Gauging The Age of Steam
Gauging The Age of Steam
by Elizabeth Talbot
James Holden designed his T26 2-4-0 (LNER E4) in 1891, to meet the Great Eastern Railways (GER) need for a mixed traffic locomotive. It had to haul the increasing amount of agricultural traffic, plus passenger services on cross-country and slow main line routes. The design was based on Holden's existing Class T19 2-4-0, with various amendments aiding efficiency, such as the 7ft wheels of the T19 being replaced with smaller 5ft 8in wheels, which made the T26 much livelier. A total of 100 T26s were built between 1891 and 1902.
The T26 evolved as the E4, through various technical changes, especially to axles and boilers. Known as “Intermediates” they were useful and versatile. They could be found at all the GER’s main depots, their duties including main line haulage, branch trips from Norwich, fish trains to Peterborough, outings to the Nottingham Goose Fair, plus Newmarket horse box traffic. Yet, withdrawals started in 1926 and continued into the 1940’s. Due to a shortage of light axle loading in East Anglia, the remaining 18 continued in service until 1954, when the introduction of diesel railcars and BR Standard Class 2, 2-6-0’s finally replaced all but one. This was No. 62785, which has been preserved as part of the National Collection No. 490 (BR No. 62785) and is on display at Bressingham Steam Museum, near Diss.
Meanwhile, at Diss Auction Rooms, one of the entries into the Bygones & Railwayana auction on Thursday 14 November, is a tribute to this greatly respected family of iron horses: a 7¼” gauge 2-4-0 GER T26 (later E4) class steam locomotive and tender No. 495, finished in fully lined GER blue/black. 7¼” (or 184mm) refers to the distance between the rails. This is the most common of the larger scales used for building model engines and is the worldwide standard for 1:8 scale models, except for in most of the USA where it tends to be 7½" (or 190.5mm). The international 7¼" Gauge Society unites 7¼" and 7½" gauge miniature railway enthusiasts and because this size is perfect for use by clubs, amusement parks or in private gardens, such models cause a lot of interest when they are offered for sale.
This one was built in 2006 by Ian Holder of Aldeburgh, Suffolk, using a boiler by John M Ellis of Brierley Hill, West Midlands. It carries a pre-auction estimate of £10,000 – 15,000 and is accompanied by several steam and hydraulic certificates and engineering booklets relating to the locomotive. It is a highlight of the auction. However, it is not alone, for there are other fine scale models of vintage engines in the same auction. These include a part-built 7½” 4-6-2 Britannia class 70036 “Boadicea” steam locomotive and tender, partly lined out in BR green with a copper boiler and brass cladding, which comes with a spare copper boiler 70014 which was built in 1998 by Winsons, and various paperwork and test records; a part-built 5” 4-6-2 Britannia class 70006 “Robert Burns” steam locomotive and tender, with a copper boiler, and part-painted cladding in BR green and black lined livery, plus paperwork; and a near finished 3” scale model of a Burrell traction engine, built to the Plastow design by a retired mechanical engineer, with a pre-auction estimate of £2,500 – 4,000.
The fully illustrated catalogue and viewing details will be found at twgaze.co.uk. Enquiries to Dan Woods d.woods@twgaze.co.uk.
