James Spooner (Locomotive)
James Spooner was the second Double Fairlie to be built for the FR. It was supplied by the Avonside Engine Company (works nos. 929/930) to the design of G. P. (Percy) Spooner, James Spooner's grandson.
It began work in December 1872. It was retubed in November 1874 and reproved at 200lbs (working pressure 140lbs). In June 1875 it came off the line at Tan-y-Grisiau and was repaired in a day. The coal bunkers had flanges put round them in August. In September it came in for repairs again after running over a pig at Cei Mawr! Two new sandpots were put on the engine in November 1875.The year 1876 was slightly less eventful with a frame beginning to crack in August and then breaking in October. The repairs took until April 1877 to complete. It received new rods in 1878 and two new whistles. A pair of new lubricators was fitted on top of the smokeboxes in April 1879. The second pair of sandpots were added in November 1880 thus dating the photograph.
In 1882 the wheels had 3 new oval holes put in them for oiling in front & examining trimming, the two original round holes were plugged with cast iron.At this time also, 1 ton weights were put on the tanks. In 1883/4 lubrication was provided for the flanges of the driving wheels. The old sandpots were taken off the boiler barrel in October 1885 and 2 new safety valves fitted. A full cab was fitted in February 1887, the four small handrails on the smokeboxes for sanding and 2 new displacement lubricators.
However the boiler was wearing out. A new boiler was ordered in 1888 (from Neilson & Co, Glasgow) and finally arrived in February 1889. The boiler gave problems because the rude way that the Boiler was made & put together...causing the fitting of machinery & connections to it difficult & tedious.The loco finally emerged in September 1889 with new smoke boxes and chimneys also. There were leaks from the foundation ring within 6 months and tubes needed referruling from 1891. In December 1892 the vacuum brake was fitted on the loco. By 1895 the boiler required attention four times in the year. In July 1897, Palmerston collided with James Spooner at Glan-y-Pwll - an accident blamed by the Board of Trade on the signalman. The damage being to the buffer and the bogie centres being badly bent.The boiler was finally retubed in March 1901 with 200 brass tubes from Muntz Metal Co Ltd.The loco lasted until 1904 in this form, being withdrawn on December 17th of that year.
In September 1907 a new wagon top boiler from the Vulcan Foundry arrived at Boston Lodge and was fitted immediately, together with new smokeboxes, cylinders, two new injectors and the original cabs and tanks fitted on.The loco re-entered service in December 1907. As a cost saving, of the 222 red metal tubes, only 19 were new and the rest were second hand from Livingston Thompson. It worked through to 1926 when it was partially dismantled . Emergency repairs were made to the boiler and it returned to traffic in 1928, but in poor condition. It remained a standby loco until 1931. An unsuccessful attempt was made to repair the boiler again (by arc welding) and a photograph exists of the boiler at Boston Lodge Halt at this time. After this the loco remained dismantled and was finally condemned in 1933. The wheels have survived to the present day. They were used under Merddin Emrys from 1961 to 1984, and are currently under Livingston Thompson at the NRM. The side tanks were in Glan y Mor Yard until at least 1954.
Principal dimensions:- cylinders 8.5 X 14", boiler pressure 140psi (then 160psi for the second boiler and 170psi for the third boiler), driving wheels 2ft 8" (later turned down to 2ft 6"), tractive effort 5410lb initially.
