BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0

Specifications
Specifications
Configuration:;
• Whyte	2-6-0
• UIC	1′C 2h
Gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.	3 ft 0 in (0.914 m)
Driver dia.	5 ft 0 in (1.524 m)
Length	53 ft 2+1⁄2 in (16.22 m)
Width	8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Height	12 ft 9+1⁄2 in (3.90 m)
Axle load	13.75 long tons (13.97 t; 15.40 short tons)
Adhesive weight	40.50 long tons (41.15 t; 45.36 short tons)
Loco weight	49.25 long tons (50.04 t; 55.16 short tons)
Tender weight	36.85 long tons (37.44 t; 41.27 short tons)
Tender type	BR3
Fuel type	Coal
Fuel capacity	4 long tons (4.1 t; 4.5 short tons)
Water cap.	3,000 imp gal (14,000 L; 3,600 US gal)
Firebox:
• Grate area	17.5 sq ft (1.63 m2)
Boiler	BR8
Boiler pressure	200 psi (1.38 MPa)
Heating surface:
• Firebox	101 sq ft (9.4 m2)
• Tubes and flues	924 sq ft (85.8 m2)
Superheater:;
• Heating area	124 sq ft (11.5 m2)
Cylinders	Two, outside
Cylinder size	16.5 in × 24 in (419 mm × 610 mm)

Type and origin
Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Designer	R. A. Riddles
Builder	British Railways Darlington Works
Build date	December 1952 – November 1956
Total produced	65

BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0
BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0
	A Standard Class 2 at Crewe in 1963
Power type
Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Designer	R. A. Riddles
Builder	British Railways Darlington Works
Build date	December 1952 – November 1956
Total produced	65
Configuration:;
Specifications
Configuration:;
• Whyte	2-6-0
• UIC	1′C 2h
Gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.	3 ft 0 in (0.914 m)
Driver dia.	5 ft 0 in (1.524 m)
Length	53 ft 2+1⁄2 in (16.22 m)
Width	8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Height	12 ft 9+1⁄2 in (3.90 m)
Axle load	13.75 long tons (13.97 t; 15.40 short tons)
Adhesive weight	40.50 long tons (41.15 t; 45.36 short tons)
Loco weight	49.25 long tons (50.04 t; 55.16 short tons)
Tender weight	36.85 long tons (37.44 t; 41.27 short tons)
Tender type	BR3
Fuel type	Coal
Fuel capacity	4 long tons (4.1 t; 4.5 short tons)
Water cap.	3,000 imp gal (14,000 L; 3,600 US gal)
Firebox:
• Grate area	17.5 sq ft (1.63 m2)
Boiler	BR8
Boiler pressure	200 psi (1.38 MPa)
Heating surface:
• Firebox	101 sq ft (9.4 m2)
• Tubes and flues	924 sq ft (85.8 m2)
Superheater:;
• Heating area	124 sq ft (11.5 m2)
Cylinders	Two, outside
Cylinder size	16.5 in × 24 in (419 mm × 610 mm)
Tractive effort
Performance figures
Tractive effort	18,515 lbf (82.4 kN)
Factor of adh.	4.9
Operators
Career
Operators	British Railways
Power class	2MT
Numbers	78000–78064
Nicknames	Mickey Mouse
Axle load class	Route Availability 3
Withdrawn	November 1963 – August 1967
Disposition	Three preserved, one in the process of being rebuilt into tank version, remainder scrapped

The BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0 is a class of steam locomotive, one of the British Railways Standard classes of the 1950s. They were physically the smallest of the Standard classes; 65 were built.

Overview

The design was derived from the Ivatt-designed Class 2 2-6-0, with a reduced cab to enable it to fit into a universal loading gauge, and other standard fittings, most notably a taller chimney, others including the lack of an Ivatt dome and side plates connecting the two sections of the engine. Like the LMS predecessor the BR design had a tender cab to enhance crew protection and visibility when running tender-first. They were all attached to a BR3 type tender. These locomotives are often known by the nickname "Mickey Mouse".

Construction

Darlington works was responsible for building the entire fleet of 65 engines and for a time construction of the LMS and BR designs overlapped. The last No. 78064 was completed in 1956 but the class remained intact for just seven years. Coincidentally the first to be withdrawn No. 78015 was a Darlington-based engine.

Route availability

Like the LMS counterpart, the Standard Mogul was arranged for a low axle-loading of just 13.75 long tons (13.97 t). This allowed it to operate on most lightly laid routes and secondary lines. The route availability was 3. Some of the class had speedometers fitted.

Reputation

Among crews the 2MT 2-6-0 gained a reputation for being very sure-footed. Some maintained however that the engine did not steam well. The loudest complaint was about the draughty and dirty footplate. This was surprising given the efforts of Robert Riddles and his team to optimise working conditions in the Standards' cab layout.

Shed allocations

Two former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway sheds (Bank Hall (Liverpool) and Wigan (L&Y), respectively), designated 27A and 27D, received an allocation of the class. Bank Hall had 78041–44 which were used with great success on both slow and fast trains from Liverpool Exchange to either Preston, Bolton or Rochdale. The Wigan engines 78040/61–64 were used on stopping trains to Liverpool, Southport, Bolton and Rochdale. They replaced LMS Class 2P 4-4-0s and L&YR 2-4-2Ts. On the former L&Y lines this class was generally employed on passenger work whilst the LMS Class 2 2-6-0s were normally found on shunting and freight jobs until the mid-1960s.

When the Cambrian section closed and other areas dieselised, other members of the class came to the former L&Y lines (some as replacements for those originally allocated to 27A and 27D). These included 78002 (in green livery), 78007, 78027 and 78057. Some of these were used on shunting duties from Bolton and Lostock Hall sheds. Number 78022 preserved on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway had a spell as Preston station passenger pilot whilst allocated to Lostock Hall.

Withdrawal

Table of withdrawals
Year	Quantity in service at start of year	Quantity withdrawn	Locomotive numbers
1963	65	1	78015
1964	64	4	78005/09/48/53
1965	60	17	78000–01/04/06/11/14/24–25/27/29–30/32–33/35/42–43/54
1966	43	30	78002–03/08/10/16–19/22/31/34/36/38–40/45–47/49–52/56–61/63–64
1967	13	13	78007/12–13/20–21/23/26/28/37/41/44/55/62

Preservation

Four members of the class survived into preservation, however one member of the class (78059) is currently in the process of being converted to the tank version of the class.^[1]

Number	Built	Withdrawn	Service Life	Location	Livery	Status	Notes
78018	Mar 1954	Nov 1966	12 Years, 8 months	Great Central Railway	BR Lined Black, Late Crest	Operational, Boiler Ticket Expires: 2026	^[a]
78019	Mar 1954	Nov 1966	12 Years, 8 months	Great Central Railway	BR Lined Black, Late Crest	Operational, Boiler Ticket Expires: 2032	^[b]
78022	May 1954	Sept 1966	12 Years, 4 months	Keighley & Worth Valley Railway	BR Lined Green, Early Emblem	Operational, Boiler Ticket Expires: 2028	^[c]
78059/ 84030^[2]	Sept 1956	Nov 1966	10 Years, 2 months	Bluebell Railway	N/A	Undergoing conversion into BR Standard Class 2 2-6-2T	^[d]