Compared to the rather ungainly No 1, which proved to be a failure, the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway's second electric locomotive, No 2, had a defined purpose. No 2 was an 0-4-0, with all four wheels powered, and did not require any external infrastructure such as overhead wires or a third rail, being powered by internal batteries. No 2 emerged from Horwich works in July 1917, having been under construction slowly for over a year, and was designed to shunt coal wagons at Clifton Junction power station, which in turn produced electricity for the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway's electrified Manchester & Bury line.
No 2 replaced five electric capstans which instead winched the coal wagons, and No 2 could haul three fully laden 20 ton wagons at a time, and it's batteries had enough charge for 25,000 miles between overhauls. A 1/76 (OO Gauge) kit of No 2 is available to purchase - http://chrisgibbon.com/webftp/Pages/lyrbatterypage.htm
My thanks go to the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society for the very generous permission and sending of these images which I believe are unseen on the internet before. Please visit their website to see a lot more interesting Edwardian railway images.