#1138

GER Class C53

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Stratford Works· from 1903· class of 12 British 0-6-0T tram locomotives, later LNER class J70

🚋 tram / light rail steam preserved

6 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. J70 No. 68222 at Upwell (1952) 01: Lamberhurst· CC BY-SA 4.0
2. Elmbridge (1950) 01: Lamberhurst· CC BY-SA 4.0
3. Elmbridge (1950) 02: Lamberhurst· CC BY-SA 4.0
4. J70 No. 68217 at Upwell (1950) 02: Lamberhurst· CC BY-SA 4.0
5. J70 No. 68217 at Upwell (1950): Lamberhurst· CC BY-SA 4.0
6. Wisbech shed (1950) 01: Lamberhurst· CC BY-SA 4.0

Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

what is it?

The GER Class C53 was a class of 12 0-6-0T steam tram locomotives designed by James Holden for the Great Eastern Railway. They passed to the London and North Eastern Railway at the grouping and received the LNER classification J70.

who runs it

Great Eastern Railway London and North Eastern Railway British Rail Eastern Region of British Railways

base stats

weight 27.4 tin working order
built 12made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 123 years ago, in 1903.
Weighs about as much as 5 African elephants (~6 t each).
Served for 52 years (1903–1955).

tram / light rail: Street-running or light-rail vehicles that share or skirt the road.

spec sheet

built: 1903–1921
in service from: 1903
retired: 1955
status: preserved
number built: 12
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: Stratford Works
designer: James Holden
operators: Great Eastern Railway, London and North Eastern Railway, British Rail, Eastern Region of British Railways
top speed: —
power: —
gauge: 1,435 mm standard gauge
wheel arrangement: 0-6-0
length: 6.1 m
weight: 27.4 t

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q5513208, Wikipedia: GER Class C53 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.