Ceylon Government Railway B1-B6

The Ceylon Government Railway B1-B6 were a range of similar steam locomotive classes operated by British Ceylon's national rail operator. Formerly designated as the NOA Class before the reclassification of 1937, they were 4-6-0 tender-tank locomotives meant to operate on the Main Line. As of 2025, only select members of the B1 and B2 classes survive into preservation.[1][2]

Class B1

Ceylon Government Railway B1
B1E No. 352 "Sir Frederick North" hauling the Viceroy Special
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderBeyer, Peacock & Company (B1, B1A/C)
Armstrong Whitworth (B1B)
Robert Stephenson & Company (B1D/E)
Build date1927-1930 (B1 to B1C)
1945 (B1D)
1948 (B1E)
Total produced49
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0
Gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length58 ft 7.5 in
Axle load13.50 long ton (B1 to B1C)
13.40 long ton (B1D/E)
Loco weight52.30 long ton (B1 to B1C)
53.05 long ton (B1D/E)
Tender weight42.55 long ton (B1 to B1C)
45.55 long ton (B1D/E)
Fuel typeCoal, Oil
Water cap.3300 gal
Boiler:
​
 • Diameter4 ft 8 in
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders2
Cylinder size18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort22,620 lbf
Career
OperatorsCeylon Government Railway
NicknamesGovernor Class
DispositionTwo preserved, remainder scrapped

History

The Class B1 was the last and most modern of these six locomotive classes to be constructed.[3][4] A total of forty-nine were built for the Ceylon Government Railway from 1927 to 1948. This class had five subclasses apart from the standard model, namely A, B, C, D and E. These locomotives are also known as the Governor Class, as most class members were named after Governors of British Ceylon. In 1936, class member No. 242 Sir Edward Paget was streamlined, but the streamlining was later removed in 1937.[1] In the 1950s, some members of the class were converted to burn oil instead of coal.

Locomotives

[1]
Number Name Final Subclass Fuel Status Notes
4 Sir Edward Stubbs Coal Scrapped
30 Sir Thomas Maitland Coal Scrapped
242 Sir Edward Paget Coal Scrapped The only class member to be fitted with a streamlined casing.
243 Sir West Ridgeway Coal, Oil Scrapped
244 Viscount Torrington Coal, Oil Scrapped
245 Sir Robert Chalmers Coal Scrapped
246 Sir William Anderson Coal Scrapped
247 James MacKenzie Coal Scrapped
248 Sir William Gregory Coal Scrapped
249 Sir William Anderson A Coal Scrapped
250 Sir Charles MacCarthy Coal, Oil Scrapped
251 Sir Thomas Maitland Coal Preserved
252 Sir Edward Barnes Coal Scrapped
253 Sir Richard North Coal Scrapped
254 Sir Arthur Havelock Coal Scrapped
255 Sir Robert Chalmers Coal, Oil Scrapped
256 Sir Robert Horton Coal Scrapped
257 Ceylon Defence Force Coal, Oil Scrapped
258 Sir Hercules Robinson Coal Scrapped
259 Coal Scrapped
260 Coal Scrapped
261 Sir William Manning Coal, Oil Scrapped
262 King George VI Coal, Oil Scrapped
279 Sir Henry Ward B Coal, Oil Scrapped
280 Coal, Oil Scrapped
281 Sir Hugh Clifford Coal, Oil Scrapped
282 Scrapped
283 Sir Thomas Maitland Coal, Oil Scrapped
284 James MacKenzie Coal, Oil Scrapped
285 Sir Henry Blake Coal Scrapped
286 Sir Graeme Thompson Coal Scrapped
287 Sir Robert Brownrigg Coal Scrapped
288 Sir Herbert Stanley Coal Scrapped
289 Coal Scrapped
290 Sir Arthur Gordon Coal Scrapped
294 Sir James Longden C Coal Scrapped
295 Sir Andrew Caldecott Coal Scrapped
337 Sir Geoffrey Layton Coal Scrapped
338 Sir Henry Moore Coal, Oil Scrapped
339 D Coal Scrapped
340/352 Fredrick North Coal, Oil Scrapped
341 Coal, Oil Scrapped
342 Coal Scrapped
351 E Coal Scrapped
352 Frederick North Coal, Oil Preserved
353 Coal Scrapped
354 Sir Henry Ward Coal, Oil Scrapped
355 Coal Scrapped
356 Coal, Oil Scrapped

Preservation

Only two members of the class, No. 251 Sir Thomas Maitland and No. 352 Sir Frederick North, have survived into preservation.[5] Both are currently operational and are used to haul the Viceroy Special, a chartered excursion train operated by J. F. Tours.

Class B2

Ceylon Government Railway B2
B2B No. 213, the only surviving member of the class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderStephenson (B2)
Vulcan (B2A/B/C/D)
Kitson (B2E)
Build date1920-1921 (B2)
1925-1926 (B2A/C/D)
1922 (B2B)
1915 (B2E)
Total produced35
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0
Gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length53 ft 2 in
Axle load13.50 long ton
Loco weight54.85 long ton
Tender weight32.50 long ton
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.2400 + 400 gal (SIde tanks)
Boiler:
​
 • Diameter4 ft 8 in
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders2
Cylinder size18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort22,620 lbf
Career
OperatorsCeylon Government Railway
DispositionOne preserved, remainder scrapped

History

A total of thirty-five members of this class were produced for the Ceylon Government Railway. The Class B2 also had various subclasses excluding the original from A to E.[1]

Locomotives

Subclass B2 A B C D E
Numbers 28 1 208 227 40 25
29 3 209 228 43 26
39 47 210 44 27
193 222 211 45
194 223 212 46
195 224 213
196 225
204 226
205
206
207

Preservation

Only one member, No. 213, survives into preservation. It is also maintained in working order so as to haul the Viceroy Special.[5]

Class B3

Ceylon Government Railway B3
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderKitson
Build date1913-1914
Total produced16
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0
Gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length53 ft 7 in
Axle load13.50 long ton
Loco weight55.00 long ton
Tender weight29.20 long ton
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.1800 + 400 gal (Side tanks)
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders2
Cylinder size18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort22,620 lbf
Career
OperatorsCeylon Government Railway
Numbers22, 185-192 (B3)
8-11, 169-171 (B3A)
DispositionAll scrapped

Reference: [1]

Class B4

Ceylon Government Railway B4
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderKitson, Neilson
Build date1893-1894, 1911 (B4)
1912 (B4A)
Total produced9
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0
Gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length53 ft 7 in
Axle load13.50 long ton
Loco weight54.10 long ton
Tender weight29.20 long ton
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.1800 + 400 gal (Side tanks)
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders2
Cylinder size18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort22,620 lbf
Career
OperatorsCeylon Government Railway
Numbers72-75, 141/147, 142/148, 143/149 (B4)
158, 159 (B4A)
DispositionAll scrapped

Reference: [1]

Class B5

Ceylon Government Railway B5
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderKitson (B5), Vulcan (B5A)
Build date1893-1894
Total produced5
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0
Gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length53 ft 7 in
Axle load13.50 long ton
Loco weight51.65 long ton
Tender weight32.35 long ton
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.2400 gal
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders2
Cylinder size18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearAllan with Slide Valves
Performance figures
Tractive effort22,620 lbf
Career
OperatorsCeylon Government Railway
Numbers76-78 (B5)
79, 80 (B5A)
DispositionAll scrapped

Reference: [1]

Class B6

Ceylon Government Railway B6
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderKitson, Vulcan
Build date1883-1885, 1891
Total produced14
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-0
Gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Driver dia.53.5 in (1.359 m)
Length53 ft 7 in
Axle load13.40 long ton
Loco weight51.05 long ton
Tender weight29.15 long ton
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.1800 + 600 gal (Side tanks)
Boiler pressure160 lb
Cylinders2
Cylinder size18.5 in × 26 in (470 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearAllan with Slide Valves
Performance figures
Tractive effort22,620 lbf
Career
OperatorsCeylon Government Railway
Numbers49-62
DispositionAll scrapped

Reference: [1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Hyatt, David (2000). Railways of Sri Lanka (1st ed.). United Kingdom: COMRAC. ISBN 978-0953730407.
  2. ^ Vinodh Wickremaratne; K.A.D. Nandasena (2017). Ceylon Railway Heritage (1st ed.). Sri Lanka: National Trust Sri Lanka. ISBN 9789550093137.
  3. ^ "IESL Digital SLEN". iesl.lk. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
  4. ^ malinga (2024-04-04). "Century of scenic rail travel". DailyNews. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
  5. ^ a b Wickremaratne, Vinodh. "Model Railroad Club of Sri Lanka: Steam Locomotives".
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