GWR oil burning steam locomotives

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This article is about GWR steam locomotives fuelled by oil. For internal combustion locomotives, see GWR petrol-electric railcar, GWR railcars, and GWR diesel shunters.

The Great Western Railway (GWR) experimented with oil burning steam locomotives at two points in its history. A single experimental tank engine was constructed to burn oil in 1902, and 37 engines of four different classes were converted to burn oil between 1946 and 1950. Neither experiment resulted in the long-term use of oil as fuel for steam locomotives. A single pannier tank locomotive was also converted under British Rail in 1958.

No. 101 of 1902[edit]

GWR No. 101 was an experimental 0-4-0 side-tank locomotive built at Swindon Works under the direction of Churchward in June 1902. Initially built as an oil-burning locomotive, it was rebuilt in 1905 as a coal burner, with the cab backplate replaced by a bunker. No further engines were built to this design, and the locomotive was withdrawn and scrapped in 1911.[1]

Oil burning after WWII[edit]

GWR locomotives had been designed to take advantage of high quality Welsh steam coal. Following the end of World War II, coal supplies were scarce and of poor quality as the best coal was exported. GWR CME Hawksworth obtained permission to try using oil as a fuel in steam locomotives. He modified a number of locomotives of different classes, and the results were successful enough that it was planned to turn Cornwall into an oil fired area. The Government decided that such a scheme should be extended across the country, and asked Hawksworth to provide details of the technology to other railway companies. Several million pounds were spent on the scheme before it foundered on the uneconomic cost of the imported fuel, which had to be purchased using scarce foreign exchange. All the locomotives involved were reconverted to burn coal.[2]

Initial plans were to convert a number of 2800 class 2-8-0, and 4200 class 2-8-0T engines working in South Wales, although in the end no tank engines were converted. The fireboxes were modified by replacing the firebars with a plate that had openings for the air supply, lining part of the firebox with high alumina firebrick to cope with the change in combustion, and mounting a single burner at the front of the firebox that directed the oil, atomized by steam, upwards towards the back of the firebox. Initial problems with the burner saw them replaced by the Laidlaw-Drew type. Tenders were altered to hold a 1,800 imp gal (8,200 L) tank for oil, with steam heating coils to make the heavy grade of oil used thin enough to flow. The success of the initial conversion saw the scheme extended to Castle and Hall class 4-6-0 locomotives, for work in Cornwall.[3]

Oil burners had their own maintenance requirements, including the daily removal and cleaning of the atomizers to keep them effective. Overall, though, they were easier for the firemen to maintain and run than coal fired engines. Depots were re-equipped for refuelling the engines at Bristol Bath Road, Bristol St Philip's Marsh, Cardiff Canton, Didcot, Gloucester, Llanelly, Newport Ebbw Junction, Newton Abbot, Old Oak Common, Plymouth Laira, Reading, Severn Tunnel Junction, Swindon, and Westbury. Work at Banbury and Swansea was cancelled before completion.[4]

A total of thirty-seven locomotives were converted to burn oil, starting with No. 5955 Garth Hall in June 1946 and continuing into the next year. Some locomotives carried new numbers while they were oil burners. Reconversion to coal firing started in September 1948, and was complete by April 1950. Renumbered engines went back to their old numbers.[5]

Locomotives converted[edit]

All engines were converted back to coal firing by 1950, and regained their original numbers. However, the 1400s were never renumbered back to 4800s.[5][6]

List of locomotives converted[5]
Class Original
number		 Oil burner
number		 Date
converted		 Date
reverted		 Name
2800 2832 4806 Nov 1946 Apr 1949
2800 2834 4808 Jul 1947 Jan 1950
2800 2839 4804 Nov 1946 Oct 1948
2800 2845 4809 Aug 1947 Dec 1949
2800 2847 4811 Sep 1947 Jun 1949
2800 2848 4807 Jun 1947 Jul 1949
2800 2849 4803 Nov 1946 Apr 1949
2800 2853 4810 Aug 1947 Jun 1949
2800 2854 4801 Nov 1946 Feb 1949
2800 2862 4802 Nov 1946 Sep 1948
2800 2863 4805 Nov 1946 Mar 1949
2800 2872 4800 Nov 1946 Sep 1948
2884 2888 4850 Nov 1946 Sep 1948
2884 3813 4855 Jul 1947 Jun 1949
2884 3818 4852 Nov 1946 Sep 1948
2884 3820 4856 Jul 1947 Jun 1949
2884 3831 4857 Aug 1947 Mar 1949
2884 3837 4854 Jun 1947 Aug 1949
2884 3839 4853 Jul 1947 Nov 1949
2884 3865 4851 Nov 1946 Apr 1949
Castle 100A1 [a] Jan 1947 Sep 1948 Lloyds
Castle 5039 [a] Dec 1946 Sep 1948 Rhuddlan Castle
Castle 5079 [a] Jan 1947 Oct 1948 Lysander
Castle 5083 [a] Dec 1946 Nov 1948 Bath Abbey
Castle 5091 [a] Oct 1946 Nov 1948 Cleeve Abbey
4300 6320 [a] Mar 1947 Aug 1949
Hall 4907 3903 May 1947 Apr 1950 Broughton Hall
Hall 4948 3902 May 1947 Sep 1948 Northwick Hall
Hall 4968 3900 May 1947 Mar 1949 Shotton Hall
Hall 4971 3901 May 1947 Apr 1949 Stanway Hall
Hall 4972 3904 May 1947 Oct 1948 Saint Brides Hall
Hall 5955 3950 Jun 1946 Oct 1948 Garth Hall
Hall 5976 3951 Apr 1947 Nov 1948 Ashwicke Hall
Hall 5986 3954 May 1947 Feb 1950 Arbury Hall
Hall 6949 3955 May 1947 Apr 1949 Haberfield Hall
Hall 6953 3953 Apr 1947 Sep 1948 Leighton Hall
Hall 6957 3952 Apr 1947 Mar 1950 Norcliffe Hall

Pannier conversion by BR[edit]

In April 1958, under British Rail, GWR 5700 Class 0-6-0PT No. 3711 was converted to burn oil, with a fuel tank installed in the bunker. The conversion was done by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns.[7]

Preservation Conversion[edit]

In January 2024 it was announced that 4965 Rood Ashton Hall during its next overhaul alongside undergoing a retube and a reduction in its width for gauging reasons, consideration was being made to have 4965 converted to oil burning.[8] It was confirmed in March 2024 that 4965 will be converted to oil burning with its overhaul commencing in March 2024.[9]

See also[edit]

Oil burner (engine)

Notes and references[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Not renumbered

References[edit]

  1. ^ Haresnape (1976).
  2. ^ Griffiths (1987), pp. 47, 123.
  3. ^ Griffiths (1987), pp. 123–124.
  4. ^ NRMFriends (2022).
  5. ^ a b c Whitehurst (1973), p. 98.
  6. ^ Haresnape (1978), p. 73.
  7. ^ Haresnape (1978), p. 59.
  8. ^ Tyseley selling two locos with a third for oil firing conversion Heritage Railway issue 316 February 2024 page 56
  9. ^ 4965 Confirmed as getting oil conversion Steam Railway issue 555 March 2024 page 22

Sources[edit]

  • Friends of the NRM (19 May 2022). "A brief flirtation with Oil - Firing". Friends of the NRM. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  • Griffiths, Denis (1987). Locomotive engineers of the GWR. Wellingborough: Stephens. ISBN 0-85059-819-2.
  • Haresnape, Brian (1976). Churchward locomotives : a pictorial history. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0697-0.
  • Haresnape, Brian (1978). Collett & Hawksworth locomotives : a pictorial history. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0869-8.
  • Whitehurst, Brian (1973). Great Western engines, names, numbers, types, classes: 1940 to preservation. Oxford: Oxford Pub. Co. ISBN 0-902888-21-8.

External links[edit]

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