Great Western Railway Locomotives 1837--1934 THE development of the railway locomotive is a Story of ever increasing tractive power. WhilSt comparatively high speeds were attained on the Great WeStern Railway as far back as the 'forties, the weights of the trains hauled in those days were but a fraction of those with which modern locomotives have to deal. From a few small carriages the train load has grown to 5 or more 6o-ft. coaches, including dining and kitchen cars, and having an aggregate weight of 500 tons behind the tender. "North Star" (2-2-2), one of the firSt locomotives supplied to the Company--built by Messrs. Robert Stephenson & Co. in 1837, and originally intended for the New Orleans Railway of America was the engine which gave the moSt satisfactory performance at the public opening of the line in June, 1838. She was considerably altered at Swindon Works in 1854 and remained in active service until 1870. Another old broad-gauge engine of fame was "Lord of the Isles (4-2-2), built, like most G.W.R. locomotives (after the very earliest days) at the Company's locomotive works at Swindon. Produced in 1851, she was probably the fastest and most powerful broad gauge locomotive that ever existed. She ran 789,300 miles with her original boiler intaCt. Wonderful Stories are told of speeds obtained by these old eight-foot single-wheelers. Trains hauled by them were acually booked to leave Didcot (53 miles) fifty-seven minutes after departure from Paddington. The present "North Star," built in 1906, was originally 4-4-2 and was converted in 1909 to 4-6-o, and in 1929 rebuilt as a "Castle." As a "Star" she was typical of a famous class of four-cylinder engines which may be said to have marked an epoch in railway locomotive congtmction. Large numbers of these engines are included in the G.W.R. "fleet," and they have rendered admirable service, although present day requirements demand engines of even greater power. The "Stars" and other types closely resembling them were responsible for creating and regularly maintaining such speedy "non-Stop" runs as that from Paddington to Plymouth (226 miles), a world's record for over twenty-two years, and a run which is considerably faster than any other "non-Stop" run of over 220 miles. "Caerphilly CaStle" made her debut in AuguSt, 1903, and was followed by sister locomotives, making sixty of the "Castle" class. These engines, which were a development of the "Star" class, embodied many new and exciting features, including a larger boiler, and had a weight (with tender) in working order of about 126 tons. When exhibited at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1904, "Caerphilly Castle," then the most powerful passenger locomotive in the Kingdom, attraced a continuous Stream of admirers. In addition, six other engines (one "Pacific" and five "Star" class) have been rebuilt as "Castles." The latest departure in Great Western Railway locomotive construction is the production of the "King" class, named after the Kings of England, the first completed engine being appropriately named after the reigning monarch. These engines rank among the most powerful express passenger locomotives in the country, with a tractive effort of 4o,3oo lbs. at 85 per cent. of the boiler pressure. The weight on the driving wheels totals 67 tons 10 cwts., whilst the weight at the bogie is 22 tons, the total of the engine in working order, without tender, being 89 tons. The tender is of the Standard Great WeStern Railway six-wheeled pattern, equipped with water pick-up apparatus. It weighs when full 46 tons + 4 cwts. has a coal capacity of 6 tons, and water capacity of 4,ooo gallons, the weight of engine and tender in working order being therefore 135 tons 14 cwts. New features are presented by the bogie, which is spring con- trolled and of a unique design. It has outside bearings on the Leading axle, and inside bearings on the trailing axle, this arrange- ment being necessary in order to obtain clearance between the bogie and the cylinders. The four cylinders are not set in a line across the engine, but the inside pair are set well forward in the frames and drive on to the leading coupkd axle, and the outside pair drive on to the middle coupled wheels. Steam is supplied to the inside cylinders by piston valves operated direct from the Walschaert gear placed between the frames, the valves for the outside cylinders being operated by rocking levers from the inside gear. The inside connectling rods have forked big ends fitted with gib and cotter, but the outside rods have solid bushed ends. The boiler is a Standard No. 12 high-pressure super-heated boiler working at a pressure of 250 lbs. per square inch, built with conical barrel and Belpaire firebox, without a dome. The Steam is taken from an open pipe at the highest point over the firebox, and the safety valve is mounted on the barrel. In constructing the inside firebox, copper is used, Stayed entirely by direcyt Steel and copper Stays to the outside casing, and the Standard Swindon type superheater is fitted. The boiler is also fitted with top feed, the water being fed through pipes in the safety valve casting. Equalised vacuum braking is operative on all the coupled wheels. The cab is spacious, well proteccted by an extended roof and side windows. The Company's automatic train control is fitted, the use of which has been extended to the principal main lines The engine is finished in the same Style as that adopted for other Great Western Railway express passenger engines. Features which contribute to a handsome appearance are the chimney top of copper, safety-valve cover, cab and splasher beadings of brass, and polished Steel handrails. Considerable interest is taken in British locomotive pracctice in America, and there was nothing but admiration for "King George V" by visitors who flocked to see her at the Baltimore and Ohio Centenary Exhibition in 1927 where, with the old "North Star "--representing G.W.R. locomotives both ancient and modern - -she was on view. The question may be asked: "What are the advantages of these high-powered locomotives ?" The answer is to be found in the G.W.R. summer time-table, in which the Cornish Riviera express, hitherto timed to cover. the 225 miles from London to Plymouth in 4 hours 7 minutes, is scheduled to do the journey, London to Devonport, 227 miles in 4 hours 2 minutes, at an average rate of over 56 miles per hour, with a very much heavier train, whilst on the winter service the run is covered in 4 hours 4 minutes, including a stop at Exeter. Condenced from "Swindon Works and its place in Great Western History" Text End