Your top ten steam classes

Agree with you one that one, possible idea to a new thread

 

Tough question - Swindon turned out more than ten designs ...

Tom

 

Ha yes they did Tom but I didn't think Southern drivers could tell them apart anyway.

 

Well, PKP Class TY2 (German WW2 built Kriegsloks) when I got to drive one it was a lovely machine BUT it gave me the creeps

 

Which Jubilee? Mr. Adams or Sir William S?
Pat

 

Good question Pat.
I think William Stanier created a masterpiece with his Jubilee class, proportions pleasing to the eye imo. I'm sure Princess & Duchess pacific were/are very fine machines which I would happily see and travel behind but I don't find them as quite as well proportioned as the Jubilee.

 

I agree about the LMS Jubilees. Very fine looking beasts. I had 2 bits of good fortune in (I believe) 1973: first a cab ride in 5593 at Tyseley (I came in on the 'Great Western Returns' railtour), and later a sight of 5690 stripped in Derby Locomotive Works (always known as 'The Midland' even then).
Pat

 

Maunsell N
Maunsell Schools
Peppercorn K1
Churchward 2900
Stanier Rebuilt Scot
Wilson Worsdell T/T1
Jenny Lind
L&LSR 4-8-0
T&D 2-6-2T
Hunslet WAROFF 4-6-0T

 

Not really in any order.

Hunslet small quarry or 'Alice' class
A4
Austerity saddletank
Fairburn Tank
V2
Collett Castle class
Pickersgill 944 class
Black 5
Either flavour of WC/BoB
Gresley P1

 

A non-railway friend dangerously asked me what my favourite top ten engines/trains are and I found after some time I couldn't answer. I joking said its easier to do my top ten worse and found I could come up with a list within an hour...

 

In no particular order
* BR 4MT 2-6-4T
* GWR Dukedog
* GWR Manor
* GWR Small Prairie
* LMS Rebuilt Royal Scot
* LNER D49
* LNER K4
* NBR C class (J36)
* SAR NGG16
* Talyllyn Railway "Dolgoch"

Mixed bag here, with beauties and beasts! The NGG16s are mighty impressive things for their gauge and Dolgoch is a wonderful character on the other end of the size spectrum. The GWR engines make a spectacular noise, Gresley's engines are much softer. All of my picks are handsome in their own ways, from the classical lines of the Dukedogs to the brutality of the Garratts. At least, that's what I think!

 

Been a while since I last participated in one of these, so here's my non-scientific, personal choice as at 24 December 2019. Most are based on my mainline experience over the past 11 years or so, but there's a couple of others thrown in the mix:

1. Bulleid original WC/BB, simply because they always have the ability to surprise and punch above their weight. Like it or loathe it, the mainline scene has not been the same since 34067 bowed out.

2. Bulleid/Jarvis MN. Whilst I do prefer air- smoothed casing, the different batches of original MNs didn't do much to create a standard aesthetic (horizontal ribs spring to mind). However, the rebuilt version created a fleet of rather handsome and puposeful locomotives, with both 35018 and 35028 showing that they have lost none of their ability to pull things out of the bag. The latter taking the heaviest load in the quickest time over the Devon Banks is possibly in my top three runs, whilst 35018 simply dismisses Shap as a non-event.

3. 'Royal Scot' class. Well. Having managed just over 1,000 miles on 46115's last ticket, all I can say is 'beast'. It just digs in on any gradient (so far), and sounds great whilst doing so. Pleased to have had it over Upwey, Grayrigg, Shap, Beattock, Druimuachdar, Slochd and... the Conwy Valley line! I've only had one run with 46100, but get the feeling it needs a consistent programme of runs for comparison.

4. Class A4. Purely based on 60009's ability to consistently deliver fine runs. Whilst it has sadly experienced problems in recent times, it is only to be expected of a well-travelled locomotive nearing the end of an intensive period of operation. June 2013 between Tweedbank and Tyne Yard is 'up there'.

5. Class A1. Despite the setback last year, it just manages to make everything look easy. Also seems to be very gauge-friendly judging by where it turns up. Just a shame the Harrogate Loop is still out of bounds.

6. Class 7MT. The class makes a nice noise in most situations, and seem quite fleet of foot. Having had mileage with both 70000 and 70013, the former seems to be a bit more 'clunky'. However, despite the setback on Bearsted Bank in October, had the run been on a similar gradient in non-leaf fall conditions, I don't think there would have been as much of a problem.

7. Class 6MT. A bit of speculation, here, as we don't yet have one in operation, but I always liked the lean look the boiler gave this class. I am sure that given the right circumstances, they can be real 'pocket battleships'.

8. 'Princess Coronation' class. Overall, '233 quietly gets on with the task these days. However, when asked, it makes headlines; Shap in October 2009 and the Devon Banks this year spring to mind.

9. 0415 class. An aesthetically pleasing tank locomotive that wears its Victorian heritage on its sleeve.

10. 2884 class. Not really a Western fan, but I always like things capable of keeping the country moving, and the GWR 2-8-0s certainly fall into that category. Why a 2884 over a 28xx or 8F? Just happened to be first among broadly equals. Also makes noise and digs in.

 

Ditto

 

Actually, I'd have gone with "since 34092 bowed out" ...... but I get your drift!

 

Yes but they were all the same really.

 

GWR 45xx Small Prairie
GWR 8750 Pannier
GWR Castle
GWR Hall
GWR Grange
LSWR T9
SR West Country/Battle of Britain unrebuilt
SR N Class Mogul
LMS Jinty
LNER A3

 

Only after Sir Daniel's time .... you know, back when all their locos had proper names instead of all that nonsense with logical numbering sequences!



Caeser class 0-6-0 (1852). As near as BG locos got to pretty much anything running anywhere else after about 1850!
[Image courtesy of Wikiwand]

 

Choices are difficult. Limiting myself to locos that worked in Great Britain, here's my list. Sequence not significant except for the first one.

(1) GC Atlantic (LNER C4).
(2) GW Manor 4-6-0.
(3) Highland Clan 4-6-0.
(4) GE Claud Hamilton 4-4-0.
(5) LC&D M3 4-4-0.
(6) LNER V4 2-6-2.
(7) Southern N/U 2-6-0.
(8) LMS 8F 2-8-0.
(9) L&Y 2-4-2T.
(9½) GW 14XX 0-4-2T.
(10) W&L 0-6-0T.

I figured that, since my top pick is only a 70-tonner, I still had 20 tons credit for a bonus pick!

Merry Xmas to all.

 

A great list bluetrain! Merry Christmas to you!

Knut

 

Is that a new ruling? “My favourite 1000 tons of locomotives?” You can only choose six or seven if your tastes run to Gresley and Peppercorn Pacifics; you can have about a dozen Edwardian 4-4-0s, but just about the entire stock of locomotives produced prior to 1825 ...

Tom