NBR C Class (LNER J36)

The NBR C Class (LNER Class J36) is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotives designed by Matthew Holmes for freight work on the North British Railway (NBR). They were introduced in 1888 with inside cylinders and Stephenson valve gear. A total of 168 locomotives was built, of which 123 came into British Railways ownership at nationalization in 1948. This was the last class of steam engine in service in Scotland.
The NBR C Class (LNER Class J32) was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed by Dugald Drummond for freight work on the North British Railway. They were built in 1876 and 1877 and had large 18-inch cylinders. A total of 32 locomotives were built. The NBR gave these engines the same designation (C class) as the Matthew Holmes engines above. The two types were very similar, and shared the same (then unusual) 18 inch cylinder size. Between 1898 and 1903, Holmes had all 32 of the Drummond locomotives rebuilt to match his own C class design. Thus the locomotives were considered a single class by the NBR, although on passing to LNER ownership they received the separate designations of J36 and J32 respectively.
==Technical information==
As built, they had a saturated (non-superheated) boiler at 140 lbf/in2 or 0.97 MPa (150 lbf/in2 or 1.03 MPa for the last 24) and Stephenson valve gears with slide valves. Between 1913 and 1923, the class was rebuilt with larger boilers set at 165 psi and the Reid side-window cab.
==Ownership==
===NBR===
====Predecessors====
After the introduction of the Drummond Class C (LNER Class J32) 18-inch cylinder 0-6-0s for use on the Waverley Line in 1876, the NBR reverted to the 17-inch design with the Drummond Class D (J34) in 1879 and the Holmes Class D (J33) in 1883. 
====Holmes C Class====
With the opening of the second Tay Rail Bridge in July 1887 and the upcoming opening of the Forth Bridge in March 1890, the NBR needed more powerful goods locos. The result was the Holmes Class C (J36). Introduced in 1888, it was built in regular batches until 1900, eventually totalling 168 locos. 138 were built at the NBR's Cowlairs Works while the other 30 were split equally between Neilson and Company and Sharp, Stewart and Company.
====World War I====
During the First World War, 25 of the class were sent to France for service with the Railway Operating Division. On return to Scotland, they were given names of battles, generals and a cartoon soldier in recognition of their service. The names were hand-painted on the splasher above the middle driving wheel so often disappeared during repaints.
===LNER===
On January 1, 1923, all 168 locos passed into the hands of the LNER, becoming Class J36. As with all ex-NBR locos, they had 9000 added to their number. The final eight unrebuilt locos were rebuilt in 1923. In 1937, Nos. 9714 and 9716 (later 5285 and 5287) were rebuilt with cutdown chimney and dome for use on the Gartverrie Branch. In 1946 the remaining locos were renumbered from 5210 to 5346. A number of locos had tender cabs fitted for use with Snowplows.
===BR===
At nationalization in 1948, 123 locos passed into service of British Railways and had 60000 added to their number. 65288 of Dunfermline (62C) and 65345 of Thornton (62A) were the last to be withdrawn on 5 June 1967. They were the last steam locomotives in service in Scotland, outlasting the LNER and BR standard designs.
==Locomotive names==
NBR Number	LNER 1946 Number	BR Number	Name
176 	5217 	65217 	French
605 	 	 	St Quentin
608 	 	 	Foch
611 	5268 	65268 	Allenby
612 	5269 	 	Ypres
615 	 	 	Verdun
620 	 	 	Rawlinson
621 	 	 	Monro
627 	 	 	Petain
628 	5216 	65216 	Byng
631 	 	 	Aisne
643 	 	 	Arras
646 	5222 	65222 	Somme
647 	5223 	 	Albert
648 	5224 	65224 	Mons
650 	5226 	65226 	Haig
657 	5233 	65233 	Plumer
659 	5235 	65235 	Gough
660 	5236 	65236 	Horne
661 	 	 	Ole Bill
662 	 	 	Birdwood
666 	 	 	Marne
673 	5243 	65243 	Maude
676 	 	 	Reims
682 	5253 	65253 	Joffre
==Preservation==
One, #673 Maude (LNER number 9673; LNER 1946 number 5243; BR number 65243) has been preserved by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway. It starred in the 2000 remake of The Railway Children on the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex.
==Trivia==
* 65288 was adopted by Dunfermline High School Railway Society and was repainted by society members while still in BR service . It was fitted with one small and one normal sized buffer at the front end.
==References==
*Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1962 edition
==External links==
*Class J36 Details at Rail UK
*Scottish Railway Preservation Society page on Maude
*NBR/LNER Holmes "J36" Class 0-6-0 at BRDatabase
Category:NBR Locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:North British locomotives
Category:Cowlairs Works Locomotives
Category:Sharp Stewart locomotives
Category:Neilson locomotives
Category:0-6-0 locomotives
Category:0-6-0 steam locomotives
Category:4 foot 8 1⁄2 inch gauge
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:North British Railway
Category:Restored locomotives
Category:Sole survivor
Category:LNER locomotives