Fireless Locomotives

A fireless steam locomotive is similar to a conventional steam locomotive, but has a reservoir, known as a steam accumulator, instead of a boiler. This reservoir is charged with superheated water under pressure from a stationary boiler. The engine works like a conventional steam engine using the high pressure steam above the water in the accumulator. As the steam is used and pressure drops, the superheated water boils, replacing the used steam. The locomotive can work like this until the pressure has dropped to a minimum useful level or the water runs out, after which it must be recharged.

Any factory which possessed a stationary boiler could use it to charge a fireless steam locomotive for internal shunting operations. As there is no risk of sparks the use of a fireless locomotive removes the chance of igniting flammable materials and as they do not emit any exhaust except steam, they can shunt into buildings without endangering the workforce with noxious fumes.

The 0-6-0F locomotives delivered to the Ministry of Munitions had rail washing gear fitted to its leading and trailing coupled wheels. This was reduce the risk of sparks by easing the travel over sharp radius curves within the confined spaces of the munitions sites.

They are also very economical as shunters when there is a good supply of steam available.

The first British manufacturer of fireless locomotives was Andrew Barclay Sons & Company, Ltd of Kilmarnock, Scotland, which started producing these engines in 1912. This was a narrow gauge engine (Works No 1212) which was converted to a standard steam tank engine – possibly before being delivered. 

The first one to be deployed was a narrow gauge engine (Works No 1307) which was delivered in November 1013 to the Admiralty for Bedenham at Portsmouth.

The first standard gauge fireless locomotive was delivered by Andrew Barclay in February 1916. This one (Works No 1434) was one of a batch of six locomotives built for the Ministry of Munitions.

The next five standard gauge engines were also ordered as part of the effort for the First World War. They were delivered between June 1916 and October 1916.  These (Works Nos 1471-73 and 1476-77) were supplied to Vickers to work at National Filling Factories and the Ministry of Munitions to work at Gretna. 1472, 1473 and 1477 have been preserved. Works Nos 1474-75 were narrow gauge locomotives built for the Royal Navy to work in a cordite plant in Dorset.

The first delivery to a none military establishment took place in July 1917 when two were delivered to British Dyers at Huddersfield.

Fireless locomotives are not really suited to running on heritage railways but two have operated in preservation in the 1990s. Andrew Barclay Works No 1989 Lord Ashfield at the Museum of Science and Industry at Manchester and Andrew Barclay Works No 2243 Laporte at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. Andrew Barclay Works No 1952 has operated at the Doon Valley Railway since it was overhauled in July 2015.

Preserved Fireless Locomotives

Builder	Works No	Built	Name
Andrew Barclay	1472	1916	Robert Kett
	1473	1916	Sir Charles
	1477	1916	GF No 3
	1550	1917	Sir James  GF No 10
	1571	1917	Irvine  No 1
	1572	1917	Queensferry  No 10
	1815	1924	Freemans Meadow  No 2
	1876	1925	Northfleet Paper Mill
	1944	1928	Gamma
	1950	1928	Heysham 2
	1952	1928	Shell Mex No 8
	1966	1929	Delta
	1984	1930	Boots No 1
	1989	1930	Lord Ashfield
	2008	1935	Boots No 2
	2126	1942	CEGB  No 1
	2238	1948	Distillers Co Ltd  No 1
	2243	1948	Laporte  No 2
	2268	1949	Glaxo
	2373	1949	Imperial No 1
W G Bagnall & Company	2370	1929
	2473	1932	Huntlry & Palmer   No 2
	2898	1948	Patons
	3019	1952	Trimpell
	3121	1957
R & W Hawthorn Leslie & Company	3746	1929	Huncoat No 3
Peckett & Sons	2155	1955	CWS Irlam
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn	7803	1954	Beckton Gas Works No 35

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