ex-Great Western Railway No. 6833 Calcot Grange, a 4-6-0 Grange class steam locomotive, at Bristol Temple Meads station, Bristol, England

British Railways (BR) inherited a number of locomotives from its constituent "Big Four" companies, the vast majority of which were steam locomotives. BR built 2537 steam locomotives in the period 1948-1960, 1538 to pre-nationalisation designs and 999 to its own standard designs. These locomotives were destined to lead short lives, some as little as five years against a design life of over 30 years, because of the decision to end the use of steam traction in 1968. Great Western Railway No. ... Great Western Railway No. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... In the Whyte notation, a 4-6-0 is a railroad steam locomotive that has a two-axle leading truck followed by three driving axles. ... 6833 Calcot Grange at Bristol Temple Meads in British Railways green livery. ... Great Western Railway No. ... The original station (left) closed in 1965. ... British Railways (BR), later rebranded as British Rail, ran the British railway system, from the nationalisation of the Big Four British railway companies in 1948 until its privatisation in stages between 1994 and 1997. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ...

For an explanation of numbering and classification, see British Locomotive and Multiple Unit Numbering and Classification. A number of different numbering and classification schemes has been used for locomotives and multiple units on Britains railways, and this page explains the principal systems that have been used. ...

Background

British Railways was created in 1948 by the merger of the big four grouped railway companies; the Great Western Railway (GWR), the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and the Southern Railway (SR). It therefore inherited a wide legacy of rolling stock, much of which needed replacing due to the ravages of World War II. British Railways (BR), later rebranded as British Rail, ran the British railway system, from the nationalisation of the Big Four British railway companies in 1948 until its privatisation in stages between 1994 and 1997. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS1) was a British railway company. ... LNER timetable for Autumn 1926 detailing the resumption of services after the General Strike. ... The Southern Railway in the United Kingdom was the smallest of the four railway systems created in the Grouping ordered by the Railways Act 1921. ...

Classification

BR adopted a slighlty modified version of the LMS classification system, itself based on the Midland Railway's system. Each locomotive class was given a number 0-9 that signified its power, 0 for the least powerful and 9 for the most, with a suffix of F or P, indicating freight and passenger roles respectively. Freight power ranged from 0-9, passenger from 0-8. Many locomotives were used for both roles, in which case they were given two class numbers, the P first e.g. 3P4F or 6P5F. A slight change from the LMS system saw those where the freight classification equalled the passenger classification, e.g. for the LMS black fives 5P5F, reclassified as 5MT. Mixed traffic locos had power in the range of classes 2-6. The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed from 1844 to 1922. ... A black five in preservation The London Midland and Scottish Railways Stanier class 5 4-6-0, almost universally known as a black five is a class of steam locomotive. ...

Locomotives acquired from constituent companies and the War Department

An ex-LMS Jubilee Class locomotive

A wide variety of locomotives were acquired from the four constituent companies. These had generally standardised their own designs. See: Download high resolution version (1024x768, 49 KB)From the Mark A. Hoofe collection. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 49 KB)From the Mark A. Hoofe collection. ...

• Locomotives of the Great Western Railway
• Locomotives of the Southern Railway
• Locomotives of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
• Locomotives of the London and North Eastern Railway

After initially using letter prefixes (E for ex-LNER, M for ex-LMS, S for ex-SR, and W for ex-GWR locomotives), it was decided to add 30000 to the Southern numbers, 40000 to the LMS numbers and 60000 to the LNER numbers, the GWR numbers remaining unchanged since they had number plates. The Great Western Railway had an uninterrupted life of over a century to develop its locomotive designs as it was barely unaffected by the Grouping of 1923. ... The Southern Railway took a key role in expanding the 660 V DC third rail electrified network begun by the London & South Western Railway. ... The London, Midland and Scottish Railway had the largest stock of steam locomotives of any of the Big Four pre-Nationalisation railway companies. ... The London and North Eastern Railway produced the most iconic locomotive of its day, 4468 Mallard, the holder of the world steam locomotive speed record. ... A number plate may be: A road vehicle license plate. ...

The 1948 Locomotive Trials pitted locomotives from each company against each other.

In addition, two types purchased from the British War Department following their use during World War II on railways in Great Britain and elsewhere in Europe. The War Department was the United Kingdom government department responsible for the supply of equipment to the armed forces of the United Kingdom and the pursuance of military activity. ...

• WD class 8F 2-8-0: 90000-732
• WD class 8F 2-10-0: 90750-774

BR also bought some ex-WD 8Fs. The War Department (WD) Austerity 2-8-0 is a class of heavy freight steam locomotive that was introduced in 1943. ... The War Department (WD) Austerity 2-10-0 is a class of heavy freight steam locomotive that was introduced in 1943. ...

Locomotives built by BR to Big Four designs

Initially, the newly nationalised network continued to be run as four different concerns, and pursued the policy of building of well-estalblished designs. Some of these were already quite old, one class (the J92 tank engines) being a pre-Grouping design.

GWR designs

A 1600 Class pannier tank built by BR

The Great Western management was opposed to nationalisation and built many pannier tanks, resulting in a surplus of them. 452 locomotives were built to ex-GWR designs, of which 341 were pannier tanks. By David Wainwright. ... By David Wainwright. ... A tank locomotive (occasionally tank engine) is a steam locomotive that carries its own fuel and water with it, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. ...

The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) maintained a simple, if imprecise, method of classifying its locomotives. ... Locomotive wheel arrangement is how the wheels of the locomotive are arranged by type, position, and connections. ... The Great Western Railway (GWR) 1500 Class is class of 0-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotive. ... 1600 Class number 1638 in preservation An 0-6-0PT, also known as an 0-6-0 Pannier Tank, is a type of steam locomotive built by the Great Western Railway. ... 1638 is the only preserved member of its class The Great Western Railway (GWR) 1600 Class is a class of 0-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotive. ... 1600 Class number 1638 in preservation An 0-6-0PT, also known as an 0-6-0 Pannier Tank, is a type of steam locomotive built by the Great Western Railway. ... The Great Western Railway (GWR) 9400 Class is a class of 0-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotive. ... 1600 Class number 1638 in preservation An 0-6-0PT, also known as an 0-6-0 Pannier Tank, is a type of steam locomotive built by the Great Western Railway. ... 3211 at Southampton Terminus 1949. ... 0-6-0 is also the emergency telephone number in Mexico, similar to the United Statess 9-1-1. ... GWR 5101 Class - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... A Pairie type built for the Burlington by Baldwin. ... 9729 at Highbridge Yard after the Western Rgeion had taken over the S&D. 11 engines of the 5700 Class, nos 9700-10 were turned out with various modifications for working along the Metropolitan Line. ... 1600 Class number 1638 in preservation An 0-6-0PT, also known as an 0-6-0 Pannier Tank, is a type of steam locomotive built by the Great Western Railway. ... GWR 6959 Class - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... In the Whyte notation, a 4-6-0 is a railroad steam locomotive that has a two-axle leading truck followed by three driving axles. ... Specifications Cylinders: 4; 16 diameter, 26 stroke Valve gear: inside cylinders – Walschaerts; outside cylinders – derived from inside cylinders via rocking bars. ... In the Whyte notation, a 4-6-0 is a railroad steam locomotive that has a two-axle leading truck followed by three driving axles. ... Preserved 6430 The Aberystwyth station pilot, 7428 still lettered GWR 13 years after nationalisation, 1 August 1961. ... 1600 Class number 1638 in preservation An 0-6-0PT, also known as an 0-6-0 Pannier Tank, is a type of steam locomotive built by the Great Western Railway. ... GWR 7800 Class - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... In the Whyte notation, a 4-6-0 is a railroad steam locomotive that has a two-axle leading truck followed by three driving axles. ...

SR designs

The only SR designs built by BR were 50 Bulleid Pacifics. Many of these were later rebuilt as conventional engines.

The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) maintained a simple, if imprecise, method of classifying its locomotives. ... Locomotive wheel arrangement is how the wheels of the locomotive are arranged by type, position, and connections. ... Preserved Unrebuilt West Country Class 21C213 Blackmoor Vale. ... The Pennsylvania Railroads class K4s, a well known 4-6-2 type. ... Rebuilt 35024 East Asiatic Company at Exeter St Davids, 1962 with Atlantic Coast Express headboard. ... The Pennsylvania Railroads class K4s, a well known 4-6-2 type. ...

LMS designs

Designed by H. G. Ivatt of the LMS, but built by BR in 1949, 41241 is preserved on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. She has a 2-6-2T wheel arrangement and a 2MT power classification

640 locomotives were built to LMS designs. They were built across the works, not just at Crewe, Derby and Horwich. Many of the later BR standard designs were based on the LMS designs. Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 1357 KB)by Alan Harris, File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 1357 KB)by Alan Harris, File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Henry George Ivatt (4 May 1886 — 4 October 1976) known as George Ivatt, was the post-war Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T 41241 at Haworth station The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a five-mile (eight-km) long heritage railway line in West Yorkshire, England, that runs from Keighley to Oxenhope. ...

The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) maintained a simple, if imprecise, method of classifying its locomotives. ... Locomotive wheel arrangement is how the wheels of the locomotive are arranged by type, position, and connections. ... Preserved on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T is a class of light mixed traffic steam engine introduced in 1946. ... A Pairie type built for the Burlington by Baldwin. ... London, Midland and Scottish Railway Class 4MT no. ... The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Ivatt Class 4 2-6-0 is a class of steam locomotive primarily designed for medium freight work. ... SRC 89 working on the daily passenger train in 1993. ... A black five in preservation The London Midland and Scottish Railways Stanier class 5 4-6-0, almost universally known as a black five is a class of steam locomotive. ... In the Whyte notation, a 4-6-0 is a railroad steam locomotive that has a two-axle leading truck followed by three driving axles. ... The Princess Coronation Class is a class of a express passenger steam locomotive built by the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and designed by William Stanier. ... The Pennsylvania Railroads class K4s, a well known 4-6-2 type. ... Preserved locomotive, no. ... SRC 89 working on the daily passenger train in 1993. ... The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Kitson 0-4-0ST was a class of 0-4-0 saddle tank steam locomotive designed for light shunting. ...

LNER designs

BR-built LNER Thompson Class B1 61306 at Leeds City in 1966 or 1967.

BR built 396 locomotives to LNER designs. One of these, the J72 Class was a North Eastern Railway design, dating from 1898.
Image File history File linksMetadata 61306_at_Leeds_City. ... Image File history File linksMetadata 61306_at_Leeds_City. ... Preserved in inauthentic LNER Apple Green livery 1306 Mayflower was actually one of those locomotives built by British Railways after nationalisation in 1948, numbered 61306 and never named. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... The North Eastern Railway (NER), unlike many other of the pre-Grouping companies, had a relatively compact territory, having the district it covered to itself. ... 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) maintained a simple, if imprecise, method of classifying its locomotives. ... Locomotive wheel arrangement is how the wheels of the locomotive are arranged by type, position, and connections. ... The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn Class A1 was a class of steam locomotive. ... The Pennsylvania Railroads class K4s, a well known 4-6-2 type. ... Preserved 60532 Blue Peter. ... The Pennsylvania Railroads class K4s, a well known 4-6-2 type. ... Preserved in inauthentic LNER Apple Green livery 1306 Mayflower was actually one of those locomotives built by British Railways after nationalisation in 1948, numbered 61306 and never named. ... In the Whyte notation, a 4-6-0 is a railroad steam locomotive that has a two-axle leading truck followed by three driving axles. ... SRC 89 working on the daily passenger train in 1993. ...

BR standard classes

A Standard Class 5MT in preservation

From 1951, BR started to build steam locomotives to its own standard designs, which were largely based on LMS practice but incorporating ideas and modifications from the other constituent companies and America. Download high resolution version (1033x655, 76 KB)British Railways standard class 5 Steam locomotive - 73096 - at Virginia Water railway station England - 280404 Photo taken by Tagishsimon File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1033x655, 76 KB)British Railways standard class 5 Steam locomotive - 73096 - at Virginia Water railway station England - 280404 Photo taken by Tagishsimon File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Characteristic features of these were taper boilers, high running plates, two cylinders and streamlined cabs.

Although more were ordered, a total of 999 BR standards were constructed, and the last, 92220 Evening Star, was built in 1960. Most never saw the end of their usefulness and being in good condition, several are preserved. 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ...

The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) maintained a simple, if imprecise, method of classifying its locomotives. ... Locomotive wheel arrangement is how the wheels of the locomotive are arranged by type, position, and connections. ... British Railways standard class 7, otherwise known as the Britannia Class was a class of steam locomotive, one British Railways standard classes of the 1950s. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 71000 as preserved. ... British Railwayss standard class 6 otherwise known as the Clan class was a class of steam locomotive. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 73096 is one of five preserved standard fives and has a mainline certificate. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... British Railways standard class 4 4-6-0s (not to be confused with the standard class 4 2-6-0 or the standard class 4 2-6-4T) was a class of British Railways standard locomotives. ... The British Railways standard class 4 2-6-0 was a class of steam locomotive. ... The British Railways Standard Class 3 2-6-0 was a class of steam locomotive. ... The British Railways standard class 2 is a class of steam locomotive, one of the BR standard classes of the 1950s. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 80152 at Nine Elms MPD, 1965. ... The British Railways Standard Class 3 2-6-2T was a class of steam locomotive. ... The British Railways standard class 2 2-6-2T was a class of steam locomotive, one of the standard classes of the 1950s. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1953 calendar). ... 92011 at New Basford 7 May 1966. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ...

Withdrawal

A line of withdrawn standard 4 tanks at Barry

The 1955 Modernisation Plan called for the phasing out of steam traction. Major withdrawals occurred over the period 1962-1966, and steam traction finally ended in August 1968, coinciding with the Beeching Axe. Taken in May 1966 at Barry Scrapyard David Sallery. ... Taken in May 1966 at Barry Scrapyard David Sallery. ... August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Many railway lines were closed as a result of the Beeching Axe The Beeching Axe was an informal name for the British Governments attempt in the 1960s to control the spiralling cost of running the British railway system by closing what it considered to be little-used and unprofitable...

Some were sold to London Transport, where steam remained until 1971. Steam on industrial lines remained until the early 1980s. Founded in 1933 by an act of Parliament under Transport Minister Herbert Stanley Morrison, The London Passenger Transport Board generally known London Transport was A public authority appointed under act of Parliament, charged with responsibility for providing an adequate and properly co-ordinated system of passenger transport (Buses including Green... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ...

Preservation

Withdrawn locomotives were sent for scrap. Many went to Woodhams' Scrapyard in Barry, South Wales. Some have since been saved from Barry and elsewhere. Former main line locomotives, along with various smaller industrial shunters form the backbone of steam motive power for heritage railways. Main line running on charter trains is possible and in this they run under TOPS code as Class 98. A scrapyard Scrap is a term used to describe the recycling of metal. ... A line of tank engines on right at Woodhams. ... Barry (Welsh: Y Barri) is a town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. ... Approximate extent of South Wales South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the East and South, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the North and West. ... A scene on a heritage railway. ... The Total Operations Processing System, better known by its initials TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock (railroad cars) owned by a rail system. ... TOPS Class 98 has been used to cover all steam locomotives used on the mainline in Britain, but also has a particular usage for the three Vale of Rheidol 2_6_2T locomotives that remained in the ownership of British Rail after the end of mainline steam traction in August 1968. ...

Vale of Rheidol

One notable exception to the standard gauge rule was the narrow-gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway in Mid-Wales, which remained part of British Rail until 1987 and which used three steam locomotives. After 1987 it was run as a heritage railway. Train taking on water, Vale of Rheidol Railway The Vale of Rheidol Railway is a narrow-gauge (1 foot 11¾ inches) heritage railway that runs for 11¾ miles between Aberystwyth and Devils Bridge (Pont yr Fynach (Welsh) - Bridge over the Mynach) - in Wales, UK. It was the last steam line...

See also

For a list of Diesel and Electric locomotives of British Railways:

• List of British Rail classes

www.britishsteam.com for complete lists of all British Stream Locomotives from 1923 onwards,details include Built, Withdrawn and Cut dates, Last Shed and where cut, Locos numbered by Pregroup, Big4 and BR numbers all in easy to search Tsables A wide variety of locomotives and multiple units have operated on Great Britains railway network. ...

References

• Hugh Longworth British Railway Steam Locomotives 1948-1968, Ian Allan. [1] ISBN 0860935930