2999: Lady of Legend

Apparently there was:
Born Mar 15 270 Patara (now in Turkey)
Died Dec 6 343 in Myra (also now Turkey)

Though I suspect you may be more interested in GWR 2926 "Saint Nicholas" Built 1907 Wdn 1951

 

Thanks, I wasn't very clear in my question, it was whether a GWR loco of the class carried the name. I do know that there wasn't a St Christopher, which seemed strange as he is the patron saint of travellers. Anyway, I guess 2999 will be up and running at Christmas (2018, 2019, 2020......).

 

It can't be far away, boilers had the out of frames test... I've mentioned this before but it would be nice to see it on the Toplights at Bewdley at some point in the near future.

 

I have always considered that there had perhaps been a little pragmatic thought given to this one, it would surely have dented the faith if it had been involved in a serious collision???
Bob

 

For a lot of preservation projects possibly Saint Jude would have been more appropriate as the patron saint of lost causes?

 

It would have, and St Judes' Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN would've been interested in sponsoring the Saint project.

 

It seems odd to me how few of the 'Saints' were actually named after Saints. Were they actually even known as Saints in GWR days, or just plain old 2900 class?

 

I would have thought anyone who had signed up to the photo charter in BR livery would be the first to know of a date?

 

BR livery photo charter? That's the first I've heard of that. Ah yes, 1 April 2018!

 

Originally supposed t be May 2017. BR black one side only I think.....

 

In Churchward days they seemed to have a different theme for each lot, so Saints came as Ladies, Saints, Courts and early on mainly a Waverley novel theme, and Stars as Stars. Knights, Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses and Abbeys. Churchward era 4-4-0s were Flowers, Birds, Counties and Cities. The Counties were the only Churchward era class to have the same theme over several lots..

Holcroft talks about Saints in his books written in the 50s, but they were of course for enthusiasts.

 

Give me a couple of hours and I will ask my old man what they called them at Swindon in the 1950's, he always says that when asked the drivers would say a saint was their favourite locomotive, but again that might just be him paraphrasing for my benefit.

 

generally called 29s I thought

 

The Stars also had an equally mixed selection of names. Were they ever called anything apart from Stars?

 

It seems to have gone quiet since the original announcement.

 

It is weird that the 3rd batch were named after saints, and the fiirst batch were named after characters in the Walter Scott novels.

 

Well after having announced it'll be ready by x date at least more than once and it not happening, wouldn't you keep quiet and do what a certain TOC does and just play the old 'it'll be ready when it's ready card?' Until I've seen a photo or video of 2999 in one peice and with something coming out it's chimney that's when I'd say it's finished.

 

About 40 years so far

 

small 40s

 

There's a tendency I've noticed in some GWR documents to refer to classes by the most recently built number series, not the first, so 66s not 56s. In the case of the 57s that leads to quite a variety of numbers used as reference.