GS&WR Class 362

The Great Southern and Western Railway (GS&WR) Class 362, also known as class B3, consisted of six locomotives designed by Robert Coey and built between 1905 and 1907 for goods traffic and was the first tender locomotive to utilise the 4-6-0 wheel arrangement in Ireland.

GSWR Class 362
No. 365 in photographic grey
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Robert Coey Builder Inchicore Build date 1905—1907 Total produced 6
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-0 Gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 0 in (910 mm) Driver dia. 5 ft 1+3⁄4 in (1,568 mm) Length 33 ft 6+3⁄4 in (10,230 mm) Adhesive weight 44.9 long tons (45.6 t) Loco weight 57.8 long tons (58.7 t) Water cap. 3,345 imp gal (15,210 L; 4,017 US gal) Boiler pressure 160 lbf/in2 (1.10 MPa) Cylinders 2 Cylinder size 19+1⁄4 in × 26 in (489 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 21,230 lbf (94.44 kN)
Career Operators GS&WR GSR Class B3 (Inchicore) Power class C Number in class 2 Numbers 362—367 Nicknames Long Toms Locale Ireland Withdrawn 1928—1931

History

The class was designed to be more powerful than his preceding class 355 0-6-0. It was the first mainline use of the 4-6-0 wheel arrangement in Ireland, and an axle loading of under 16 long tons (16 t).

Chas. S. Lake, in his book Locomotives of 1906 illustrated the type as an example of the 4-6-0 becoming considered for other than express passenger usage, the Class 362 with its 5 ft 1+3⁄4 in (1,568 mm) driving wheels optimised for freight work. The GS&WR selected engine 366 to be displayed at the 1907 Dublin Exhibition.

While the designed increase in power was achieved the type did have some operational issues, these included being too long for some turntables, a tendency for rough riding at speed and incidents of derailment due to lack of weight on the forward bogie. The class did not compare favourably with class 355 when the former were converted to the 2-6-0 wheel arrangement and were withdrawn by 1931.

There is a detailed O Gauge model of engine 362 in the Fry model railway collection.

References

Sources

• Clements, Jeremy; McMahon, Michael (2008). Locomotives of the GSR. Newtownards: Colourpoint Books. ISBN 9781906578268. OCLC 547074718.
• Lake, Charles Sidney (1907). Locomotives of 1906. London: P. Marshall. OCLC 1048796559.

Further reading

• Chacksfield, John E. (18 April 2003). The Coey/Cowie Brothers: All Railwaymen. Oakwood Press. ISBN 978-0853616054. OCLC 55130220.