Bowaters - Superior and Triumph

Hello all,

Were all the locomotives built for the Bowaters Paper Railway all one-offs or were they built as batches and shipped elsewhere? I'm interested as to whether Superior has and sisters?

Also, although both Superior and Triumph, although built by different manufacturers, are both 0-6-2s and to my untrained eye appear quite similar. Is this the case or are there some significant differences? Can't seem to find a good side-by-side picture get some comparison.

Thanks in advance

Chris

 

Hi Chris,
The Bagnall locos Alpha, Triumph and Superb are all copies of Superior and are a result of Kerr Stuarts going out of business and a lot of their employees moving to Bagnalls, there was a lot of inter relationship between the two workforces before this event anyway. They were designed to be dimensionally identical so that parts could be exchanged between the two apart from boilers, That's why the Bagnalls have Stephensons valve gear otherwise they would have had Bagnall-Price. The Bagnalls as they stand were a set of three that were never repeated, And despite their being built several years apart the Bagnalls are absolutely identical to each other having worked on them close up but have shared Superiors straight chimney at some point in their lives.
Superior does indeed have a sister which still exists in Brazil a meter gauge example but with outside wheels the link is below:-

http://www.world-railways.co.uk/gallery/photo_display.php?id=12001

P.S. I wonder if the width of the frame plates were identical between an inside framed 2ft 6" loco and an outside 1meter gauge loco?

Graham.

 

To expand upon Graham's comments, here is part of an article I wrote many years ago for the W&LLR.

In 1912 a 104 H.P. 0-6-2T was built which became the prototype for a new standard design that Kerr Stuart christened the “Matary”. This first locomotive was delivered to the Barreto Company of Pernambuco, Brazil and as a result this class is also sometimes known as the “Barretto” class. This was suitable for gauges between 2ft and 4ft 8 ½ inches and rails of between 25-30 lbs per yard. The metre gauge locomotives had inside frames and locomotives with narrower gauges had outside frames – what a shame nobody took up the Standard Gauge option!

A comparison of the works numbers and delivery dates of the Kerr Stuart locomotives appear to show strange anomalies, but there are no misprints in Ralph Russell’s research. This is perhaps explained either by the use of stockpiled frames from an earlier cancelled order or maybe by a Kerr Stuart preference to build its standard designs in batches rather than as one-off products to order. The interchangeably of parts between the different designs in its standard range allowed Kerr Stuart to stock sufficient locomotive parts so that locomotives could built with very short lead times and at low changeover costs. They were however prepared to make some adjustments to their standard designs to suit customer requirements. It is noted that the leadtime from the reciept of order to dispatch for "Joan" (Works Number 4404) was just 2 months!

The most significant design variation appears to have occurred following issues with “Superior” which was built for Edward Lloyd of Sittingbourne. As a paper manufacturer with an understandable concern towards burning embers the customer specified the locomotive to be oil fired, unlike any of the previous Matary locos. However as an oil burner “Superior” would not steam and within 12 months the loco had to be converted to coal firing and her original steel firebox and tubes were exchanged for copper and brass. Intriguingly all four of the subsequent Matarys to be built as oil fired locomotives (three for Persia as well a certain solitary locomotive for Antiguan sugar industry that we are now very familiar with on the W&LLR) were supplied with extended frames, Huxley boilers with a 37% larger grate area and oil tanks within the cab. Incidentally, the oil burners themselves were not supplied by Kerr Stuart.

Of the twenty-one Matarys constructed only fourteen were actually built by Kerr Stuart. Joan was destined to become the last Kerr Stuart built Matary as one day in 1929 a petition arrived from the Midland Bank for a compulsory winding up order of the company. All had seemed well at Stoke with good order books and their portfolio was expanding into building diesel locomotives. However, the London based chairman had been illegally using Kerr Stuart funds to finance a company in the city called Evos Sliding Doorways. This company had now failed and the Midland Bank (who had no other connection with the firm) required Kerr Stuart & Co. to meet the Chairman’s obligations. The police were called in, only to discover that the chairman had disappeared and was never to be heard of again. The contracts that were in progress were completed and in 1930 the company closed. The Hunslet Engine Company of Leeds purchased the company, its designs, and good will in 1931. Hunslet also removed what was left at Stoke, including a number of experimental diesel locomotives left the erecting shop.

However, Hunslet did not account for the workforce. Kerr Stuart’s chief draughtsman F.H.B. Harris went to work for the rival firm of W.G. Bagnall of Stafford and allegedly brought with him copies of his previous employer’s designs. Subsequently, Harris came up with an improved Matary design when Edward Lloyd of Sittingbourne, wanted further locomotives similar to their Kerr Stuart built Matary “Superior”. The result was “Alpha”, “Triumph” and “Superb”.

Hunslet, who had legitimately bought the manufacturing rights to the Kerr Stuart designs, built four further Matary locomotives in 1948 for Robert Hudson, who were agents for the Leaches Argentine Estates Ltd. In 1966 and again in 1968, Hunslet quoted the Talyllyn Railway £10,000 for a Matary locomotive, but unfortunately this was ruled out by the Talyllyn’s loading gauge. In 1984, Hunslet (by then amalgamated with Andrew Barclay) were still able to quote to build a bagasse (sugar cane waste) fired Matary for a third world customer, but again no order materialised.

Builder Works No. Date ex-works Gauge Purchaser Details
Kerr Stuart 1243 Nov.1912 75cm Barreto & Co, Pernambuco, Brazil
Kerr Stuart 1303 Jun.1913 75cm Barreto & Co, Pernambuco, Brazil
Kerr Stuart 1355 Jul. 1914 Metre Barreto & Co, Pernambuco, Brazil
Kerr Stuart 4032 Jul 1919 Metre Barreto & Co, Pernambuco, Brazil
Kerr Stuart 4033 Nov.1919 2ft 6in Dholpur-Bari Railway, India
Kerr Stuart 4034 May1920 2ft 6in Edward Lloyd, Sittingbourne Named “Superior”
Kerr Stuart 4188 Jun.1921 2ft 0in New consolidated Goldfields, Arcturus Ruwa siding via Beira Mozambique
Kerr Stuart 4189 May1923 2ft 6in Anglo Persia Oil Co. Ahwaz, Persia (Iran) Huxley Boiler
Kerr Stuart 4190 May1923 2ft 6in Anglo Persia Oil Co. Ahwaz, Persia (Iran) Huxley Boiler
Kerr Stuart 4191 May1923 2ft 6in Anglo Persia Oil Co. Ahwaz, Persia (Iran) Huxley Boiler
Kerr Stuart 4192 Mar.1927 Metre Barreto & Co, Pernambuco, Brazil Stored at Stoke between 1923 – 27
Kerr Stuart 4193 Sep.1927 Metre Carlos, Lyra & Cla, Maceio, Brazil Stored at Stoke 1923 –27. Named “Mestre Borges No, 6”
Kerr Stuart 4392 May1927 765mm Lever Bros. Ken Matadi, Belgium Congo Built as 0-6-0T named “H.C.B.”
Kerr Stuart 4404 Sep. 1927 2ft 6in Antigua Sugar Company Huxley Boiler. Named “Joan”
Bagnall 2472 1932 2ft 6in Edward Lloyd, Sittingbourne Named “Alpha”
Bagnall 2511 1934 2ft 6in Edward Lloyd, Sittingbourne Named “Triumph”
Bagnall 2624 1940 2ft 6in Edward Lloyd, Sittingbourne Named “Superb”
Hunslet 3581 1948 2ft 0in Leaches Argentine Estates Ltd. Supplied via Robert Hudson
Hunslet 3582 1948 2ft 0in Leaches Argentine Estates Ltd. Supplied via Robert Hudson
Hunslet 3583 1948 2ft 0in Leaches Argentine Estates Ltd. Supplied via Robert Hudson
Hunslet 3584 1948 2ft 0in Leaches Argentine Estates Ltd. Supplied via Robert Hudson

Kind regards,
Gareth

 

A bit more on Joan, herself..

On the 27th July 1927 an order was received at Kerr Stuart’s London office for an oil-burning 0-6-2T based upon the standard Matary design. This order placed by the Antigua Sugar Company was despatched to Stoke as L79.

On the 27th September 1927 the end product carrying the now legendry works number of 4404 began its long journey to Antigua, West Indies. Antigua was (at that time) surrounded by coral reefs and thus locomotive 4404 was supplied in a dismantled state to permit transfer to smaller vessels for passage over the reef. The locomotive kit was supplied in works grey without name or number. The major visual difference between Joan as seen today and when delivered was the original side tanks that extended only as far forward as the smokebox tubeplate.

4044 received her JOAN nameplates upon arrival in Antigua which was the name of the Gunthorpe Mill General Manager’s wife. The oversized “JOAN” nameplates, cast upon the island, must surely be amongst the heaviest nameplates ever bestowed upon a narrow gauge locomotive. Even today they are difficult to handle dispite some of the metal having been milled off the back of the plates at Llanfair in the 1970s. Joan’s livery was Midland Railway maroon that was to be carried until 1949.

As a major modification to the standard design, 4404 was fitted with a larger Huxley-type boiler, which necessitated a lengthened chassis with the pony truck having being moved back by one foot to allow for the bigger firebox. The firebox was copper and the tubes were brass. Joan’s oil burning equipment that was not supplied by Kerr Stuart & Co. It was of USA origin and was installed in Antigua by specialist workers from the Trinidadian oil industry.

Apart from the boiler, the specification of Joan differed from standard in several other respects. Instead of two injectors, the boiler was to be fed by two vertical steam pumps (Mumford Duplex 3in x 2in x 3in) situated forward on each side of the smokebox. No doubt this was intended to give a more reliable feed in tropical conditions. At a later stage, a horizontal steam pump located on top of the fireman’s side water tank in front of the cab window replaced the left hand front pump. Instead of two standard Roscoe displacement lubricators, 4404 had a Wakefield 4-feed mechanical lubricator on the top left hand side tank with a lengthy eccentric drive from the valve spindle. Another lubricator was later fitted on the left hand side plate forward of the cylinder cover. Lambet’s wet sanding equipment was fitted with altered sand pipe courses to the Matary standard arrangement. Two Sunbeam turbo-generator each supplying a 12inch searchlight at either end of the locomotive were supplied by the Baldwin Loco Works USA and where sent directly to Antigua.

World War II saw an improvement in prospects, which led to the consolidation of the various estates. During the conflict, supplies of oil to the island were very restricted. The oil burning equipment was removed and coal (in the form of compacted 10 inch cube briquettes) and more frequently bagasse was used as fuel. At some stage, the cab back was removed to facilitate the feeding of the bagasse carried on a truck behind. The oil tanks in the cab were retained and linked to the adjacent side tanks to argument the water capacity. After the war imported American coal was used as fuel. Containers for tools and two men (whose duties included sanding gradients, changing points and operating the wagon brakes) were fitted upon RSJs attached to the front and rear buffer beams.

By 1947 the boiler was due for replacement and in July of that year a new boiler was ordered from the Hunslet Engine Company to the same dimension as the original but with a steel firebox and tubes. The working pressure of the new boiler was increased by 10 lbs/sq in, increasing the locomotive’s tractive effort by 472lbs. Later during the same year a separate order was placed for new full-length side tanks extending to the front of the smokebox. However, due to the backlog of post war orders the boiler and side tanks were not delivered until 1949. The locomotive did not return to service until 1951. This rebuilding had virtually renewed the engine above footplate level and the locomotive was completed in a green livery (the exact shade/colour is unknown).

An account by Alexander Davies who worked on both the Antiguan and St. Kitts systems (collected by Roger Darsley) reveals that Joan saw little use after being re-built. It was normal practice to use Joan coupled to one of the railway’s diesel locomotives (a Plymouth or Simplex) for although Joan was the most powerful steam locomotive on the island, she was also the heaviest and was not suitable for all the sidings. The small diesel was thus uncoupled and sent into each siding to haul out the cane cars and Joan towed the complete train back to the Mill.

The railway was officially dieselised in 1956, but Joan and a few others with comparatively new boilers carried on running. Despite this Joan appears to have been well maintained receiving a boiler washout at least once every week. At some point around 1960 the locomotive was then placed in hibernation within the locomotive shed at Gunthorpes Mill. There was however one final tale in Joan’s Antigua adventure. In 1927 a Mr. J. Cockburn travelled out to Antigua to become the railway’s fitter and relief driver. He retired in 1960 and moved to Arddleen, between Welshpool and Oswestry. Just for a moment try to imagine his surprise when in March 1973 he visited his local heritage railway and discovered that ‘his’ locomotive had independently followed him across the world almost to his doorstep…

Standard Matary (JOAN (KS 4404/1927)
Cylinders (x2) 10 in x 15 in (10 in x 15 in)
Wheels: Coupled 2 ft 3 in (2 ft 3 in)
Wheels: Trailing 1 ft 6 inch (1 ft 6 in)
Wheelbase: Rigid 2ft 9 in + 2 ft 9 in (2ft 9 in + 2 ft 9 in)
Wheelbase: Total 11 ft 6 in (12 ft 6 in)
Tubes 84 x 1.75 in (107 x1.75 in)
Heating Surface: Tubes 272 sq ft (367 sq ft)
Heating Surface: Firebox 42 sq ft (55 sq ft)
Grate Area 6.5 sq ft (8.9 sq ft)
Working Pressure 160 lbs/sq in (160 lbs/sq in :1927)
(170lbs/sq in :1951)
Firebox outside length 3ft 6in (4 ft 9 in)
Water (side tanks only) 420 gallons (420 gallons :1927)
(530 gallons* :1951)
Weight: Tare 12 ton 16 cwt (16 ton 3 cwt)
Weight: Working Order 16 ton 15 cwt (21 ton)
Tractive Effort (85% BP) 7555 lbs (7555 lbs :1927)
(8027 lbs :1951)
Length (over buffer beams) 18ft 1in (19ft 1 in)
Width Overall 7 ft 4 in (7 ft 5 in)

*Not including the supplementary water capacity given by the converted oil tanks after oil burning was abandoned.
Note: During the recent overhaul at Llanfair Joan recieved a new boiler with a shorter firebox (Oil and Baggasse firing no longer required) for economy and to provide a larger cab for driver experiance courses. As a coal burning locomotive prior to the recent re-boilering the locomotive was found to be significantly over-boilered for her chassis. Gas Producer Combustion System (GPCS) vents have incorporated into the new firebox for the purposes of reducing spark emissions in combination with the Lempor exhaust, but have yet to be used.

Kind regards,
Gareth

 

Excellent contributions as usual Gareth, many thanks for sharing.

Cheers

Alan

 

"Two Sunbeam turbo-generator each supplying a 12inch searchlight at either end of the locomotive were supplied by the Baldwin Loco Works USA and where sent directly to Antigua."

Incidently, Joan's original rear searchlight was replaced at Llanfair by a spare Sierra Leone Railway lamp as it protroded so far back it would have been dangerous to anyone standing on the front balcony of our coaches. Appropriately for its orgins the lamp was sold to the Brecon Mountain Railway and is today one of the pair that is carried by their Baldwin 4-6-2.

Gareth

 

Ah how absolutely fascinating, thanks chaps! Really useful information