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During the 1880s and 1890s, William Dean constructed a series of experimental locomotives to test various new ideas in locomotive construction for the Great Western Railway.
This locomotive was built at Swindon (Lot no. 46, works no. 733) in 1880 as a 4-4-0T. It had double frames, and the bogie had no central pivot. Principal dimensions included: boiler diameter 4 ft 2 in (1,270 mm); pressure 140 lbf/in2 (970 kPa); cylinders (2 inside) 17 in × 26 in (430 mm × 660 mm); coupled wheel diameter 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m); total wheelbase 21 ft (6.4 m). It was rebuilt in 1882 as a 2-4-0T, the wheelbase now being 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m). A new boiler was fitted in 1899, having a diameter of 4 ft 5 in (1,350 mm) and a working pressure of 165 lbf/in2 (1,140 kPa); this had a round-topped firebox. A further new boiler fitted in 1914 had a Belpaire firebox. It was withdrawn in 1924. [1]
Number 7 was built in 1886 at Swindon as a tandem compound 2-4-0 with 7 ft 0+1⁄2 in (2.146 m) coupled wheels and outside frames. The 23 in (584 mm) diameter low pressure cylinders were in front of the high pressure cylinders, the pistons being carried on the same piston rod. Valves for the low pressure cylinders were below, and those for the high pressure cylinders above the cylinders. One set of valve gear drove each pair of valve spindles. This setup proved difficult to access for maintenance, and the locomotive was relegated to minor routes. It was broken up in 1890. [2] The wheel centres were used in building No. 7 of the Armstrong class. [3]
Number 8 was built in 1886 as a 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) broad gauge convertible 2-4-0 tandem compound, the low- and high-pressure piston rods sharing a common crosshead. It had 7 ft 0+1⁄2 in (2.146 m) driving wheels, six plate frames and a high-pressure boiler rated at 180 lbf/in2 (1.2 MPa ). The frames consisted of a double frame supporting the driving axleboxes, and an external frame from which the hornblocks for the leading wheels projected. Unsuccessful in its trials, it was never taken into stock or converted to 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge . In 1894 the wheel centres were used in a conventional standard gauge 4-4-0, No. 8 of the Armstrong class. [4]
This unit started out in 1881 as a 4-2-4T, with two 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) diameter driving wheels and unusually large 18 in × 26 in (457 mm × 660 mm) cylinders. The valves were above the cylinders, and operated by Stephenson link motion via rocking shafts; although the cylinders were between the frames, the motion was mounted outside the driving wheels. The wheelbase was 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m). It was the only 4-2-4T locomotive built by the Great Western Railway (though not the only such tank locomotive operated by the Great Western, which inherited some from the Bristol and Exeter Railway). It did little work as it was prone to derailing, indeed it did this in front of William Dean on its first trial move out of the shed. The order (Swindon Lot 54) had been for two locomotives (works nos. 844/5); the second 4-2-4T, intended to be numbered 10, would have differed from no. 9 in being fitted with Joy valve gear, but it was cancelled following the problems with no. 9. The cylinders and Joy valve gear were not wasted, as they were used in a different experimental locomotive, no. 1833. [5] [6]
In 1884, no. 9 was rebuilt as an unconventional 2-2-2 tender locomotive. Some of the old components were retained, such as the frames (suitably shortened), cylinders, outside Stephenson valve gear and driving wheels, but the round-top boiler and carrying wheels were new. The wheelbase was 18 ft 0 in (5.49 m). In 1890, it was again rebuilt, this time with more standard double frames, 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) driving wheels and inside valve gear similar in style to the Queen Class. The wheelbase was increased to 18 ft 3 in (5.56 m). In this guise it was named Victoria in honour of Queen Victoria. A Belpaire boiler was fitted in 1902, and the locomotive was withdrawn in 1905. [7]
A 2-2-2 locomotive built in 1886 that, as with number 9, was rebuilt in 1890 to be similar to the Queen class. In this latter guise it was named Royal Albert in honour of Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. It was withdrawn in 1906. [8]
Tank locomotive number 13 (Swindon Lot no. 72, works no. 1094) first appeared in 1886 as a 2-4-2WT, or well tank: the two water tanks were mounted one below the boiler and between the frames, the other at the back under the coal bunker. In this form it worked on the St Ives branch and also on the Abingdon branch. [9]
In 1897, it was rebuilt as a 4-4-0ST, or saddle tank. The large bunker and rear water tank were reduced in size. This allowed the rear carrying wheels to be removed, and a saddle tank fitted over the boiler. The frames were shortened at the rear and extended at the front to allow the fitting of a bogie instead of the leading axle. It continued to work on various branch lines, being loaned to the Liskeard and Looe Railway and later continuing to work on the Looe branch. It was also recorded on the Highworth branch line, before finally moving to Swindon Works, where it shunted for three or four years, and from where it was withdrawn in 1926. [9]
Two rather more conventional 2-4-0 express locomotives were turned out in 1888 (Swindon Lot no. 74, works nos. 1115–6) and ran on the broad gauge. They were similar to the standard gauge 3206 Class Barnum's turned out in 1889 but with large 7 ft 0+1⁄2 in (2,146 mm) in driving wheels. They were wuilt for the 3 p.m. express from Bristol to Swindon, and although they ceased work with the end of the broad gauge in May 1892, they were not withdrawn but put into store. [10]
Following the abolition of the broad gauge in 1892, they were renewed as standard gauge 4-4-0 locomotives in 1894, nos. 14 and 16 of the Armstrong class. [11]
Two 0-4-2ST built in 1890 (Swindon Lot no. 81, works nos. 1179–80), these were smaller than the contemporary 3521 class, having 4-foot (1.22 m) driving wheels. They were altered to 0-4-4T in 1895, and withdrawn in 1908 and 1906 respectively. [12]
No. 36 was a double-framed 4-6-0 built in 1896 (Swindon Lot no. 106, works no. 1551). It was withdrawn in 1905. [13]
In 1898, after Churchward had become Dean's assistant, a solitary 4-4-0PT was built at Swindon (Lot no. 114, works no. 1702), and was the first GWR locomotive with pannier tanks. It had 4 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1,410 mm) driving wheels, and was intended as the prototype of a new class for working over the Metropolitan Railway, but was both unstable and too heavy. After a few years spent shunting, it was sold in 1907 by the GWR to the Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron & Coal Co. In 1908 it came into the possession of the Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway, which numbered it 35, but sold it again in 1916 to the Cramlington Colliery Co. It was eventually scrapped in 1929. [14] [15]
This was originally an 0-6-0T built in November 1882. It used the cylinders and Joy valve gear that had been intended for the second 4-2-4T (see no. 9) that had been cancelled, and was given the same same works number (845) although a new order was raised (Swindon Lot 58). No. 1833 worked as a tank locomotive for less than two years: it was found that the amount of water in the tanks affected the working of the valve gear, and so in August 1884 it was taken out of service, altered to a tender locomotive, and returned to traffic in October 1884. In this form it worked until March 1906, when it was scrapped. [6] [16]
The first Locomotives of the Great Western Railway (GWR) were specified by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but Daniel Gooch was soon appointed as the railway's Locomotive Superintendent. He designed several different 7 ft 1⁄4 in broad gauge types for the growing railway, such as the Firefly and later Iron Duke Class 2-2-2s. In 1864 Gooch was succeeded by Joseph Armstrong who brought his standard gauge experience to the workshops at Swindon. To replace some of the earlier locomotives, he put broad gauge wheels on his standard gauge locomotives and from this time on all locomotives were given numbers, including the broad gauge ones that had previously carried just names.
The British Railways Standard Class 4 4-6-0 is a class of steam locomotives, 80 of which were built during the 1950s. Six have been preserved.
The GWR 4100 Class was a class of steam locomotives in the Great Western Railway (GWR) of the United Kingdom.
The Great Western Railway 3252 or Duke Class were 4-4-0 steam locomotives with outside frames and parallel domed boilers. They were built in five batches between 1895 and 1899 for express passenger train work in Devon and Cornwall. William Dean was their designer, possibly with the collaboration of his assistant, George Jackson Churchward. Four prototype 4-4-0s, of the Armstrong Class, had already been built in 1894.
The Great Western Railway 3800 Class, also known as the County Class, were a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotives for express passenger train work introduced in 1904 in a batch of ten. Two more batches followed in 1906 and 1912 with minor differences. They were designed by George Jackson Churchward, who used standard components to produce a four-coupled version of his Saint Class 4-6-0s.
The Great Western Railway 2900 Class or Saint Class, which was built by the Great Western Railway's Swindon Works, incorporated several series of 2-cylinder passenger steam locomotives designed by George Jackson Churchward and built between 1902 and 1913 with differences in the dimensions. The majority of these were built as 4-6-0 locomotives; but thirteen examples were built as 4-4-2. They proved to be a highly successful class which established the design principles for GWR 2-cylinder classes over the next fifty years, and influenced similar classes on other British railways.
The Great Western Railway (GWR) Star Class of 2-2-2 broad gauge steam locomotives were used for passenger train work. Designed by Robert Stephenson, the class was introduced into service between November 1838 and November 1841, and withdrawn between April 1864 and September 1871.
The Great Western Railway (GWR) Bogie Class4-4-0ST were broad gauge steam locomotives for passenger train work. The first two locomotives of this class were introduced into service in August/September 1849, with the remainder following between June 1854 and March 1855. All but one were withdrawn between October 1871 and 1873, with the final locomotive being withdrawn in December 1880.
The Great Western Railway Iron Duke Class 4-2-2 was a class of 7 ft 1⁄4 in broad gauge steam locomotives for express passenger train work.
The Dean Single, 3031 Class, or Achilles Class was a type of steam locomotive built by the British Great Western Railway between 1891 and 1899. They were designed by William Dean for passenger work. The first 30 members of the class were built as 2-2-2s of the 3001 Class.
The 14 Bristol and Exeter Railway 4-2-4T locomotives were broad gauge 4-2-4T steam locomotives built to three different designs. The first entered service in 1853. The Bristol and Exeter Railway was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1876, and the last of the 4-2-4Ts was withdrawn in 1885.
The 3521 Class were forty tank locomotives designed by William Dean to haul passenger trains on the Great Western Railway. They were introduced as 0-4-2T locomotives in 1887, but were quickly altered to become 0-4-4Ts to improve their running. Following two serious accidents they were further altered from 1899 to run as 4-4-0 tender locomotives, in which form the last was withdrawn in 1934.
The first 19 locomotives ordered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Great Western Railway included two unusual Haigh Foundry locomotives.
The GWR 378 Class was a class of 30 standard-gauge 2-2-2 steam locomotives on the Great Western Railway in Britain. They were introduced in 1866, and the class remained intact until 1898. Several were altered to the 0-6-0 wheel arrangement, and the last was withdrawn from service in 1920.
The Daniel Gooch standard gauge locomotives comprise several classes of locomotives designed by Daniel Gooch, Superintendent of Locomotive Engines for the Great Western Railway (GWR) from 1837 to 1864.
Between 1854 when the Shrewsbury and Chester and Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railways were absorbed by the Great Western Railway, and 1864 when he moved south to Swindon Works, Joseph Armstrong occupied the post of the GWR's Locomotive Superintendent, Northern Division, at Wolverhampton Works. For ten years the task of providing new locomotives for the GWR's newly acquired standard gauge lines fell jointly to Armstrong and to his superior Daniel Gooch, the railway's principal Locomotive Superintendent who was based at Paddington.
The GWR 455 Class, also called the "Metropolitan" or "Metro" Tanks, was a series of 140 2-4-0T locomotives built for the Great Western Railway, originally for their London suburban services, including running on the underground section of the Metropolitan Railway, the source of their nickname. Later on the class was seen on many other parts of the GWR system. Sixty "Metro" Tanks were built, from 1868 onwards, during the lifetime of their designer, Joseph Armstrong. His successor William Dean regarded the class so highly that he would add a further 80, the final 20 examples appearing as late as 1899. The "Metros" were all built at Swindon Works, in nine lots of ten or 20 engines each.
The Great Western Railway's 1813 Class was a series of 40 0-6-0T built at Swindon Works in two lots of 20 engines each. No. 1813 was sold to the Pembroke & Tenby Railway in May 1883 becoming No.7 Holmwood, retaining this name after being absorbed by the GWR. Nearly all of these engines spent their lives on the GWR's Southern Division.
The 2602 Class was a series of steam locomotives designed by William Dean and built at the Swindon Works of the Great Western Railway.
GWR No. 36 was a prototype 4-6-0 steam locomotive constructed at Swindon Works for the Great Western Railway in 1896, the first 4-6-0 ever built for the GWR and one of the first in Britain. It was designed by William Dean and le Fleming comments that "the design is unusual and entirely Dean of the later period, including the only large boiler ever built entirely to his ideas."