© Don Marshall 2011
ELEGANT STEAM
Great Northern Railway
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Goods locomotive No 400. Designed by Archibald Sturrock and introduced in 1865 these locomotives were, in effect, two locomotives as they were fitted with steam tenders. They were meant to total 70 locomotives and were being built between 1865 and 1866 by outside contractors, eg, Kitson, Hawthorn, etc. They were useful machines but the main problem was that they could haul more freight wagons than could be handled in the marshaling yards of the time plus the ever present risk of broken 3 link couplings resulting in the danger of divided trains and runaways. They were very expensive to maintain and repair By that time 50 were in use but it wasn't long before the tenders were converted to normal coal and water carriers.
The driver and fireman had the unenviable job of driving and firing two locomotives at once and these tasks on, for example, a cold night in January in the North of England in driving rain could not be classed as the best job in the world. They were not popular !!
The driver and fireman had the unenviable job of driving and firing two locomotives at once and these tasks on, for example, a cold night in January in the North of England in driving rain could not be classed as the best job in the world. They were not popular !!