Barry Railway Class C

Barry Railway Class C were originally 2-4-0T steam tank engines of the Barry Railway in South Wales. They were designed by J. H. Hosgood and built by Sharp Stewart.

Traffic duties

The locomotive was the first purpose built passenger locomotive built for the Company. They pulled passenger trains between Barry and Cogan on the Cardiff branch. However, on 14 August 1893, the Barry Railway began running trains from Barry to Cardiff Riverside station (GWR) having obtained running powers over the Taff Vale from Cogan Junction to Penarth Junction and over the GWR into Cardiff Riverside, a station adjacent to the GWR’s main station of Cardiff General. ^[1]

Derailment

On the first day of service, Class C no. 21 was given the honour of pulling the first train of the new Barry to Cardiff service. It unfortunately disgraced itself by derailing on the sharp curve of Cogan Junction where the Barry joined the Taff Vale Railway. Subsequently, traffic was held up for several hours on both railways. ^[1]

Altered wheel arrangement

The Class C operated the Barry–Cardiff service, along with the Class G, until the arrival of the Class J in 1897. Its limited fuel and water capacity rendered the Class C inadequate for the longer commuter journey. Therefore, in June 1898, Nos 21 and 22 were taken to Barry Locomotive Works and their wheel arrangement changed from 2-4-0T to 2-4-2T. ^[2]

Return to duties

They made a limited return to the Cardiff service but ended up being assigned to other duties. For example, No. 21 was given the task of hauling the Directors’ saloon, Engineer’s saloon and the Manager’s Truck. In contrast, No. 22 usually worked colliers’ trains on the main line and light passenger trains on the Vale of Glamorgan line. In 1904, the Manager’s Truck was converted into the Pay Clerk’s Van. Early experiments as a self-propelled petrol engine van failed miserably with numerous breakdowns causing disruption to the scheduled traffic. As a result, No. 21 was reassigned the task of hauling the Van in its new guise.^[3] In 1914, the Barry Railway’s two steam railmotors were converted into semi-corridor coaches and became known as the "vestibule set". They were hauled by either Nos. 21 and 22 and the train was used on the Barry to Bridgend service. ^[4]

Disposals

Unusually for the Barry, two of the Class C were disposed of during Barry days. These were Nos. 37 and 52 which were both withdrawn and disposed of in 1898. 37 remained as a 2-4-0T and 52 was converted to a 2-4-2T just before its sale.

Withdrawal

The two remaining locomotives passed to the Great Western Railway in 1922. No. 21 was withdrawn in 1926 and No. 22 in 1928. None has been preserved.

Numbering

References

• Ahrons, E. L. (1953). Locomotive and Train Working in the Latter Part of the Nineteenth Century. W. Heffer & Sons Ltd. pp. 114–115.
• Barrie, D. S. M. (1983). The Barry Railway (reprint with addenda and amendments). Oakwood Press. pp. 200–201. ISBN 0853612366.
• Chapman, Colin (1998). The Vale of Glamorgan Railway. The Oakwood Press. p. 103. ISBN 0-85361-523-3.
• Davies, F. K.; Firth, J. M.; Lucking, J. H.; Thomas, R. E.; Allcock, N. J.; Sterndale, A. C.; Barrie, D. S. M.; Reed, P. J. T.; Mountford, E. R. (April 1966). White, D. E., ed. The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part ten: Absorbed Engines, 1922–1947. RCTS. pp. K34–K34. ISBN 0-901115-20-7.
• Miller, Brian J. (1984). Rails to Prosperity – The Barry & After 1884–1984. Regional Publications (Bristol) Ltd. p. 11. ISBN 0906570174.
• Mountford, Eric R. (1987). The Barry Railway – Diagrams and Photographs of Locomotives, Coaches and Wagons. Headington: Oakwood Press. p. 11. ISBN 0853613559.
• Russell, J. H. (1978). Great Western Absorbed Engines. Oxford Publishing Company. pp. 42–43. ISBN 0902888749.