NCC Class W

The Northern Counties Committee (NCC) Class W was a class of locomotives introduced in 1933 and allocated to express passenger duties from York Road, Belfast.^[2][3]

The design was attributed to the NCC's Chief Mechanical Engineer H. P. Stewart who was with the permission of William Stanier able to draw on designs and parts from the NCC's owners, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS).^[1] The resultant design is understood to have been an Irish 5ft 3in gauge tender version of the LMS Fowler 2-6-4T tank engine with 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) diameter wheels which were three inches wider than its predecessor.^[3]

On introduction the Class W 2-6-0 'Moguls' took over the principal main line expresses of the NCC.^[1] They were able to reach speeds of over 80 miles per hour (130 km/h),^[1] while their coal consumption was considered extremely economical.^[3]

The class was the motive power for the North Atlantic Express introduced in 1934 with the opening of the Greenisland Loop Line and the fastest services to Portrush taking just 80 minutes. In 1937 the North Atlantic Express was scheduled from Ballymena to Belfast York Road at an average speed of 58.1 miles per hour (93.5 km/h) making it the fastest schedule in Ireland; that time was reduced by a further minute in 1938 to achieve a scheduled 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) start to stop.^[1]

The class remained on former NCC lines until the introduction of diesel railcars on services to Londonderry in 1958, after which some were transferred to other lines including cross border trains to Dundalk and occasional excursions to Dublin.^[2] The final six locomotives were withdrawn in 1965.^[2]

When new the locomotives were painted in LMS crimson lake red livery until the NCC was absorbed into Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) in the later forties whereafter repaints were black with red and yellow lining.^[2] The original plans were to name the class after Irish Chieftains, however there were concerns this might not be acceptable to some sections of the community. In the event the naming split between British Nobility and geographical locations, the class lead was named Duke of Abercorn after the governor of Northern Ireland.^[1]

While none of the original class were preserved, the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland possess a spare set of driving wheels and motion for use constructing a replica, numbered 105 to continue where the original group left off.^[4] It will also use a spare tender that the group have numbered 43.

• Steam locomotives of the 21st century