Here are a selection of 8-coupled freight locomotives. Starting with a Gresley LNER design, a class O2 2-8-0 with a southbound freight entering Grantham station on the east coast main line, about to start the gruelling climb to Stoke summit. A Stanier LMS 2-8-0 passes Sandiacre station just before entering the reception sidings of Toton hump yard.
In the north east were many 0-8-0 locomotives. This Q6 is standing at West Hartlepool shed in 1965, near the end of steam. A class O4/8 rebuild by Thompson of the celebrated Robinson GCR 2-8-0 on the turntable at Langwith Junction depot in 1965.
A WD 2-8-0 built during WW2 for the War Department, many of these served overseas during the war. Not all were repatriated, and some served for many years on foreign railways. This one is at Stavely GC depot in 1965. This is the GWR version of heavy freight locomotive, sadly this 2-8-0 is in Barry scrapyard, awaiting purchase by a preservation group, or the cutter's torch. Another WD, this time showing the grubby, smoky atmosphere encountered at many depots in the days of steam. Lovely! I can smell it now
Thanks for posting those, Alan. Those designs are pretty utilitarian, aren't they? Every necessary feature of the locomotive is readily identifiable, firebox, steam dome, etc. Where was the sand stored on these locos?
Thanks for the postings, Alan. When I grew up I remember seeing pictures of British steamers and thinking they look, well, utilitarian is a good word. (The streamliners like the Mallard excluded, of course.) Maybe it is because the boilers appear to be mounted higher compared to U.S. and other steamers. But it sure looks like they sang for their supper!! South Afirca had some very handsome steam locomotives, most notably the Class 25C Condensers. These had to traverse a very arid region with the express passenger trains, and rather than stop for (hard to get) water, they had condensing tenders that condensed the exhaust steam and recycled it - an 85% saving in water usage, compared to the sister 25NC (Non-Condensing) class. Sad to think they also went the way of the scrappers torch. Nice to remember, though! Thanks again... William
Fitz, the sandboxes on our steam were between the frames. I have shown the filler on one of the pics, the plate behind the filler lid was to prevent spilled sand getting into the works!
William, I have a real liking for South African steam, and were it not for the difficult scale/ gauge I would have built models of them several years ago. I had accumulated quite a lot of information, but never actually got around to making any I am not too keen on the 25's but really like the 15F, also the 19D with the huge Vanderbildt type tender, also the 24. And of course the Garratts! Many SAR locomotives were made in the UK of course.
Alan, Yes I agree about the 15F. Here is the web site of someone making brass models in HO gauge, including a very impressive GMAM Garratt and a decent looking 24. http://www.precisionminiatures.co.za/ However, the most interesting feature is the fact that he, and apparently most modelers, make the models to run either regular gauge or narrow gauge. I have never seen these models in real life, so I presume they simply change the wheel track. But that of course means nothing stops you now from doing a GMAM in N Scale William
Thanks for the link William. Several of the models are made here by DJH, but I never got around to having a close look at them as I have always been busy with other things. But I really regret not making some SAR locomotives, I even had a track plan ready for a South African exhibition layout once!
