Caledonian Railway 812 and 652 Classes


The Caledonian Railway 812 and 652 Classes were 0-6-0 steam tender locomotives designed by John F. McIntosh for the Caledonian Railway and introduced in 1899. They had the same boiler type as the 721 “Dunalastair” Class 4-4-0s. They were nicknamed "Jumbos" and they could reach speeds of up to 55 miles per hour.

Construction

96 locomotives were built, as follows:
YearQuantityCR Nos.BuilderBuilders No.LMS Nos.BR Nos.Notes
189917812–828CR, St. RolloxY05417550–1756657550–57566
189910829–838Neilson, Reid & Co.5613–562217567–1757657567–57576
190010839–848Neilson, Reid & Co.5623–563217577–1758657577–57586
190015849–863Sharp Stewart4633–464717587–1760157587–57601
c.190015864–878Dübs & Co.3880–389417602–1761657602–57616
189912282–293CR, St. RolloxY05817617–1762857617–57628

YearQuantityCR Nos.BuilderBuilders No.LMS Nos.BR Nos.Notes
19088652–659CR, St. RolloxY087-Y08617629–1763657629–57636
19084662–665CR, St. RolloxY08617637–1764057637–57640
19094325–328CR, St. RolloxY08617641–1764457641–57644
19091661CR, St. RolloxY0861764557645

Seventeen were fitted with the Westinghouse air brakes for passenger train working, including the only surviving engine of the class, No. 828.
All 96 passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway at the 1923 grouping. Only three, 17567, 17598 and 17610, had been withdrawn by the time of nationalisation in 1948. The last locomotive in service was not withdrawn until 1963.

Preservation

Locomotive 828 is the sole survivor of the class and is an important example of Scottish industrial heritage. It is based at the Strathspey Railway. It was returned to regular service in 2010 and then again in March 2017 following heavy repairs.

Belgian derivatives

derived three series of steam locomotives from the class 812 between 1899 and 1914. They had a shallower firebox, able to burn semi-bituminous coal and briquettes, allowing a shorter wheelbase due to its positioning above the rear axle. There were three classes
Until 1909, they were the only new engines used with freight trains. They were also used on suburban and local passenger trains and some expresses on hilly sections.
Most of them were retired between 1947 and 1959. Some of them were then used as stationary boilers and two of them survive in museums. A third one, kept as a parts donor, was cut up for scrap in 2002.

In fiction

In The Railway Series children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry, the characters Donald and Douglas, are based on the Caledonian 812 class. They carried fictional numbers before coming to Sodor. This numbering places them as the youngest of the 652 class.