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B Class 4-8-0
CLASS  B    4-8-0


Introduced: 1899 Number in Class:  10

B Class Register




Locomotive Specifications

Builders:
  1.  Sharp Stewart & Co. Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland (4)
  2.  NZR Addington (6)

Engine Weight:    43.0 tons Tender Weight:    25.5 tons Total Weight:    68.5 tons Adhesive Weight:    
31.7 tons
Length over Buffers:    
52' 1½"
Total Wheelbase:    44' 9" Engine Wheelbase:    23' 0" Coupled Wheelbase:    
12' 6"
Tender Wheelbase:    
13' 0"
Driver Wheel Dia.:     42½" Cylinders HP:    
Two - 16" x 22"
Cylinders LP:    
Grate Area:    17.3 sq ft Evaporative Area:    
1037 sq ft
Superheated Area:     Working Pressure:    
175 psig
Tractive Effort:    
18550 lbs f
Coal Capacity:    4.0 tons Oil Capacity:     Water Capacity:    
1700 gals

Remarks:     Designed as a standard goods locomotive to replace the small 'T', 'O', and 'P' class "Consolidations", the first of this type was built at Addington in 1899. Mechanically the 'B' was years ahead of its time, with a new simple design of piston valve and a modified Walschaerts valve gear. For their time the 'B's were powerful brutes and rated to haul 600 ton goods trains on easy grades, and could handle 220 tons over the steep grades north of Dunedin. After the advent of the versatile 'A' and 'Ab' class Pacifics, the 'B's became outmoded for main-line haulage and were relegated to branch-line and shunting duties. Four of these locomotives were rebuilt with new superheated boilers using a working pressure of 200 psig and with a grate area of 26.4 sq ft. Tractive Effort was increased to 21,200 lbs f.