Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 20, 2026

GER Class G15

The GER Class G15 was a class of ten 0-4-0T steam tram locomotives designed by Thomas William Worsdell for the British Great Eastern Railway. Six passed to the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) at the 1923 grouping, and received the LNER classification Y6.

Last revised
Jul 20, 2026
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≈ 3 min
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Wikipedia ↗
GER Class G15
LNER Class Y6
GER Class G15 No. 0125
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerThomas William Worsdell
BuilderStratford Works
Build date1883–1897
Total produced10
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte0-4-0T
 • UICBn2t
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.3 ft 1 in (0.940 m)
Loco weight21 long tons 5 cwt (47,600 lb or 21.6 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity0 long tons 10 cwt (1,100 lb or 0.5 t)
Water cap.500 imp gal (2,270 L; 600 US gal)
Firebox:​
 • Grate area9.7 sq ft (0.90 m2)
Boiler pressure140 lbf/in2 (0.97 MPa)
Heating surface348.46 sq ft (32.373 m2)
CylindersTwo, inside
Cylinder size11 in × 15 in (279 mm × 381 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort5,837 lbf (25.96 kN)
Career
OperatorsGER » LNER » BR
ClassGER: G15
LNER: Y6
Power classBR: 0F
Axle load classLNER/BR: RA 1
Withdrawn1907–1952
DispositionOriginal class scrapped. One replica under construction at Nene Valley Railway

The GER Class G15 was a class of ten 0-4-0T steam tram locomotives designed by Thomas William Worsdell for the British Great Eastern Railway. Six passed to the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) at the 1923 grouping, and received the LNER classification Y6.

Overview

These locomotives had 11-by-15-inch (279 mm × 381 mm) inside cylinders driving 3-foot-1-inch (0.940 m) wheels. They were used on the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway in East Anglia. They were later used elsewhere after being replaced by the more powerful GER Class C53 (LNER Class J70) 0-6-0Ts.

Table of orders and numbers1
Year Order Manufacturer Quantity GER Nos. LNER Nos. Notes
1883–84 G15 Stratford Works 3 130, 131, 132 —, —, 7132
1885 N17 Stratford Works 2 128, 129 —, 07129
1891–92 C29 Stratford Works 3 125, 126, 127 07125, 07126, —
1897 F40 Stratford Works 2 133, 134 7133, 7134

Four were withdrawn before the grouping – 131 in 1907, 130 in 1909, 127 and 128 in 1913. In January 1921, numbers 125, 126 and 129 were placed on the duplicate list, and had their numbers prefixed with a "0" (The original numbers were reused on the 1921-batch of class C53 locomotives).2 Four more were withdrawn before the 1944 renumbering — 7132 in 1931, 07129 in 1933, 07125 and 07126 in 1940.3 The remaining two were numbered 8082 (ex-7133) and 8083 (ex-7134). Both survived into British Railways ownership in 1948 and they were numbered 68082 and 68083. The former was withdrawn in 1951, and the latter in 1952.4 None has been preserved; although 68083 had been earmarked for preservation,1 it was scrapped after standing in Stratford paintshop for over a year.

The Nene Valley Railway were building a replica of the Y6 class to perform as Toby the Tram Engine for their Day Out with Thomas events. However, when the Rev. W. Awdry died in 1997, the project was ceased halfway through.

Individual locomotives

List of GER C15 locomotives5
GER No. 1921 No. LNER No. 1946 No. BR No. Built Withdrawn
130 — — — — 1883 1909
131 — — — — 1883 1907
132 7132 — — 1883 1931
128 — — — — 1885 1913
129 0129 07129 — — 1885 1933
125 0125 07125 — — 1891 1940
126 0126 07126 — — 1892 1940
127 — — — — 1892 1913
133 7133 8082 68082 1897 1951
134 7134 8083 68083 1897 1952
References

References

Notes

  1. Aldrich 1969, p. 109
  2. Boddy et al. 1977, p. 90.
  3. Boddy et al. 1977, p. 93.
  4. Aldrich 1969, p. 110
  5. Boddy et al. 1977, pp. 90–93.

Bibliography

  • Aldrich, C. Langley (1969). The Locomotives of the Great Eastern Railway 1862–1962 (7th ed.). Wickford, Essex: C. Langley Aldrich. OCLC 30278831.
  • Boddy, M.G.; Brown, W.A.; Fry, E.V.; Hennigan, W.; Hoole, Ken; Manners, F.; Neve, E.; Platt, E.N.T.; Proud, P.; Yeadon, W.B. (June 1977). Fry, E.V. (ed.). Locomotives of the L.N.E.R., part 9B: Tank Engines - Classes Q1 to Z5. Kenilworth: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-41-X.
External links