Neha Patil (Editor)

GNR Class O2

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Power type
  
Steam

Build date
  
1918–1943

Configuration
  
2-8-0

Designer
  
Nigel Gresley

Total produced
  
67

GNR Class O2

Builder
  
Doncaster Works (57) North British Locomotive Co. (10)

The Great Northern Railway (GNR) Class O2 was a class of three-cylinder 2-8-0 steam locomotives designed by Nigel Gresley for freight work and built by the GNR from 1921. Further examples were built by the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) from 1924.

Contents

Sub-classes

The LNER created four subclasses:

  • O2/1, Introduced 1921. Development of experimental Gresley GNR 3-cylinder locomotive (LNER 3921). Subsequently rebuilt with side-window cab and reduced boiler mountings.
  • O2/2, Introduced 1924. Development of O2/1 with detail differences.
  • O2/3, Introduced 1932. Development of O2/2 with side-window cab and reduced boiler mountings.
  • O2/4, Introduced 1943. Rebuilt with 100A (B1 type) boiler and smokebox extended backwards.

    • GNR

    The first models of this class were designed and built under GNR ownership, the first locomotive, 461, was built in May 1918. A batch of 10 further O2s was built by the North British Locomotive Co. in 1921.

    LNER

    Immediately after Grouping (1923), fifteen more O2s were built.

    16 more were delivered in 1932/33. Wartime requirements led to the construction of 25 in 1942/43 in three batches.

    British Railways

    All 67 locomotives passed to British Railways (BR) in 1948 and were given BR Numbers 63921-63987, but 63921 (which was the prototype 461, LNER 3921) was quickly scrapped. They served all across the former LNER from Stratford through East Anglia into the East Midlands, primarily hauling coal and iron ore trains. By winter 1955/56, they had all gravitated to Doncaster (36A - 35 locomotives), Grantham (35B - 14 locomotives) and Retford (36E - 17 locomotives). By winter 1962, they were down to 52 locomotives still in much the same locations, the following having been scrapped: 63929/34/44/47/50-55/57-59/70.

    By the end of 1963 they were all gone, and none was preserved.

    References

    GNR Class O2 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA