Favourite Engines

62763 "The Fitzwilliam"

Any ÖBB 52 with Giesl Ejector, smoke deflectors and a cabin tender.

 

Although this may have changed since her restoration, I have very fond memories of 1501 for her bark.

 

One of my favourites has just returned to steam after a rather a long gap - 34092 City of Wells. Hope to have a trip behind her if she goes onto the main line as I missed out back in the 1980s. I'd rank all the Bulleids, whether unrebuilt and rebuilt, as among my favourites. I've a particular soft spot for the locos I've been behind on the main line (34016/27/46/67, 35005 and 35028). I know that Tangmere and Clan Line have clocked up a fair a few miles on the main line, but I never tire of seeing them - always an exhilarating experience.

Other favourite classes/locos in no particular order: Maunsell moguls, Schools, S15s, Terriers, 30120, 30053, W24, B473, B214 "Gladstone", T3 No 563, Radial Tank 488, C Class 592, City of Truro, Dukedog 9017, 14xx tanks, BR4 tanks (especially 80151). When my interest in trains revived at the age of 11, 75027 was my favourite engine. It was the biggest loco on the Bluebell (our nearest steam line) at the time and to my young eyes, looked very impressive. It remains a loco I really like and I hope to see in steam again one day. I think 75079 will join it on my list of favourites when it returns to steam - almost certainly would have seen it around Basingstoke as a small child.

I could go on and on: 5043 is a fantastic machine. Definitely my favourite GWR Loco. Any "Manor", Black Fives (especially 44932 after a superb main line run behind it and 45379). 92212. 92240, 47493. I've also developed quite a soft spot for 6695 and 7903 in recent years.

Favourite classes not to have survived into preservation: SECR D1 and E1 4-4-0s, LBSCR D1 0-4-2T and K Class 2-6-0
Favourite locos not to survive but classes represented in preservation: 30903 (my school) 34102, 45156, 46200.

 

A4's - no contest.

 

60014 'Silver Link'. The first steam loco of which I have a clear memory. Hauled us between Kings Cross and Hitchin. My love affair with A4s started that day.

 

The first full size engine I remember seeing would have been either 592 or 263, when I was about 5: I just remember what seemed like a huge green engine with a brass dome viewed through the booking hall door at Sheffield Park. Around the same time or just a bit later, the first engine I can definitely remember running and identify was 488, which has remained a favourite ever since.

Of locos I've worked on, P class 178 is a particular favourite; just lovely to be on. The SECR O1 No. 65 was the first loco I got a lot of footplate experience on when I had just joined the railway; there was something magical but archaic when running backwards and looking at the big tender springs above the running plate rising up and down.

Hmmm, a bit of a large number! If I had to pick one current loco to work on, it would be 178. If I had to pick one I would like to work on, it would be 488.

Tom

 

It has been interesting to read through the thread and to see everyone's different favourite classes/locos and the reasons why. However, although as you put it, our favourite choices "make no apparent sense to a typical outsider", I'm not sure I would say that this thread is full of "irrational bias." There are usually good, albeit personal reasons for our choices. For me and, I suspect quite a few others, it's geography, familiarity and our personal history. Early trips to the Bluebell as a child, one grandfather being a driver at Ashford shed, the other living within sight of the LSWR West of England line and the first railway book (Thomas excluded) that I ever owned being R.C. Riley's "Brighton Line Album" would account for most of my choices.

Sometimes, a loco not originally on your "favourite" list can make its mark. A first run behind 5043 will usually put it on anyone's favourite list, but it's not just big express engines that can make an impact. For instance, until 1997, 41708 was not an engine which really registered with me. I don't think I had ever set eyes until one day when I was standing on Town End Bridge near Corfe Castle with my camera and it appeared round the corner in bright sunshine producing a pretty decent exahust. Shortly after, I enjoyed one of the few runs when the Swanage Railway let it take 4 coaches instead of the 3 it was normally limited to. After obliging me so kindly both from the photographic and perfomance point of view, it definitely went up a lot in my estimation. 47493 wouldn't have made my list either until it became the Spa Valley's star loco a few years back - a line just up the road from where I lived at the time.

 

Duke of Gloucester, Flying Scotsman, Bahamas, Lode Star and Channel Packet*(* ie a non BR standardised MN....)... Mostly because of their looks

 

Being a North Eastern man I like NER and most LNER locos although if I had to single out any NER machine it would be the Q6. Lambton tanks No. 5 & 29 also feature on my favourites list, cracking little (by NYMR standards) locos. And despite preferring locos that most seem to overlook in preference for a big green namer I've got a soft spot for 34101 Hartland as she was the first loco I had a cab ride on as a nipper along some of Grosmont platform 2 to the water crane IIRC. Then I worked in a minor way on her overhaul during my work experience from school some 7 or so years ago, doesn't seem that long ago.

 

To be honest, there are so many wonderful engines out there that it is difficult to pick one favourite!

However...on the standard gauge, even after everything that has happened in recent years, it still has to be Flying Scotsman. I still remember, as a child, being wowed by the remarkable list of records and "firsts" she has accumulated over the last 90 years. Even as an adult, I think one has to admit that, while she might not quite be the fastest or most powerful, there is no other steam engine that has had a career quite like hers! Of course, most of the last fifteen years have been a waking nightmare for her, and that saddens me greatly; but I still live in hope that she will return to steam and salvage at least something of her reputation. If preservation can restore 71000 and 6023, surely we can restore 4472...right?

On the narrow gauges, the choice is even more difficult because there is an even greater variety of engines to choose from. But ultimately, I think the honour has to go to an engine many of you won't have heard of: Mad Bess of the Ruislip Lido Railway. I first encountered her as a child back in 1998, only a few months after her completion; I went on the volunteer on the RLR for several years, and have many fond memories of her. She's the little green engine in my avatar, if you're wondering...

 

Absolutely! We are very privileged in this country to have the variety, quality and quantity of engines that we do. I've given quite an extensive list of my "favourites", but there are plenty of other locos not on it which I also like.

Interesting that no one has listed a new build among their favourites.

 

There are the locomotive that you love and then there are the ones that you like so that is why I made a list mentioning many of the classes of type of locomotives.

 

My impression is that in the 50s the Southern had more than its share of ancient relics and for some reason T9s, O1s, D1s, E1s, G6s,B4s were more of a thrill than the more modern locos. There was a particular trip working I used to see on my way home from school-- Feltham to Nine Elms or some such. It would always be an H16 with a few trucks, very often 30520. One day it came creeping along behind this ancient relic, an 0395 on the main line. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Particular locos were memorable for finishing off the classes --so for me 34023 and 34036 and 30803, Sir Harry le Fise Lake, my last Southern namer came in that category.

I remember timing 35009 down that hill from Buckhorn Weston at 90mph on the ACE. That was exciting, as was going on an Ian Allan special from KX to Doncaster behind City of Truro and Compound 1000.

Out in the big bad world north of the Thames, I thought the B17s were a beautifully proportioned engine. I was quite sad to read Mr Hardy's articles in Trains Illustrated and discover they didn't necessarily work as well as they looked.

 

I'm amazed that no one has mention the V2s and Green Arrow in particular - what a machine!

 

Well TVR 28 of course. Also Dolgoch on the TR and perhaps City of Truro.

 

From being a very young volunteer in the late 60s and early 70s at the BB it`s always been Birch Grove, don`t know why, size? shape?colour? loved all the others ,the terriers, the P`s the Dukedog etc and I still think 488 is one of the most elegant locos ever built but when I got to the Park on a saturday prayed 473 would be in steam.
I was party to an escapade with her as Observation Car attendant/Guard, one Saturday evening, on arriving at the Park we encountered a party of 10 or so who had missed the last train to HK where their cars were and a certain Mr May had decided to run a special to get them back, loco crew not HP !. Suffice to say probably the fastest ever recorded return trip, staff only, E4s can fly!!!!!!!
Oh yes and she followed me to the Isle of Wight
Others, King Arthurs, Lord Nelsons, Green Arrow (also very elegant),Brittanias and T9s

 

My favourite new building would have to be Taliesin - recreating a long lost type; and it's pretty too!

 

Pre-preservation - Difficult choice as there are so many! I'll go for the LMS Princess Coronations (in all forms), the LNER de-boostered P1 2-8-2s for their bulk, and the original GNR H4 (later K3) 2-6-0 for its sheer impressive looks.

Preservation - Stanier 8F No. 48431, it's always been a perennial favourite of mine, and on my "home" Railway too!

Richard.