BR Standard Class 8

one-off three-cylinder 4-6-2 locomotive

The BR Standard Class 8 was a class of 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive made by Robert Riddles for use by British Railways. Only an example was made. It was named Duke of Gloucester. It was made at Crewe Works in 1954. It is known as the Duke. It was a replacement for the destroyed Princess Royal Class vehicle number 46202 Princess Anne. It was involved in the Harrow and Wealdstone rail disaster of 1952.

BR Standard Class 8
No.71000 "Duke of Gloucester" hammering across the Somerset Levels on the Torbay Express
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerRobert Riddles
BuilderBR Crewe Works
Build dateApril 1954
Total produced1
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte4-6-2 (Pacific)
 • UIC2′C1′h3
Gauge4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.3 ft 0 in (0.914 m)
Driver dia.6 ft 2 in (1.880 m)
Trailing dia.3 ft 3+12 in (1.003 m)
Length67 ft 8 in (20.62 m)
Width9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)
Height13 ft 0+12 in (3.98 m)
Axle load22.00 long tons (24.64 short tons; 22.35 t)
Adhesive weight66.00 long tons (73.92 short tons; 67.06 t)
Loco weight101.25 long tons (113.40 short tons; 102.87 t)
Tender weightBR1E: 55.50 long tons (62.16 short tons; 56.39 t)
BR1J: 53.70 long tons (60.14 short tons; 54.56 t)
Tender type1954–1958: BR1E
1958–1962: BR1J
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity10 long tons (11 short tons; 10 t)
Water capBR1E: 4,725 imp gal (21,480 L; 5,674 US gal)
BR1J: 4,325 imp gal (19,660 L; 5,194 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area
48.6 sq ft (4.52 m2)
BoilerBR13
Boiler pressure250 psi (1.72 MPa)
Heating surface:
 • Tubes and flues
2,264 sq ft (210.3 m2)
 • Firebox226 sq ft (21.0 m2)
Superheater:
 • Heating area677 sq ft (62.9 m2)
CylindersThree
Cylinder size18 in × 28 in (457 mm × 711 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort39,080 lbf (173.84 kN)
Factor of adh.3.78
Career
OperatorsBritish Railways
Power class8P
Numbers71000
LocaleLondon Midland Region
WithdrawnDecember 1962
DispositionPreserved

Gallery change

Sound change

References change

  • 'British Railways standard 3 cylinder 4-6-2 express passenger steam locomotive No. 71000' (HMSO, British Transport Commission: London, 1957), p. [58] (Performance and efficiency tests, Bulletin No. 15)
  • 'British Railways standard class "8" locomotives' (Engineer: 1954, 197, 81)
  • 'B.R. class 8 4-6-2 locomotive No. 71000' (Locomotive, Railway Carriage and Wagon Review: 1954, 60)
  • 'British Railways prototype class '8" express passenger locomotive' (Railway Magazine: 1954, 100)
  • Clarke, David: Riddles Class 6/7 Standard Pacifics (Locomotives in Detail volume 5) (Ian Allan: Hinckley, 2006) ISBN 0711031770
  • Herring, Peter: Classic British Steam Locomotives (Abbeydale Press: London, 2000) Section "BR Standard Class 8" ISBN 1861470576
  • Hopkins, Danny and Streeter, Tony: 'The Duke's Bad Day' (Steam Railway Magazine: 2007, 338)
  • Langston, Keith: Made in Crewe: 150 Years of Engineering Excellence (Mortons Media: Horncastle, 2006), ISBN 0955286808
  • Nock, O.S.: 'Performance and efficiency tests on B.R. class 8 locomotive' (Engineer: 1957, 204)

Further reading change

  • Gilbert, Dr. P. T. (Ed.): A Detailed History Of BR Standard Steam Locomotives. Volume 1. Background to Standardisation and Pacific Classes (Railway Correspondence & Travel Society (RCTS): 1994) ISBN 0-901115-81-9

Other websites change