GER Class S56 explained

GER Class S56 (and R24 rebuilt) LNER Class J69
Powertype:	Steam
Designer:	James Holden
Builder:	Stratford Works
Builddate:	1904 (new)
Totalproduction:	20 (new)
Rebuilddate:	1902–1921 from Class R24
Uicclass:	C n2t
Driverdiameter:	4feet
Wheelbase:	13feet
Length:	27feet
Fueltype:	Coal
Watercap:	1200impgal
Boilerpressure:	1802NaN2
Firearea:	14.5square feet
Totalsurface:	996.17square feet
Cylindercount:	Two, inside
Cylindersize:	16.5x
Tractiveeffort:	190912NaN2
Operator:	GER » London and North Eastern Railway » BR
Operatorclass:	GER: S56 or R24R LNER: J69
Powerclass:	BR: 2F
Nicknames:	Bucks, Buckjumpers
Axleloadclass:	LNER/BR: RA 3
Retiredate:	1940–1962
Disposition:	One preserved, remainder scrapped

The GER Class S56 was a class of steams designed by James Holden for the Great Eastern Railway. Together with some rebuilt examples of GER Class R24, they passed to the London and North Eastern Railway at the grouping in 1923, and received the LNER classification J69.

History

The Class S56 were a development of the Class R24, being almost identical, apart from higher boiler pressure and larger water tanks. Twenty were built in 1904 at Stratford Works.

Table of orders and numbers

Year	Order No.	Quantity	GER Nos.	LNER Nos.	1946 Nos.	Notes
1904	S56	10	51–60	7051–7060	8617–19, —, 8621, —, 8623, —, 8625–8626
1904	P57	10	81–90	7081–7090	—, 8628–8633, —, 8635–8636

All twenty passed to the LNER in 1923. Thirteen class J69 locomotives were lent to the War Department in October 1939, of which five had been built as Class S56. They were sold to the War Department in October 1940, where they were used on the Melbourne and Longmoor Military Railways. The remaining locomotives were renumbered 8617–8636 in order of construction; however gaps were left where the locomotives sold to the War Department would have been. At nationalisation in 1948, the remainder passed to British Railways, who added 60000 to their number. Post-war withdrawals started in 1958, and by 1962 all had been retired.

Table of withdrawals of S56-built locomotives

Year	Quantity in service at start of year	Quantity withdrawn	Locomotives numbers	Notes
1940	20	5	align=left	7054, 7056, 7058, 7081, 7088	align=left	to WD 86, 87, 83, 80, 91
1958	15	5	align=left	68617–18/28/31–32	align=left
1959	10	4	align=left	68625/29–30/36	align=left
1960	6	1	align=left	68633	align=left
1961	5	2	align=left	68619/23	align=left
1962	3	3	align=left	68621/26/35	align=left

Preservation

GER no. 87 (LNER 7087, 8633, BR 68633) has been preserved, initially at the Clapham Transport Museum, and now at the National Railway Museum. It is currently on display at Bressingham Steam Museum.

References

• • • Book: Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, part 4. 1948. 49–50.

External links

• https://www.gersociety.org.uk/index.php/locomotives/j-holden/s56 — Great Eastern Railway Society
• The Holden J67 & J69 (GER Class R24, R24 Rebuilt, & S56) 0-6-0T Locomotives — LNER Encyclopedia