No.
2nd
LMS No.
Date withdrawn Notes
317 3741 Nov 1896 3464 Oct 1899 6400 7850 Nov 1930
19 3976 Nov 1899 3465 Dec 1899 6401 7851 Nov 1932
22 3977 Nov 1899 3466 Dec 1899 6402 7852 Nov 1927
25 3978 Nov 1899 3467 Dec 1899 6403 7853 Aug 1932
26 3979 Nov 1899 3468 Dec 1899 6404 7854 Dec 1930
38 3980 Nov 1899 3469 Dec 1899 6405 7855 Jul 1936
39 3981 Nov 1899 3470 Dec 1899 6406 7856 Dec 1929
47 3982 Nov 1899 3471 Dec 1899 6407 7857 Nov 1929
49 3983 Nov 1899 3472 Dec 1899 6408 7858 Dec 1936
51 3984 Nov 1899 3473 Dec 1899 6409 7859 Jun 1938
813 4175 Oct 1901 3524 Dec 1901 6410 7860 Dec 1929
815 4176 Oct 1901 3525 Dec 1901 6411 7861 Dec 1932
823 4177 Nov 1901 3526 Dec 1901 6412 7862 Nov 1956
826 4178 Nov 1901 3527 Dec 1901 6413 7863 Nov 1931
843 4179 Nov 1901 3528 Dec 1901 6414 7864 Nov 1929
859 4180 Nov 1901 3529 Jan 1902 6415 7865 Nov 1953
898 4181 Nov 1901 3530 Jan 1902 6416 7866 Oct 1931
899 4182 Nov 1901 3531 Jan 1902 6417 7867 Jun 1932
904 4183 Nov 1901 3532 Jan 1902 6418 7868 Nov 1929
905 4184 Nov 1901 3533 Jan 1902 6419 7869 Nov 1932

References

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  1. ^ a b Baxter 1979, p. 214.
  2. ^ Casserley & Johnston 1974, p. 71.
  • Baxter, Bertram (1979). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 2B: London and North Western Railway and its constituent companies. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. p. 214. ISBN 0-903485-84-2.
  • Casserley, H. C. & Johnston, Stuart W. (1974) [1966]. Locomotives at the Grouping 3: London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan. p. 71. ISBN 0-7110-0554-0.
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