A double-headed train being hauled up the Cowlairs Incline in Glasgow
JNER Class D25 locomotives were designed by Holmes for the North British Railway (NBR) in preparation for the re-opening of the Tay Bridge and through workings between Burntisland and Aberdeen. Designed for faster running, the D25s were built with 7ft diameter wheels. This was in stark contrast to all of the other NBR 4-4-0 designs which used the standard 6ft 6in driving wheel introduced by Wheatley. A total of twelve D25s were built at Cowlairs between 1886 and 1888. Reid rebuilt the D25s in 1911. The D25s proved to be useful engines, despite their large wheels and limited numbers. During their best years, they worked the Aberdeen expresses from Edinburgh and Glasgow. During their earliest years, they also worked some express services between Edinburgh and Berwick. Withdrawals started in 1926. The D25's last duties included local services, pilot work, and banking duties. The last working D25s were Nos. 9592 and 9595 which were withdrawn in 1932. The last D25 to be withdrawn was No. 9596 which had entered storage in September 1931, and performed no further work until it finally withdrawn in July 1933. Cowlairs cable-hauled incline opened , cable working ceased Trains descended the incline under the control of special brake vehicles, which were attached at the front in place of the locomotive. Wire ropes were fitted from 1848, allowing a useful increase in the permissible weight of trains but not preventing the occasional mishaps. Following a near-serious accident in January 1902, it was decided to replace rope-haulage with the banking by heavy tank banking engines specially designed for the puropse. These were thoroughly tested before being put in service on 12 December 1907. Rope haulage was abolished on 31 January 1908.
Size: 5454px × 3074px
Location: Cowlairs, Glasgow, Scotland
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: british, carriage, cowlairs, double-headed, glasgow, incline, locomotive, nbr, north, railway, scotland, steam, train
