Arriving Bury Bolton Street station
A sight which would have been common on the
Queensbury lines
the N2 was a development of Henry Ivatt’s very successful N1 class. The main differences were that the N2 carried a superheated boiler and was fitted with piston valves rather than slide valves to the cylinders. This latter change necessitated the boiler being raised in the frames with in consequence a shorter chimney and dome. The resultant locomotive had a less elegant but much more punchy and purposeful appearance which combined with a throaty bark gave the locomotive an impressive personality. The new class also had larger cylinders and a greater water capacity in the side tanks.
The N2 was designed for local passenger train work, essentially for the Kings Cross workings. It was able to lift a rake of non-vestibule stock up the gradient from the Cross with a minimum of fuss. The service was fairly intense and demanded no delay. Often the N2 hauled locals would leave their platform at the same time as an express hauled by a Pacific. The N2 would be away from a stand more sharply than the Pacific, its small wheels and less load behind the drawbar giving it an advantage. As the main line train was got under way it would catch up and run alongside, eventually leaving behind the local service as it gained speed. It could be quite an exciting event to watch from the cab of the main line locomotive or from a leading carriage in the train.
Many thanks to the GCR for the above notes
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