The North Eastern Railway was formed by merger in 1854 and merged into the London and North Eastern Railway at the grouping in 1923. Between those dates five men held the post of Locomotive Superintendent.
In addition many locomotives were inherited from the NER's constituents, and also from subsequent acquisitions, which are not listed here.
Edward Fletcher (1854–1883) Edward Fletcher was inherited from the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway, one of the NER's constituents. There was very little standardization during his term of office, and only a few types are listed here.
Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LNER Class Notes BTP 0-4-4T 124 Neilson & Co. (12)R. & W. Hawthorn & Co. (20)Gateshead Works Darlington Works (25) York Works (2) 1874–84 G6 66 2-2-4T 1 Gateshead Works 1869 X1 190 2-2-4T 2 York Works 1860, 1881 X3 290 0-6-0T (60) (1899–1921) Rebuilt from BTP-class 0-4-4T 398 0-6-0 325 R. Stephenson & Co. (80)R. & W. Hawthorn & Co. (30)Neilson & Co. (10)Sharp, Stewart & Co. (20)Dübs & Co. (20)Gateshead Works (105)Darlington Works (51)York Works (3) 1872-1883 — 708 0-6-0 70 R. Stephenson & Co. R. & W. Hawthorn & Co. 1870-73 — 901 2-4-0 55 Gateshead Works (35)Beyer, Peacock & Co. (10)Neilson & Co. (10) 1872–82 — No. 957 2-2-4T (1) Gateshead Works (1903) X2 Rebuilt from BTP-class 0-4-4T 1001 0-6-0 — 1440 2-4-0 18 Leeds Works (1)Gateshead Works (17) 1875–85 —
Alexander McDonnell (1883–1884) Alexander McDonnell moved from the Great Southern and Western Railway of Ireland. However his policies proved unpopular with the drivers and he resigned after only one year in office. Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LNER Class Notes 38 28 Gateshead Works (16)R. & W. Hawthorn (12) 1884–85 — Another 8 cancelled 59 0-6-0 44 Darlington Works (32)R. Stephenson & Co. (12) 1883–85 J22
Locomotive Committee (1884–1885) Between A. McDonnell and T. W. Worsdell there was an interval during which the office was covered by a Locomotive Committee.Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, summer 1961 edition, part 4, page 58 The Locomotive Committee was chaired by Henry Tennant.
Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LNER Class Notes 8 8 Gateshead Works 1885 J74 Incorporated parts of cancelled 38-class locomotives 1463 2-4-0 20 Darlington Works (10)Gateshead Works (10) 1885 E5
Thomas William Worsdell (1885–1890) T. W. Worsdell was an enthusiast for compounding and many of his designs used the two-cylinder system of August von Borries, usually in conjunction with simple-expansion versions of the same engines for comparison. The compounds were mostly rebuilt as simple-expansion engines by his brother and successor Wilson Worsdell.
He introduced the system of class designations, starting with "A" for the first, and so on, and then adding a digit for later developments of each. This system was reorganized somewhat in 1914.
Image Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LNER Class Notes A 60 Gateshead Works 1886–92 F8 B 0-6-2T 53 Gateshead Works (14)Darlington Works (39) 1888–90 — Two-cylinder compound, rebuilt as simple 1904–11 B1 0-6-2T 11 Darlington Works (10)Gateshead Works (1) 1886–88 N8 Redesignated class B in 1914 C 0-6-0 171 Gateshead Works (141)Darlington Works (30) 1886–92 — Two-cylinder compound, rebuilt as simple 1901–11 C1 0-6-0 30 Gateshead Works 1886–95 J21 Simple version of "C", redesignated class C in 1914 D 2-4-0 2 Gateshead Works 1886–88 — Two-cylinder compound, rebuilt as 4-4-0 simple in 1896, became class F1, then F E 0-6-0T 120 Darlington Works 1886–95 J71 F 4-4-0 25 Gateshead Works 1887–91 — Two-cylinder compound, rebuilt as simple 1895–1905 F1 4-4-0 10 Gateshead Works 1887 D22 Simple version of "F", redesignated class F in 1914 G 2-4-0 20 Darlington Works 1887–88 D23 Rebuilt as 4-4-0 in 1900–04, to become class G1, then G H 0-4-0T 19 Gateshead Works 1888–97 Y7 Another 5 built by LNER at Darlington Works in 1923 H1 0-6-0T 2 Gateshead Works 1888 J78 Crane tanks, derived from class "H" 0-4-0s I 4-2-2 10 Gateshead Works 1888–90 — Two-cylinder compound, rebuilt as simple 1900–02, withdrawn 1920–22 J 4-2-2 10 Gateshead Works 1889–90 — Larger than class "I", two-cylinder compound, rebuilt as simple 1894–95, withdrawn 1920–22 K 0-4-0T 5 Gateshead Works 1890 Y8
Wilson Worsdell (1890–1910) Wilson Worsdell was the brother of his predecessor.
Image Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LNER Class Notes 964A 0-6-0T 15 1891–93 — rebuilds of 964 class L 10 Gateshead Works 1891–92 J73 M 4-4-0 1 Gateshead Works 1893 D19 Two-cylinder Worsdell-von Borries compound; rebuilt in 1898 as three-cylinder Smith compound; redesignated class "3CC" in 1914. M1 4-4-0 20 Gateshead Works 1892–93 D17/1 "Rail Crushers." Redesignated class "M" in 1914 N 0-6-2T 20 Darlington Works 1893 N9 O 0-4-4T 110 Darlington Works 1894–1901 G5 P 0-6-0 70 Gateshead Works (50)Darlington Works (20) 1894–98 J24 P1 0-6-0 120 Gateshead Works (80)Darlington Works (40) 1898–1902 J25 P2 0-6-0 50 Gateshead Works (20)Darlington Works (30) 1904–05 J26 P3 0-6-0 80 Darlington Works (30)Beyer, Peacock & Co. (20)North British Locomotive Co. (20)Robert Stephenson & Co. (10) 1906–09 J27 Another 25 built in 1921–22 (see below) Q 4-4-0 30 Gateshead Works 1896–97 D17/2 Similar to class "M1" Q1 4-4-0 2 Gateshead Works 1896 D18 Larger variant of class "Q" with wheels H2 0-6-0T 3 Gateshead Works 1897–1907 J79 Derived from class "H" 0-4-0T E1 0-6-0T 20 Darlington Works 1898–99 J72 Another 55 built 1914–22 (see below) R 4-4-0 60 Gateshead Works 1899–07 D20 R1 4-4-0 10 Darlington Works 1908–09 D21 S 4-6-0 40 Gateshead Works 1899–1909 B13 S1 4-6-0 5 Gateshead Works 1900–01 B14 T 0-8-0 50 Gateshead Works 1901–04 Q5 T1 0-8-0 40 Darlington Works 1907–11 Q5 U 0-6-2T 20 Darlington Works 1902–03 N10 V 4-4-2 10 Gateshead Works 1903–04 C6 4CC 4-4-2 2 Gateshead Works 1906 C8 Four-cylinder compound, designed by Walter Smith V/09 4-4-2 10 Darlington Works 1910 C6 W 4-6-0T 10 Gateshead Works 1907–08 A6 Passenger tanks, rebuilt as 4-6-2T (NER Class W1) during 1914–17 X 4-8-0T 10 Gateshead Works 1909–10 T1 For heavy shunting. Another 5 built by the LNER at Darlington Works in 1925. Y 4-6-2T 20 Darlington Works 1910–11 A7 for heavy freight, derived from class "X"
Vincent Raven (1910–1922) Vincent Raven was the last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the North Eastern Railway. Image Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date LNER Class Notes V2 4-4-2 50 North British Locomotive Co. (20)Darlington Works (30) 1911–17 C7 Later redesignated class "Z" S2 4-6-0 20 Darlington Works 1911–13 B15 D 45 Darlington Works 1913-22 H1 Rebuilt as 4-6-2T (1931–36), became LNER Class A8. T2 0-8-0 120 Darlington Works (70)Armstrong Whitworth (50) 1913–21 Q6 E1 0-6-0T 55 Darlington Works (30)Armstrong Whitworth (25) 1914-22 J72 Continuation of W. Worsdell design; another 10 built by the LNER at Doncaster Works in 1925; 28 built by BR at Darlington Works 1949–51 W1 4-6-2T 10 Gateshead Works 1914-17 A6 Rebuild of W class T3 0-8-0 15 Darlington 1919 Q7 Three-cylinder simple. S3 4-6-0 38 Darlington Works 1919–23 B16 Another 32 built by the LNER P3 0-6-0 25 Darlington Works 1921–22 J27 Continuation of W. Worsdell design. Another 10 built by the LNER in 1923. 4.6.2 4-6-2 2 Darlington Works 1922–24 A2 Another 3 built by the LNER in 1924
Electric locomotives All built for 1500 V DC overhead supply, except where noted. Image NER Nos. Type Quantity Manufacturer Date Notes 1–2 Bo-Bo 2 Gateshead / BTH / Brush 1905 600 V DC. For Newcastle Quayside branch. Also equipped with 3rd rail pick-up. 3–12 10 Darlington Works 1914–18 For Newport – Shildon line. One later converted to LNER Class EB1. 13 1 Darlington Works 1922 Prototype for main-line electrification. Never saw service.
Locomotives built to NER designs after 1922 Image NER Class LNER Class Type Quantity Manufacturer Date Notes H Y7 5 Darlington Works 1923 P3 J27 0-6-0 10 Darlington Works 1923 S3 B16 4-6-0 32 Darlington Works 1923–24 4.6.2 A2 4-6-2 3 Darlington Works 1924 X T1 4-8-0T 5 Darlington Works 1925 E1 J72 0-6-0T 10 Doncaster Works 1925 0-6-0T 28 Darlington Works 1948–51
Locomotives from constituent railways
This is a summary list. For further information, select the link to the constituent railway.