LNER (ex-NER) Y7 0-4-0T #129 Darlington Works (Black) DCC Sound - Pre Order


LNER (ex-NER) Y7 0-4-0T #129 Darlington Works (Black) DCC Sound - Pre Order

Pre Order: 10% off CAD RRP   Canadian RRP: $TBA estimate   UK RRP: £TBA

The North Eastern Railway’s ‘H’ 0-4-0Ts were built to Thomas Worsdell’s design, to replace elderly Manning Wardle locomotives on the NER’s docks. The First six were built in 1888. They were the perfect dockyard locomotive. They were rugged and simple, their short wheelbase could navigate the tight curves and poor track and their relatively karge boilers created plenty of steam to shunt large trains. The first batch proved so successful that a further ten locomotives were ordered in 1891 followed by another three in 1897.

All 19 passed into LNER ownership at the Grouping where, newly classified 'Y7', they could be found all over the network. The LNER found them so useful that a further five were built in 1923, 35 years after the original engines were introduced.

Outwardly, the Y7's appeared to have no coal bunker. However, a bunker was built internally into the left hand water tank and loaded from the top. This could hold 6.25cwt in coal, a rather small amount, and often coal could be seen piled on top of the left hand water tank and even on the cab roof! Some engines were fitted with shunting poles allow shunting of wagons on adjacent lines.

The Y7's were modified over the years. Early engines were fitted with Ramsbottom safety valves encased in a brass cover whilst later engines received standard Ross 'pop' safety vales. Originally designed with a handbrake and dumb buffers, later engines were fitted with steam brakes and traditional buffers. One was fitted with vacuum brakes for working passenger trains on the North Sunderland Railway.

Originally concentrated in North East locations such as Darlington and Gateshead works, Alexandra Docks and Tyne Dock. Later the Y7's spread themselves far and wide, from St Margaret's shed and Leith docks in Scotland to Tweedmouth and York and even as far south as Stratford and Neasden. This net was cast even further during the wartime. Some were loaned to the Ministry of Works at Shrawardine near Shrewsbury, one to the Admiralty at Kyle of Lochalsh and three to the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich.

Dock work however was hit hard during the Great Depression and between 1929 and 1932, 16 Y7's were withdrawn. Nine were sold into industry and a further three were later sold into industrial service.

BR only inherited two Y7's, 68088 and 68089. No. 68089 was used on the North Sunderland Railway and was withdrawn in 1951 when the line closed. It ended its days on Morecambe promenade whilst No. 68088 followed in 1952 and was sold to the National Coal Board. Two are preserved, NER 985 (BR 68088) is at the Mid-Suffolk Railway and NER 1310 (withdrawn by LNER in 1933 and sold into industrial service) is at the Middleton Railway.