SR Merchant Navy class

SR Merchant Navy class[1]
A posed side-and-front view of a large 4-6-2 steam locomotive with a tender. The locomotive boiler is hidden by a casing of flat metal side sheets.
35027 Port Line in original form
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerOliver Bulleid
BuilderSR Eastleigh Works
Build date1941–1949
Total produced30
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte4-6-2 (Pacific)
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.3 ft 1 in (0.940 m)
Driver dia.6 ft 2 in (1.880 m)
Trailing dia.3 ft 7 in (1.092 m)
Length69 ft 8 in (21.23 m)
Loco weight94.75 long tons (96.3 t; 106.1 short tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity5.00 long tons (5.1 t; 5.6 short tons)
Water cap.5,000 imp gal (22,730 L; 6,000 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Grate area48.5 sq ft (4.51 m2)
Boiler pressure280 psi (19.31 bar; 1.93 MPa), later reduced to 250 psi (17.24 bar; 1.72 MPa)
Cylinders3
Cylinder size18 in × 24 in (457 mm × 610 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort37,515 lbf (166.9 kN), later reduced to 33,495 lbf (149.0 kN)
Career
Operators
ClassSR / BR: Merchant Navy
Power class
  • SR: A
  • BR: 8P
LocaleSouth West Main Line
Disposition
  • All modified (see below)
  • 1 rebuilt under conversion to unrebuilt specifications

The SR Merchant Navy class (originally known as the 21C1 class, and later informally known as Bulleid Pacifics, Spam Cans – which name was also applied to the Light Pacifics – or Packets) is a class of air-smoothed 4-6-2 (Pacific) steam locomotives designed for the Southern Railway by Oliver Bulleid. The Pacific design was chosen in preference to several others proposed by Bulleid. The first members of the class were constructed during the Second World War, and the last of the 30 locomotives in 1949.

Incorporating a number of new developments in British steam locomotive technology, the design of the Merchant Navy class was among the first to use welding in the construction process; this enabled easier fabrication of components during the austerity of the war and post-war economies.[2] In addition, the locomotives featured thermic syphons in their boilers and the controversial Bulleid chain-driven valve gear.[3] The class members were named after the Merchant Navy shipping lines involved in the Battle of the Atlantic, and latterly those which used Southampton Docks: a publicity masterstroke by the Southern Railway, which operated Southampton Docks during the period.[4]

Due to problems with some of the more novel features of Bulleid's design, all members of the class were modified by British Railways during the late 1950s, losing their air-smoothed casings in the process. The Merchant Navy class operated until the end of Southern steam in July, 1967. A third of the class has survived and can be seen on heritage railways throughout Great Britain. They were known for reaching speeds of up to 105 mph (167 km/h); such speeds were recorded by examples including No. 35003 Royal Mail (since scrapped) and Nos. 35005 Canadian Pacific and 35028 Clan Line (both preserved).[5][6][7][8]

  1. ^ Harvey (2004)
  2. ^ Arlett (1989), pp. 29–30
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference BiR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Burridge (1975), p. 60
  5. ^ Streeter, Tony. "The last 'proper' 100... by a doomed locomotive". Steam Railway (388, 29 April – 26 May 2011). Bauer Media. ISSN 0143-7232. OCLC 63292071.
  6. ^ "35005 Canadian Pacific (SR 21C5, BR s21C5 & 35005)". Preserved British Steam Locomotives. WordPress.com. 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  7. ^ Train: The Definitive Visual History. Penguin. 2014. p. 270. ISBN 9781465436580. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  8. ^ Peacock, Becky (2018). "Uncovering the secrets of Canadian Pacific". Science Museum Group Journal. Autumn 2018 (10): 1–17. doi:10.15180/181010. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.