GER Class D81 explained

GER Class D81
LNER Class J20
Powertype:Steam
Designer:A. J. Hill
Builder:Stratford Works
Builddate:1920 - 1922
Totalproduction:25
Whytetype:0-6-0
Uicclass:C h2
Driverdiameter:4feet
Wheelbase:40feet
Length:54feet over buffers
Fueltype:Coal
Boilerpressure:1802NaN2
Firearea:26.5square feet
Totalsurface:1834.2square feet
Cylindercount:Two, inside
Cylindersize:20x
Tractiveeffort:290442NaN2
Powerclass:BR: 5F
Axleloadclass:LNER/BR: RA 5
Withdrawndate:1959–1962
Disposition:All scrapped

The GER Class D81 was a class of twenty-five 0-6-0 steam locomotives designed by A. J. Hill for the Great Eastern Railway. The all passed to the London and North Eastern Railway at the 1923 grouping and received the classification J20.

History

These locomotives were fitted with 20x cylinders and 4feet wheels, while the Belpaire firebox-fitted boiler was identical to that fitted to the Class S69 4-6-0s. They were the most powerful 0-6-0 tender locomotive in Britain until the arrival of Oliver Bulleid's Q1 class for the Southern Railway in 1942.

Table of orders and numbers! Year !! Order !! Manufacturer !! Quantity !! GER Nos. !! LNER Nos. !! 1946 Nos. !! Notes
1920 D81 5 1270–1274 8270–8274 4675–4679
1922 M87 10 1275–1284 8275–8284 4680–4689
1922 Y87 10 1285–1294 8285–8294 4690–4699

All were still in service at the 1923 grouping, the LNER adding 7000 to the numbers of nearly all the ex-Great Eastern locomotives, including the Class D81 locomotives. Between 1943 and 1956 the class was rebuilt with round-top fireboxes, and reclassified as J20/1.

At nationalisation in 1948, British Railways added 60000 to their LNER numbers. They all continued in service until 1959, when the first was withdrawn; all were gone by the end of 1962.

Table of withdrawals
Year Quantity in
service at
start of year
Quantity
withdrawn
Locomotive numbers Notes
1959 25 3 64675/83/88
1960 22 9 64678/81–82/84–86/93–95
1961 13 8 64676–77/79–80/89/92/97–98
1962 5 5 64687/90–91/96/99

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