LNER GNR O3 2-8-0 steam locomotive on a freight train
Gresley designed the O1/O3 2-8-0 mineral engine. The first order for five was placed in 1913, and was completed at Doncaster in 1914. The O1s were nicknamed "Tangos" due to their introduction at a time when the tango dance was appearing in Britain. These engines were designed to haul the heavy coal traffic from Peterborough to Ferme Park (London). The design load was eighty wagons carrying 1,300 tons, which represented twenty more wagons than a typical Q1/Q2 load. All twenty locomotives were initially allocated to Peterborough (New England shed) to perform this work. By 1920, three were allocated to Colwick to work two coal trains a day from Colwick to New England. The Colwick allocation increased to four by Grouping (1923), but all four moved back to New England in 1925. Four moved back to Colwick in winter 1926, where they would remain until 1934-5. The Colwick locomotives were rarely seen south of Peterborough, but they did occasionally work to Woodford, and to March (via Sleaford and Spalding). As well as coal, they also hauled Lincolnshire potatoes to Kings Cross. The New England trains also worked northwards to Doncaster, taking empty wagons and returning with full loads. Bombing closures during World War 2 resulted in O1s hauling coal trains via Sandy onto the LMS route to Bedford, Bletchley, and Claydon Junction. Wartime also saw O1 coal trips to Stratford. The O1s were reclassified as Class O3 in February 1944, enabling the 'O1' classification to be used for Thompson's O4 rebuilds. In 1945, the Grantham iron ore traffic was taken over by O2s, and the entire class was allocated to Doncaster. In 1946, all twenty moved to Frodingham to haul trains to and from the steel works. In 1948, the remaining locomotives moved to Immingham and Retford where they hauled lighter services. Withdrawals started in 1947. Seventeen engines survived into Nationalisation (1948), with the last four (including 3470) being withdrawn in 1952.
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Location: Unknown
Photo credit: © Digbydachshund / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: .3470, 2-8-0, 3470, gnr, lner, locomotive, o1, o3, railway, steam
