favourate loco

What would you say is your favourate loco, or class and why it doesnt have to be preserved or even a british design ,

To kick it off heres mine and why


Mines the LSWR 02 tank, because it reminds me of my childhood , being the first time i saw a steam loco was at Ryde pierhead station, i must have been about 6 or 7 at the time , we had travelled from Woking on the train , a 4 cor i think and i can remember getting off the boat and staring in awe at this steam loco i was then dragged away becauce we had to get the train to shanklin to where we were staying

the next time we went, the electric tube stock had taken over and steam was then a memory but i did manage to get away and go to newport and see Calbourne

 

Mine's 4253, but only because I own a tiny bit of it!

 

I love any steam loco, but I have a soft spot for River Esk on the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway as it featured prominently in my most treasured possession when I was younger - The GWP video "How To Drive a Steam Locomotive" which I used to watch over and over again! Peter Van Zeller who narrated the video also gave me a couple of cab rides up and down the line. I also especially like Odney Manor and Rood Ashton Hall, again as I remember watching them when I was very small.

 

Favourite loco has to be 34081 for obvious reasons. Favourite class would be anything with three cylinders and designed by Herbert Nigel Gresley.

 

Bulleids; surrounded by them on Boat Trains every day as a kid in Folkestone, not to mention service trains. Schools run a close second.

 

Difficult one.

Strugging to pick a particular one from 53 for being an absolute delight to work on, 6695 because of involvement with it and the fact I've had some pretty special (and noisy!) days on the footplate, along with Wadebridge for having been involved in the restoration and developed a pretty intimate relationship with its sump!

 

Despite being in deep Southern Territory most designs by Sir Nigel Gresley I like such as A1/A3's, A4's, P2's (like 2001 as built), V2's etc are all beautiful and fast machines.

But any British loco is a favourite of mine. Though 92240 has a special place in my heart because it was the first loco I had a cabride on around the run round loop at Kingscote as my Grandad was a friend of a Bluebell driver. I think it was follwed by another but on 73082.

 

Well apart from the one they didn't get round to building because no one since Gresley quite had the balls to build a big XP/MT as anything other than a pacific its ..Duke of Gloucester... (yes i know, its a pacific, and hey other steam locos break down too, even ones built at Swindon...) I like the way it looks, the way it sounds and its potential. Because its not 'a class' we dont even know if its 'a good'un' or not.

 

Bulleids overall, but particularly 34053 as I have a small financial stake in it's restoration. However, this may change to 34072 when I can raise the funds to contribute a bit towards its overhaul.

 

Mine Has To Be The Ffestiniogs Single Farlie Taliesin (Hence The Name) because I Drove it last year.

 

:cheer2:Thomas the tank engine
regards(hum!!)
noel

 

This one.........



But do like 6233, 70013 and 71000 a lot as well.

 

5337, cos of my small, but personally significant, involvement with that loco

 

Any A3 with kylchap, smokebox wings and GN tender.

 

So i have to ask if you have a secret love or hate for Thomas, as you also said he was one of the worst in the other thread...!

For me it's got to be the Merchant Navy Pacific in rebuilt form. 35005 'Canadian Pacific' being my ultimate favourite. (previously it was 35027 'Port Line'). My second favourite has to be 34016 'Bodmin'

 

I think it's a bit invidious to have to make a choice, they're all magical in there own way, but if I had to get off the fence it would have to be any A4 in full flight, chime whistle howling :first:

 

42968. A real eye-opener, lovely lines, well managed group and pulls anything anyone's so far thrown at it!

However 82045 may well trump when it comes, as I'll have donated a fair amount to it's construction by then.

 

Well it has to be the GWR Castle Class. Beautifully proportioned, elegant, and a true speed machine when coaxed.



It could also be argued that without these magnificent machines we wouldn't have seen the likes of the Duchesses, Princess Royals and possibly the record-breaking A4s (would they have existed without Gresley's modifications to his pacifics after the exchange trials in the 1920s???)... Maybe even the Bulleid Pacifics (after Bulleid's time at the LNER) and possibly 71000 as well!

 

You're too kind, Jamie! But I have to agree with the first sentence if not the second, even though I am also a member of the 82045 group!