Great Western: Railway Gallery

A Pictorial Journey Through Time

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• Publisher: Pen & Sword Transport
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781526707031
• eBook ISBN: 9781526707055
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Rail Transportation
• Index: Technology & Engineering

It could be argued that the great Western or 'Gods' Wonderful Railway' was for many years the most famous railway in England. Much of the railway that we see today was the work of one of the greatest engineers of his time, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The company was also served by locomotive engineers such as Gooch, Armstrong, Churchward, Collett and Hawksworth, who produced a series of locomotives that were well designed, elegant and powerful.Serving many holiday resorts of the south west, with trains such as 'The Cornish Riviera Express, ' the publicity department exploited to great effect that the 'Great Western' was the 'Holiday Line.' It is probably true to say that in the years before the Second World War the company was producing some of the most effective publicity material in England.Using previously unpublished material from the extensive 'Great Western Trust' collection at Didcot Railway Centre, the book illustrates in both black and white and color many facets that made the Great Western 'Great"

NINETEENTH AND TWENTIETH CENTURY STANDARD GAUGE LOCOMOTIVES

Over the whole period of its existence, the Great Western had just six locomotive superintendents: Daniel Gooch (Loco Supt) from August 1837-October 1864; Joseph Armstrong (Loco and Carriage Supt) from January 1864-June 1877 (Armstrong was initially the locomotive superintendent at Wolverhampton taking over Gooch’s role on his retirement); William Dean (Loco and Carriage Supt) between June 1877 and June 1902; George Jackson Churchward from June 1902 until December 1921; Charles B Collett from January 1922 until July 1941 and last but not least, Frederick Hawksworth from July 1941 until December 1947. The post of Locomotive Superintendent was altered to Chief Mechanical Engineer in 1916.

The Armstrong 322 or ‘Beyer’ class 0-6-0s were an early standard gauge design. No 338 was built in December 1864 and was one of thirty locomotives designed and built by Beyer Peacock & Co between 1864 and 1866. It is seen here with a W3 type boiler that it received in February 1883. It was withdrawn in August 1924. Notice the large locomotive jack on the running board; these were carried by many locomotives at this time.

‘Chancellor’ or ‘England’ Class 2-4-0 no 153 was built by George England & Co at their Hatcham Ironworks in Kent in August 1862. One of a class of eight that were ordered by Gooch, they were the first 2-4-0s built for the standard gauge. All eight were renewed between 1878 and 1883. No 153, seen here at Chester, was renewed in June 1882 and was withdrawn in may 1907.

Armstrong Standard Goods 0-6-0 no 31 was built at Swindon in February 1872 and withdrawn in February 1905. These attractive outside frame locomotives worked over the whole system and were gradually replaced by the later Dean designed goods 0-6-0s. Notice how the coal is piled up on the tender which has no side fenders.

A pair of Metropolitan class 2-4-0Ts stand at Truro shed on 4 August 1926. 140 of these 2-4-0Ts were constructed between 1869 and 1899 and were used on both branch and suburban services over the system. No 975 was built at Swindon September 1874 and is seen here with an open cab. No 3582 was constructed in February 1899 and has an enclosed cab and larger capacity side tanks. 975 was withdrawn in April 1934, and 3582 in November 1949.

No 2026 was a 2021 class 0-6-0ST built at Wolverhampton in May 1897. In September 1922, it was altered to a Pannier tank, as seen here at Swindon on 17 January 1930, coupled to the Great Western four wheeled inspection saloon no 80974. This vehicle was built for the Bristol & Exeter Railway as a 6 wheeled 1st/2nd class composite coach with two toilets. It was converted to an inspection saloon by the Great Western by mounting the modified body onto a longer 4 wheeled underframe and numbered 472,later 6472. In September 1921, it was renumbered once again 80974. No 2026 was withdrawn in April 1951.

There is no doubt that the Gooch 8ft singles of the broad gauge era were particularly fine looking locomotives, but I would argue that probably the most elegant locomotives to run on the Great Western were the 7ft 8in Dean 3031 class 4-2-2s. Here no 3050 Royal Sovereign waits to depart from Paddington with a down express service in around 1902. For many years, the locomotive was used to haul the Royal Train. Built at Swindon in February 1895, it is seen here fitted with a special coiled spring bogie. Royal Sovereign was withdrawn in December 1915.

Duke Class 4-4-0 no 3288 Tresco stands in the yard at Weymouth in 1901. Designed by Dean and built at Swindon in 1897, it was renumbered 3277 and renamed Isle of Tresco in February 1904. The cleaners pattern (quivering) can be clearly seen on the locomotive and tender. No 3277 was withdrawn in January 1937.

Bulldog class 4-4-0 no 3405 Empire of India stands in the yard at Reading in the 1930s. The Bulldog class were introduced by Dean in 1899, no 3405 was built in March 1904 and is seen here fitted with a superheater and top feed. It was withdrawn in April 1937.

The Great Western produced some odd designs over the years one of which was Dean ‘Badminton’ Class 4-4-0 no 3297 Earl Cawdor, passing Acton with the 10.15am milk train. Built in May 1898, in July 1903 it was fitted with an S4X large experimental round top boiler and a double side windowed cab which gave the locomotive more of a North Eastern (rather) than Great Western look. The cab was replaced by a standard Churchward open cab in November 1904, and after a number of boiler changes, the locomotive was withdrawn as no 4105 in November 1927.

The ‘Aberdare Class 2-6...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• CONTENTS
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Broad Gauge Locomotives
• Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Standard Gauge Locomotives
• Steam Railmotors
• GWR Petrol and Diesel Vehicles
• Oil Burning
• Engine Sheds
• Swindon Locomotive Works
• Signalling
• Accidents
• Publicity
• Named Trains
• Goods Services
• Staff
• Motor Bus Services
• Camp Coaches
• GWR Air Services
• Passenger Shipping Services
• Dining Great Western Style
• Bridges and Viaducts
• Paddington
• Country Stations
• Royal Trains