| NCC Class W | |
| Powertype: | Steam |
| Designer: | H. P. Stewart |
| Builder: | LMS and NCC |
| Builddate: | 1933 |
| Totalproduction: | 15 |
| Uicclass: | 1′C h2 |
| Coupleddiameter: | 6feet |
| Locoweight: | 62.5LT(w.o.) |
| Boilerpressure: | 2002NaN2 |
| Cylindercount: | Two, outside |
| Cylindersize: | 19x |
| Valvegear: | Walschaerts |
| Tractiveeffort: | 22160lbf |
| Fleetnumbers: | 90–104 |
| Withdrawndate: | 1965 |
| Disposition: | All original locomotives scrapped; one new-build under construction |
The Northern Counties Committee (NCC) Class W was a class of locomotives introduced in 1933 and allocated to express passenger duties from, Belfast.
The design was attributed to the NCC's Chief Mechanical Engineer H. P. Stewart who was with the permission of William Stanier able to draw on designs and parts from the NCC's owners, the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS). The resultant design is understood to have been an Irish 5ft 3in gauge tender version of the LMS Fowler 2-6-4T tank engine with 6inchesft0inchesin (ftin) diameter wheels which were three inches wider than its predecessor.
On introduction the Class W moguls took over the principal main line expresses of the NCC. They proved capable of speeds of over 80mph. while coal consumption of the locomotives was considered extremely economical.
The class was the motive power for the North Atlantic Express introduced in 1934 with the opening of the Greenisland Loop Line and the fastest services to taking a mere 80 minutes. In 1937 the North Atlantic Express was scheduled from to at an average speed of 58.1mph making it the fastest schedule in Ireland; that time being reduced by a further minute in 1938 to achieve a scheduled 60mph start to stop.
The locomotive remained on former NCC lines until the introduction of diesel railcars on services to in 1958 whereupon some were shifted to other lines including cross border trains to and occasional excursions to Dublin. The final six remaining locomotives of the class were withdrawn in 1965.
When new the locomotives were painted in LMS crimson lake red livery until the NCC was absorbed into Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) in the later forties whereafter repaints were black with red and yellow lining. The original plans were to name the class after Irish Chieftains, however there were concerns this might not be acceptable to some sections of the community. In the event the naming split between British Nobility and geographical locations, the class lead was named Duke of Abercorn after the governor of Northern Ireland.
| No. | Name | Introduced | Withdrawn | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | Duke of Abercorn | 1933 | Class lead | ||
| 91 | The Bush | ||||
| 92 | The Bann | ||||
| 93 | The Foyle | ||||
| 94 | The Maine | ||||
| 95 | The Braid | ||||
| 96 | Silver Jubilee | ||||
| 97 | Earl of Ulster | ||||
| 98 | King Edward VIII | ||||
| 99 | King George VI | ||||
| 100 | Queen Elizabeth | ||||
| 101 | (not named) | ||||
| 102 | (not named) | ||||
| 103 | (not named) | ||||
| 104 | (not named) |
While none of the original class have survived, the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland possesses a spare set of driving wheels and motion and are being used to re-construct the next locomotive of the class, to be numbered 105. It will also use a spare tender that the group have numbered 43.