CR 600 Class

Description

HISTORY OF THE 600 CLASS

The Caledonian Railway 600 class was an 0-8-0 steam locomotive designed by John F. McIntosh in 1903 for use on coal traffic in the Lanarkshire coal fields. Their long wheelbases required special coupling rods to accommodate the axles’ lateral movements around tight curves. The Unusual axle spacing consisted of the leading axle under the smokebox, a long gap to the middle two which reposed under the middle of the boiler [one of which was flangeless], then another long gap to the last axle, which rolled under the very end of the frame.

Two locomotives were built at St. Rollox Works in 1901 & each cost £3000 pounds, with a total of eight locomotives being built by 1903. However, they were built with spiral springs & heavy slide valves all of which were difficult to maintain. The heavy slide valves also had a tendency to make the locomotives go off beat very quickly.

It is reported that the class could haul 60 loaded wagons & were introduced together with the 30 ton high capacity bogie wagons fitted with Westinghouse air brakes. They were also reported to be of great power & must represent almost the limit to which locomotive engineers can go in the UK at that time period. However, due to the length of the trains of which they were built for, none of the railway yards could host trains of such length, thus making them somewhat redundant.

In 1909, they were tested hauling 30T bogie wagons loaded with coal between Ross & Perth which included the ascent of Dunblane Bank, most eventually worked coal traffic in Lanarkshire. In 1904 a number of the class were employed on the Buffalo Bill specials between Stranraer & Carlisle.

All were absorbed into the LMS in 1923 with little change in their working life. Unfortunately, all were gone by 1931. Having been replaced by 812s, 4Fs & various other designs.