Editing BR standard classes

{{Short description|Effort to standardise locomotives in 1951}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
The '''BR Standard steam locomotives''' were an effort to standardise locomotives from the motley collection of older [[Railways Act 1921|pre-grouping]] locos. Construction started in 1951. Due to the controversial [[British Railways Modernisation Plan]] of 1955, where steam traction was abandoned in 
favour of diesel and electric traction, many of the locomotives' working lives were very short: between 7 and 17 years. Many have been preserved, mainly due to being sent to [[Woodham Brothers|Barry Scrapyard]].

== Ex-WD Austerity engines ==

The first BR standards were the [[BR ex-WD Austerity 2-8-0]] and [[BR ex-WD Austerity 2-10-0]]s.  They were given the numbers 90000-732 and 90750-774 respectively. They were assigned the boiler types BR10 and BR11, and both had the tender type BR5.

== Background ==

[[Robert Riddles]] put his case for continuing to build steam locomotives in his presidential address to the Institution of Locomotive Engineers in November 1950.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Riddles |first1=R. A. |title=Nationalisation and the Mechanical Engineer |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1243/jile_proc_1950_040_061_02 |website=Journal of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers |pages=675–694 |language=EN |doi=10.1243/JILE_PROC_1950_040_061_02 |date=1 November 1950}}</ref> He compared capital costs to show that steam was cheaper than the alternatives, though he did not mention productivity differences, except to say fuel costs did not rank very high relative to total costs. For example, a [[BR standard class 5|Class 5]] cost £16,000, compared to £78,100 for a [[British Rail Class D16/1|1,600 h. p. diesel]], £138,700 for a [[British Rail 18000|gas turbine]], or £37,400 for [[British Rail Class 77|electric]]. He calculated the costs per [[Horsepower#Drawbar power|drawbar horse power]] as £13 6s (steam), £65 (diesel), £69 7s (turbine) and £17 13s (electric).<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=The Railway Magazine |date=January 1951 |pages=60–61 |title=Standardisation and Comparative Costs of Motive Power on B.R.}}</ref> Riddles retired in 1953.

=== Design ===
From 1951, BR started to build steam locomotives to its own standard designs, which were largely based on LMS practice but incorporating ideas and modifications from the other constituent companies, continental Europe and North America. Their design was overseen by Riddles.

Characteristic features were [[taper boiler]]s, high running plates, two cylinders and streamlined cabs.

== Construction ==

Although more were ordered, 999 BR "Standards" were constructed: the last, [[BR standard class 9F 92220 Evening Star|92220 ''Evening Star'']], was built in 1960. Most never achieved their potential service life and were withdrawn in working order.

Construction was split between the ex-LMS works at [[Crewe Works|Crewe]], [[Derby Works|Derby]] and [[Horwich Works|Horwich]], the ex-LNER works at [[Darlington Works|Darlington]] and [[Doncaster Works|Doncaster]], the ex-GWR works at [[Swindon Works|Swindon]], and the ex-SR works at [[Brighton Works|Brighton]].
<!--
7MT - all at Crewe
8P - 1 at Crewe
5MT - Derby 130, Doncaster 42
4mt 260 , Horwich, (45), Doncaster 25 Derby 25
4mt 460 Swindon 80
4MT 264T Brighton 130, Derby 15, Doncaster 10
3MTt 460- Swindon 20
3MT 264T Swindon 45
2MT 260 Darlington 65
2MT 262T Crewe 20 Darlington 10
9F  2100 Crewe 198 Swindon 53
-->

{|class="wikitable sortable" style=text-align:center
! Class
! Numbers
! [[Power classification|Power<br />class]]
! [[Wheel arrangement|Wheel<br />arr.]]
! Quantity<br />built
! Dates<br /> built
! [[Route Availability|RA]]
! Tenders types
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 7|Class 7]] (''Britannia'')
| 70000–70054
| 7MT
| <span style="display:none">0642</span>[[4-6-2]]
| align=right| 55
| {{nobr|January 1951–September 1954}}
| 8
| align=left| BR1, BR1A, BR1D
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 8|Class 8]] (''Duke of Gloucester'')
| 71000
| 8P
| <span style="display:none">0642</span>[[4-6-2]]
| align=right| 1
| May 1954
| 8
| align=left| BR1E until 1957, BR1J thereafter
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 6|Class 6]] (''Clan'')
| 72000–72009
| 6P5F
| <span style="display:none">0642</span>[[4-6-2]]
| align=right| 10
| December 1951-March 1952
| 8
| align=left| BR1
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 5|Class 5]]
| 73000–73171
| 5MT
| <span style="display:none">0640</span>[[4-6-0]]
| align=right| 172
| April 1951–June 1957
| 7
| align=left| BR1, BR1B, BR1C, BR1F, BR1G, BR1H 
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0|Class 4 4-6-0]]
| 75000–75079
| 4MT
|<span style="display:none">0640</span>[[4-6-0]]
| align=right| 80
| May 1951–June 1957
| 4
| align=left| BR2, BR2A
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0|Class 4 2-6-0]]
| 76000–76114
| 4MT
| <span style="display:none">0620</span>[[2-6-0]]
| align=right| 115
| December 1952–November 1957
| 4
| align=left| BR2, BR2A, BR1B
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 3 2-6-0|Class 3]]
| 77000–77019
| 3MT
| <span style="display:none">0620</span>[[2-6-0]]
| align=right| 20
| February 1954 to September 1954
| 4
| align=left| BR2A
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0|Class 2]]
| 78000–78064
| 2MT
| <span style="display:none">0620</span>[[2-6-0]]
| align=right| 65
| December 1952–November 1956
| 3
| align=left| BR3
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T|Class 4 Tank]]
| 80000–80154
| 4MT
| <span style="display:none">0624T</span>[[2-6-4T]]
| align=right| 155
| June 1951–March 1957
| 5
| align=left| —
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 3 2-6-2T|Class 3 Tank]]
| 82000–82044
| 3MT
| <span style="display:none">0622T</span>[[2-6-2T]]
| align=right| 45
| April 1952–August 1955
| 4
| align=left| —
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 2 2-6-2T|Class 2 Tank]]
| 84000–84029
| 2MT
| <span style="display:none">0622T</span>[[2-6-2T]]
| align=right| 30
| July 1953–June 1957
| 3
| align=left| —
|-
| align=left| [[BR Standard Class 9F|Class 9F]]
| 92000–92250
| 9F
| <span style="display:none">1020</span>[[2-10-0]]
| align=right| 251
| January 1954–March 1960
| 9
| align=left| BR1B, BR1C, BR1F, BR1G
|-class="sortbottom"
!Total
! 
! 
! 
!999
!1951–60
! 
! 
|}

== Tenders ==
[[File:Chester 7 general railway station geograph-2170968-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg|thumb|right|Std 4 2-6-0 number 76089 with a BR2A tender.]]
The tenders used with the Standard locomotives were also new designs. There were different types due to the use of different coal-to-water ratios, weight restrictions and later improved designs.  It was standard practice for there to be fewer tenders than locomotives, as tenders took little time to overhaul compared to locomotives, locomotives entering works for overhaul would tend to lose their tenders to locomotives leaving works after overhaul.

{{Clear}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+Tender details
! Tender<br />Type 
! Quantity<br />built
! Years<br />built
! Coal<br />(long<br />tons)
! Water<br />(imp.gal.)
! Weight<br />full<br />(long<br />tons)
! RA
! Used with Classes
! Notes
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1 tender|BR1]] 
| align=right | 100
| {{nobr|1951–53}}
| align=right | 7
| align=right | 4,250
| 49.15
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 8|8]], [[BR Standard Class 7|7]], [[BR Standard Class 6|6]]
| align=left | 
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1A tender|BR1A]] 
| align=right | 5
| 1952
| align=right | 7
| align=right | 5,000
| 52.50
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 7|7]]
| align=left | 5,000-gallon version of BR1
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1B tender|BR1B]] 
| align=right | 114
| 1955–57
| align=right | 7
| align=right | 4,725
| 51.25
| 
| align=left | {{nobr|[[BR Standard Class 5|5]], [[BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0|4 (4-6-0)]], [[BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0|4 (2-6-0)]], [[BR Standard Class 9F|9F]]}}
|  align=left | 
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1C tender|BR1C]] 
| align=right | 123
| 1954–58
| align=right | 9
| align=right | 4,725
| 53.25
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 5|5]], [[BR Standard Class 9F|7]]
| align=left | 9-ton version of BR1B
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1D tender|BR1D]] 
| align=right | 10
| 1954
| align=right | 9
| align=right | 4,725
| 54.50
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 7|7]]
| align=left | BR1C with coal pusher
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1E tender|BR1E]] 
| align=right | 1
| 1954
| align=right | 10
| align=right | 4,725
| 55.50
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 8|8]]
| align=left | 10-ton version of BR1D. Rebuilt to BR1C in 1958
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1F tender|BR1F]] 
| align=right | 95
| 1954–58
| align=right | 7
| align=right | 5,625
| 55.25
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 5|5]], [[BR Standard Class 9F|9F]]
| align=left | 
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1G tender|BR1G]] 
| align=right | 61
| 1954–60
| align=right | 7
| align=right | 5,000
| 52.50
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 5|5]], [[BR Standard Class 9F|9F]]
| align=left | BR1A updated with fall plate
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1H tender|BR1H]] 
| align=right | 12
| 1954
| align=right | 7
| align=right | 4,250
| 49.15
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 5|5]]
| align=left | BR1 updated with fall plate
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1J tender|BR1J]] 
| align=right | 1
| 1958
| align=right | 10
| align=right | 4,325
| 53.70
|  
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 8|8]]
| align=left| 
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR1K tender|BR1K]] 
| align=right | 3
| 1958
| align=right | 9
| align=right | 4,325
| 52.35
|  
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 9F|9F]]
| align=left | Fitted with mechanical stokers. Rebuilt to BR1C in 1961
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR2 tender|BR2]] 
| align=right | 95
| 1951–54
| align=right | 6
| align=right | 3,500
| 42.15
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0|4 (4-6-0)]], [[BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0|4 (2-6-0)]]
| align=left | 
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR2A tender|BR2A]] 
| align=right | 88
| 1954–57
| align=right | 6
| align=right | 3,500
| 42.15
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0|4 (4-6-0)]], [[BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0|4 (2-6-0)]], [[BR Standard Class 3 2-6-0|3]]
| align=left | BR2 updated with fall plate
|-
| align=left | [[BR Standard BR3 tender|BR3]] 
| align=right | 65
| 1952–56
| align=right | 4
| align=right | 3,000
| 36.85
| 
| align=left | [[BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0|2]]
| align=left | Updated version of LMS equivalent
|-
|-class="sortbottom"
! Total !! 773 !! !! !! 
! !!  !! !! 
|}

== Preservation ==

A total of 46 standards have survived - of these, 38 were rescued from [[Woodham Brothers]] scrapyard in Wales.   The BR Standard Locomotive Owner's Group provides co-ordination.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Class
! No. preserved
! Percentage preserved
! Numbers
! Notes
|-
| 7 (Britannia) || align=center| 2 || 3.6% || 70000/13 || 
|-
| 8 (Duke of Gloucester) || align=center| 1 || 100% || 71000 || Has [[Caprotti valve gear]]
|-
| 6 (Clan) || align=center| 0 || 0% || – || Replica 72010 “Hengist” under construction
|-
| 5MT || align=center| 5 ||  2.9% || 73050/82/96, 73129/56 || 73129 has [[Caprotti valve gear]]
|-
| 4MT 4-6-0 || align=center| 6 || 7.5% || 75014/27/29/69/78/79 || 
|-
| 4MT 2-6-0 || align=center| 4 || 3.5% || 76017/77/79/84 || 
|-
| 3MT 2-6-0 || align=center| 0 || 0% || – || 
|-
| 2MT 2-6-0 || align=center| 4 || 6.2% || 78018/19/22/59 || 78059 being rebuilt to a tank version as ‘84030’
|-
| 4MT 2-6-4T || align=center| 15 || 11.6% || 80002/64/72/78/79/80/97/98, 80100/04/05/35/36/50/51
|-
| 3MT 2-6-2T || align=center| 0 || 0% || – <!-- please DO NOT include the replica 82045!--> || Replica 82045 under construction
|-
| 2MT 2-6-2T || align=center| 0 || 0% || – || One being rebuilt from a standard 2-6-0. 
|-
| 9F || align=center| 9 || 3.6% || 92134, 92203/07/12/14/19/20/40/45 || 
|-
!Total !! 46 !! 4.6% !! !!
|}

=== New Builds ===

The new build of the 'Clan' class 72010 “Hengist” is progressing steadily.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theclanproject.org/ |title=Home |website=theclanproject.org}}</ref>
The new build of the Class 3 Tank 82045 is well underway, work continues as of 2021.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.82045.org.uk/82045_news.html | title=The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust : News }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite magazine|title=Standard Form|magazine=Hornby Magazine|first=Andrew|last=Roden|pages=44–48|issue=8|date=February 2008|location=Hersham|publisher=Ian Allan Publishing|issn=1753-2469|oclc=226087101}}

{{BRstds}}

[[Category:British Railways standard classes| BR standard classes]]