History of the LNER C2 class

Atlantics in general

The Atlantic wheel arrangement 4-4-2 or more accurately 2'B1 (showing that the bogie pivoted but the trailing axle did not) had a short but exciting career which lasted from around 1902 to 1912. It emerged in the mid 1890s as a further development of the 4-4-0. The US was the first system to have them but these where little more than 4-4-0 with an added trailing axle to reduce the weight on the driver. In Europe the type evolve form the single wheeler arrangement (4-2-2) with an added river.

The true Atlantic distinguishes itself by having the firbox drawn far backwards well clear of the driving axles. Freed from these restricting axles it was allowed to grow considerably and raise the steaming capacity of the boiler accordingly. The two driving wheels were conceived to supply sufficient traction at high speeds without the drag of a third axle. The Atlantics quickly rose to stardom as thoroughbred horses for sustained highspeed running. The advent of well designed 4-6-0 and Pacifics (4-6-2) quickly put an end to it as well as their two real setbacks: slipping at starting and hunting ("wagging") at speed. In all around 3,500 Atlantics were built all over the world.

From all of these I picked out two classes to show to you before turning tot the subject of this page, the LNER C2

The last Atlantic ever built

Photo: https://www.altaplana.be/en/dictionary/12.004

During the twenties and thirties production of Atlantics was almost non-existent. The class 12 of the Belgian Railways was the very last Atlantic class to be built. It had only 6 memebr of which one is preserved. Is was spefically designed for running light, high speed trains in the streamline era 1935-1940. They saw service unitl 1962.

The Dutch Atlantics

Five! Classes? No, engines! The Netherlands only ever had one class of Atlantics with just five members

StaatSpoorwegen 995-999 later NS 2001-2005.

It appears to have been a very unfortunate design where the Dutch engineers almost literally dictated the design to Beyer Peacock. They were ordered to pull the fast mail trains from Flushing but due to their excessive hunting their top speed was quickly reduced from 90 km/h (not even that fast) to 80 km/h. Their boiler pressure was lowered as well, practically reducing their usefulness to naught. Trials to improve their running behavior ware largely unsuccessful. After 1924 they were relegated to freight services, for which they were altogether unfit. They were withdrawn and scrapped in 1930-1932 after an uneventful life.

The LNER Atlantics

T.b.d

The C1s and C2s

T.b.d.

Preservation

One example survived into preservation. I met this loco on 8 June 2015 in the NRM in Shildon