LNER Route: Leicester to Marylebone

Catesby Tunnel: gcct223

An unidentified O1 2-8-0 locomotive has just cleared Catesby Tunnel and is about to pass Charwelton on an up goods. This locomotive was part of a class of 2-8-0 steam locomotives designed by Edward Thompson for freight work. Because of wartime restrictions on new-build locomotives, they were rebuilds of LNER Class O4 'ROD' 2-8-0s built before and during World War I, although most of the locomotive was replaced during this rebuild. The first LNER rebuild took place in February 1944, and 58 locomotives were rebuilt to class O1 in total, with the last being locomotive No 63856 in October 1949 just after the formation of British Railways after which the programme was halted. The main modification to the original Great Central Railway Class 8K design was the incorporation of a standard LNER 100A boiler and the fitting of Walschaerts valve gear and new cylinders. The locomotives passed into the ownership of British Railways' Eastern and North Eastern Regions on 1st January 1948 and were given running numbers in the range of No 63570 to No 63920. However, within this number range were many un-rebuilt O4s. None of the class has survived to be preserved.

back