If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Your top ten steam classes

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by mdatkinson92, Dec 20, 2019.

  1. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2006
    Messages:
    16,510
    Likes Received:
    7,753
    Location:
    1012 / 60158
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Think I'd only get about three of my selection for that :D
     
    240P15 likes this.
  2. ady

    ady Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2006
    Messages:
    2,369
    Likes Received:
    281
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Post office
    Location:
    South
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I think I have a list at last


    =10. GWR 14xx 0-4-2T

    =10. SR U/N class moguls

    =10. GWR 43xx moguls

    =10. SR W class 2-6-4T

    =10. LB&SCR A1x terriers

    =4. GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT

    =4. GWR City of Truro

    =4. LB&SCR K 2-6-0 (although I have been going off this one)

    3. LB&SCR E4 0-6-2T

    =1. GWR Dukedog 4-4-0

    =1. BR 3MT 2-6-0, specifically number 77014 the last steam engine to haul a train on Southern Region (somehow)


    I know that’s 11 engines but the group of five I see as all equal to me and couldn’t drop one


    Doesn’t included diesels obviously but if it did then the Hampshire units would be with the E4, and the Hymek would be in there too somewhere
     
  3. D6332found

    D6332found Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2016
    Messages:
    361
    Likes Received:
    179
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Dinting
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    10th GNR Stirling Single. Victorian elegance and a forefather's engine. Glad I saw her steam
    9th A3 a thing of Apple Green beauty, despite the moans. Gresley's finest.
    8th Jubilee absolute beasts. Perhaps the Chief Mechanical Engineers finest hour?
    7th Black 5 so glad had 5000 as a kid. Another stuffed mounted (perhaps appropriately- where is it now?)
    6th GWR City punchy little beast, design progress by Churchward, a fine engine belive 100mph? Yes!
    5th V2 Green Arrow you are missed. Won the war etc&
    4th A4 The finest British engine (arguably).
    3rd South Africa Beyeyer Garratt GMA, seen at the end when I was a lad. Manchester's finest.
    2nd South Africa NBL 2-8-0 19D, had a cabride near Knysna when they ran a real railway, watered it, turned it.
    1st K1a New Zealand 4-8-4 Cabride over the Southern Alps, magic.
     
    The Green Howards likes this.
  4. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2017
    Messages:
    1,061
    Likes Received:
    511
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    retired
    Location:
    east sussex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    GNR Large Atlantic 4-4-2.......................1st big boiler, Wooton firebox
    LMS Duchess 4-6-2.................................culmination of 4 cyl design
    GWR Star 4-6-0.......................................the 1st modern engine
    MR Compound -- 2602 ...........................1st really good compound
    LNWR DX 0-6-0......................................1st UK standard
    LNWR 2-2-2-0 Teutonic..........................so close to brilliance
    LNWR Precedent 2-4-0 ...........................astonishing performer . everything the LNWR did came from here
    GER B12 unrebuilt....................................looks and performance - but mainly looks
    LSWR Urie H15 . ......................................father of the Black 5
    GC Director 4-4-0 .....................................looks , performance .cudda chosen the Schools but the DOB won it
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2019
    LesterBrown, Cartman and 240P15 like this.
  5. Cartman

    Cartman Well-Known Member Account Suspended

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2015
    Messages:
    2,290
    Likes Received:
    1,672
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Van driver
    Location:
    Cheshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Some good choices, but where's the Claughton?
     
  6. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2017
    Messages:
    1,061
    Likes Received:
    511
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    retired
    Location:
    east sussex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    missing - for the same reason there is only one from the East Coast .

    i tried to pick designs that begat lasting loco practice . the Claughton is a direct descendant of the Precedent . Precedent , Precursor, George .Claughton . if i included the Claughton , the B12 would be omitted-which would be a shame , and the Claughton was a dead end . it shudda been a pacific

    same goes for the East Coast . the Atlantic morphed into the A1,A3 ,A4,P2 A2. .....but the line was a dead end . it was only replicated on the GNR & LNER.

    the original B12 is in the list purely because the finish of the original engines was sheer poetry and that must count for something .

    none of which should detract from Churchward's locos and their successors ,which laid down the standard for all to aspire to.

    the reason for leaving out the Saint is the inside gear . it is a better engine than the H15 ,but it was not the future
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2019
    Cartman likes this.
  7. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2017
    Messages:
    1,061
    Likes Received:
    511
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    retired
    Location:
    east sussex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer

    only two really
    Dean Goods and everything developed from the no/I boiler
     
  8. Cartman

    Cartman Well-Known Member Account Suspended

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2015
    Messages:
    2,290
    Likes Received:
    1,672
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Van driver
    Location:
    Cheshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I actually prefer the B12 in its later rebuilt form as the B12/3. On the other hand, the similar Claud Hamilton I prefer in its original form.
     
  9. sir gilbert claughton

    sir gilbert claughton Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2017
    Messages:
    1,061
    Likes Received:
    511
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    retired
    Location:
    east sussex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer

    i considered both , but the original Claud boiler doesn't "fit" the frame , and the B12/3 is a Plain Jane - imo of course.

    my list of favourite locos would be very different
     
  10. 240P15

    240P15 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2017
    Messages:
    1,598
    Likes Received:
    1,588
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Norway
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer

    Agree with you Cartman.:)The Claud Hamilton were gorgeous engines! It just so sad that none of them survived into preservation:( (Yes I`m aware of the new build project but they seems to have a veeeery long way to go)

    (mod. Sorry for thread drift)

    Knut
     
    Cartman likes this.
  11. Spinner

    Spinner Member

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2006
    Messages:
    220
    Likes Received:
    237
    Occupation:
    Public Servant
    Location:
    Australia
    Top 10 Steam Classes?

    Listed in no particular order.

    1) Firing classes.

    2) Braking classes.

    3) Boiler attendant classes.

    4) Valve gear classes.

    5) Safeworking classes.

    6) Preparation classes.

    7) Disposal classes.

    8) Driving classes.

    9) Running repair classes.

    10) Water treatment classes.
     
  12. Dan Taylor

    Dan Taylor New Member Account Suspended

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2019
    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    142
    Occupation:
    Fireman
    Location:
    Titfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Mainlines been a lot better since Spadmere bowed out,

    Things have been a lot more reliable and able to climb hills.
     
  13. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2007
    Messages:
    2,849
    Likes Received:
    2,362
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Researcher/writer and composer of classical music
    Location:
    Between LBSCR 221 and LBSCR 227
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Yes, but with great difficulty! After some thought, here are my top 10 and the reasons for their inclusion. For many of us, I suspect our selection is very subjective, reflecting something of our geographical circumstances and personal memories:-

    Original Bulleid Pacific +
    Rebuilt Bulleid Pacific
    :- A toss-up between the two types for my favourite. The "originals" represent possibly the most distinctive image of Southern steam, but the rebuilds, especially the MNs, put in some phenomenal runs in the last days of Southern steam and Clan Line has to be my current favourite main-line registered engine - one of the top performers of the preservation age and more recently of course, 35018 is winning a lot of new friends with some good runs too.

    S15 +
    Maunsell U and N class Moguls
    I was born in Redhill and spent several happy childhood years in Dorking, so these classes would have still been operational on my local Redhill-Reading line when I was a small boy, although my memories of steam haulage are very vague as I was so young. Personal memories notwithtanding, these classes are also handsome machines and were excellent performers. Thank goodness for Dai Woodham as without him, these locos would be extinct.

    T9 I am always thrilled to turn up at Swanage and see 30120 in action. A lovely engine and again, a very successful class after Urie's modifications. Mind you, I guess that in a couple of years' time, it will be 563 which steals the show down in Dorset!

    D The most elegant of all 4-4-0s in my opinion. Again, there are personal reasons for including this class: My grandfather spent his entire working life at Ashford depot so I must include an SE&CR engine in my list! 737 looks magnificent in its original livery and even though she will never steam again, the prospect of the Bluebell's working replica E class (which is nearly as handsome a design but not quite!) is a good compensation.

    A1x (Terrier) The best small engines of all! Also, having lived much of my adult life in LB&SCR territory, there has to be a "Brighton" class in my list.

    BR 80xxx 2-6-4T A class strongly associated with the last years of steam in Sussex and also a good looking, nicely proportioned design. 80151 and 80104 look so at home on their respective railways - indeed, they are the ideal class for heritage railways these days.

    BR 9F 2-10-0 Magnificent engines with a certain rugged gracefulness about them.

    LMS Black Five Did everything asked of them in LMS & BR days and have continued in the same vein in preservation. What's there not to like about a Black Five? I've had some great runs behind them on the main line, really enjoyed 45379 on the Mid Hants and have taken some good photos of them. I guess Ian Riley can take some credit for this class appearing in my list as his engines have been absolute stalwarts of the main line in recent years and always perform so well

    It's hard to stop at just 10 classes. There are many others for which I have a soft spot - A4s (especially 60009). Manors, Castles (especially 5043), Schools, 75xxx 4-6-0s, Tornado, 28xx 2-8-0s, Gladstone, 02s (Calbourne), Midland 4-2-2 etc, etc. I guess we're very privileged to have such variety in this country.
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2019
    jnc, 240P15 and Jamessquared like this.
  14. robpalmer

    robpalmer New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2008
    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    28
    This is of course an impossible question but here is my eclectic list in no particular order which I would no doubt change tomorrow.
    1. GWR Dean single
    2. Festiniog Railway double Fairlie Livingston Thompson c.1905
    3. Penrhyn Railway Charles
    4. FR England engine c. 1905
    5. USA DSP&P Mason bogie
    6. GWR Saint
    7. GWR Castle
    8. DeWinton vertical boiler quarry loco (2’ gauge version)
    9. LB&SC D1
    10. Unrebuilt Bulleid pacific
    Rob
     
  15. Steve B

    Steve B Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2008
    Messages:
    2,069
    Likes Received:
    1,502
    Location:
    Shropshire
    OK, my choices today. I would have found it easier to give 20, and my choices listed below don't have any particular rationale - I just like them. Frankly I would happily add so many more NG locos, anything in SECR or Metropolitan livery, and much more besides!

    Narrow Gauge
    • Quarry Hunslets, for their sheer dominance, staying power and versatility
    • The WLLR Earl and Countess - great, competent and good looking
    • FR Earl of Meirionydd (AKA The Square), as an early new build and for being just that bit different
    Suburban
    • The Metropolitan 4-4-0Ts (and their District counterparts). The NLR 4-4-0Ts coming a close second
    • GER/LNER J69
    Small
    • SECR P class (narrowly beating the Terriers on grounds of beauty)
    • GWR 1366 class
    Medium
    • Dean Goods
    • LNWR Coal Tank
    Large
    • WC/BoB rebuild - please don't ask me why!
    As a couple of bonus choices - Captain Baxter for an early industrial, and the FRs "Penrhyn Ladies" for doing what they were never designed to do, doing it brilliantly, and looking good as well!

    Steve B
     
  16. Osmium

    Osmium New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2018
    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    20
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Michigan
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    This is a bit of a resurrection post but I feel I may as well.

    In no particular order:
    1. South African Railways Class 25 - Love their formidable appearance and pure size for the 3' 6" gauge. Their condensing apparatus with tenders longer than the loco themselves made them quite interesting engines, with their overall sound more closely resembling a jet engine than a normal steam loco. They were extremely charismatic and were urgently needed for waterless runs in the Karoo and they did the job good and well despite a considerable number of teething problems and rearrangements at the beginning.

    2. New York Central L-1 and L-2 'Mohawks' - It is cheating to an extent to include both sets of locos, but I couldn't choose between the two (and the K-11 could be an honorary loco in this spot as well). Living in the shadows of the 'pacifics' and 'hudsons' were the hundreds of fast goods 4-8-2s which did their work without fuss. They were gritty and graceful all at once, ranging from the minimalist smooth-lined new L1s, to the brutish rebuilt L1s with their feedwater plumbing systems on display, to the massive and sleek later L2s. My favourites of the NYC fleet by far.

    3. Gresley GNR H4/LNER K3 - I've always found these 'little' (for international standards at least) Moguls very endearing, with their large squat boilers and lanky drivers, managing to look large and tiny all at once. They definitely weren't perfect with some steaming and riding issues, but they were by and large great mixed-traffic engines pulling relatively heavy trains and speed all over the LNER network.

    4. Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway 5001/5011 class - These absolutely massive 2-10-4s with their 104" diameter boilers and 74" driving wheels pulled some of the heaviest western trains and did it with great style. They were also incredibly modern which meant they were excellent steamers and performers compared to other 2-10-4 types, with PRR men apparently incredibly impressed with them in nearly all aspects. There were little other engines which had a tractive effort of 90,000+ lbs and still pull troop trains at 70 mph (the only others really were some of the later articulateds). Incredibly good looking too.

    5. Great Western Railway 4700 Class - I find these eight-coupled engines quite interesting. Unlike other British 2-8-0s these were large-wheeled and geared at speedy freights, particularly the night freights and then weekend passengers. Very nice looking with their large wheels and boilers, certainly a unique look among all British engines. Overlooked and underappreciated engines in general.

    6. South African Railways Class 15F - In my humble opinion, the best-looking steam locomotives of all time. Extremely reliable and durable, they ran over every South African system and pulled just about every sort of train there was to pull. Despite running on the 3' 6" gauge, they pulled loads comparable to continental European engines and could be quite speedy as well. They granted an imposing appearance wherever they went and there is little a better sight than one of these locos running at full speed through the bush.

    7. Great Northern Railroad (U.S.) O-8 - Absolutely brutish looking engines, with their dirty appearance, compressors displayed across the smokebox and enormous boiler with sloped belpaire making them look even larger. What is even more impressive about them is that they are only 2-8-2s that was upsized to formidable proportions and had a tractive effort of 78,000 lbs which had to have made them among the most powerful eight-coupled locos full stop.

    8. Gresley LNER P1 - This may seem an odd choice out of all the other British locomotives out there, but I've always taken a great liking to the P1, which was the only UK tender 2-8-2 meant for goods, and that makes them special to me. What would have been a loco of moderate proportion elsewhere was a beast by British standards which only found an economical use on the heaviest trains. Unfortunately too large for convenient working within the LNER network, both were scrapped early and forgotten about. Pictures of the P1s pulling seemingly endless wagon trains are very endearing to me.

    9. South African Railways Class GL - The most powerful Beyer-Garratts ever constructed (as well as the best looking in my opinion), these were gritty, massive engines designed to take on some of the most difficult territories anywhere in South Africa, pulling trains over twice as heavy as previous classes in the region and doing it faster as well. In their later years, they pulled 1200 tonne trains up 1 in 50 gradients and did so for several decades without giving trouble. Their power exceeded what was expected of them when built. Great engines all around and a fine example of what the larger Garratts were capable of.

    10. Chemins de fer de l'État 140-101/SNCF 140 C - These plucky little French 2-8-0s were used all over the État network and reliably pulled anything that was asked of them, from goods to expresses (!). They were powerful for their size, pulling 1000 ton trains on level gradients. They were great help during WW1, being sturdy and travelling over the lightest and roughest tracks, and outlived every other French steam loco, with the last commercial French steam-powered train being pulled by a 140 C in late 1975. Guillotines would still be used in France for another two years! Great little engines, extremely nice looking and well proportioned and ready for anything.

    You can probably tell I tend to like goods engines over anything else. This is my first post on this forum as well after some time of lurking. Nice to be here, guys.
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2020
    35B, Big Al and 60017 like this.
  17. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2008
    Messages:
    5,806
    Likes Received:
    2,649
    Occupation:
    Ex a lot of things.
    Location:
    Near where the 3 Ridings meet
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    1 - 45t Ransomes and Rapier Steam Crane.
    2 - 45t Cowans Sheldon Steam Crane.

    Any other Steam Crane by any maker to fill out the 10.
     
    2392, weltrol and ady like this.
  18. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2008
    Messages:
    9,002
    Likes Received:
    7,891
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired from corporate slavery :o)
    Location:
    Fylde Coast
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Welcome to the lion's den forum!
     
    Osmium likes this.
  19. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    May 30, 2009
    Messages:
    21,065
    Likes Received:
    20,775
    Location:
    1016
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    And that @Osmium was well worth the effort in sharing simply because it is clearly a personal choice and that is what it's all about. Thanks for posting.
     
    jnc, 35B, Osmium and 1 other person like this.
  20. Dunfanaghy Road

    Dunfanaghy Road Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2019
    Messages:
    1,252
    Likes Received:
    1,566
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Alton, Hants
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    3 - Taylor & Hubbard 10t. (Saw DS58 break the steam ban at Woking one morning in the latter part of the 70s. Just turned up for work (PW) and it left the Down Yard and drove to the Up Yard (via Up Guildford), about 1/4 mile. Don't know what state the boiler was in by the time it tucked in behind the dummy!)
    4 - Grafton 10t, used to replace timbers on Oyster Lane Bridge at Byfleet one night. It outlasted the T&Hs due to being a CMEE crane.
    Pat
     

Share This Page