GER Class S44

The GER Class S44 was a class of forty 0-4-4T steam locomotives designed by James Holden for the Great Eastern Railway. They all passed to the London and North Eastern Railway at the 1923 grouping and received the classification G4.

GER Class S44 LNER Class G4
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer James Holden Builder Stratford Works Build date 1898–1901 Total produced 40
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-4-4T  • UIC B2′ n2t Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 4 ft 11 in (1.499 m) Trailing dia. 3 ft 1 in (0.940 m) Wheelbase 22 ft 4 in (6.81 m) Length 32 ft 8 in (9.96 m) Adhesive weight 34 long tons 2 cwt (76,400 lb or 34.6 t) Loco weight 53 long tons 7.5 cwt (119,600 lb or 54.2 t) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 2 long tons 10 cwt (5,600 lb or 2.5 t) Water cap. 1,349 imperial gallons (6,130 L; 1,620 US gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 15.3 sq ft (1.42 m2) Boiler pressure 160 MPa (23,206.04 psi) Heating surface 1,084 sq ft (100.7 m2) Cylinders Two, inside Cylinder size 17 in × 24 in (430 mm × 610 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 15,988 lbf (71.12 kN)
Career Operators GER » LNER Class GER: S44 LNER: G4 Withdrawn 1929–1939 Disposition All scrapped

History

These were the last 0-4-4T locomotives built for the Great Eastern Railway,^[1] a type which, as side tanks, the GER had pioneered in Britain.^[2] The locomotives were all built at Stratford Works and had 17-by-24-inch (432 mm × 610 mm) inside cylinders driving 4-foot-11-inch (1.499 m) wheels.^[3]

Table of orders and numbers^[1]

Year	Order	Quantity	GER Nos.	LNER Nos.	Notes
1898–99	S44	10	1100–1109	8100–8109
1899	F47	10	1110–1119	8111–8119
1900	R48	10	1120–1129	8120–8129
1900–01	L50	10	1130–1139	8130–8139

All were still in service at the 1923 grouping; the LNER adding 7000 to the numbers of nearly all the ex-Great Eastern locomotives, including the Class S44 locomotives. Withdrawals started in 1929 with No. 8133 and finished in 1939 with 8139.^[1]

Table of withdrawals^[4]

Year	Quantity in service at start of year	Quantity withdrawn	Locomotive numbers	Notes
1929	40	3	8103, 8120, 8133
1930	37	6	8102, 8108, 8111, 8118, 8121, 8128
1931	31	12	8100, 8104, 8106, 8107, 8112–8115, 8125, 8127, 8135, 8138
1932	19	5	8110, 8122, 8129, 8130, 8132
1933	14	6	8101, 8109, 8116, 8117, 8119, 8126
1934	8	4	8124, 8131, 8136, 8137
1936	4	1	8134
1938	3	2	8105, 8123
1939	1	1	8139