GWR 3001 Class
Encyclopedia
The 3001 Class as constructed by William Dean at the Swindon Works of the Great Western Railway
in 1891-2 was the culmination of the tradition of GWR 2-2-2 locomotives that had begun with Gooch
's North Star over 50 years earlier. The 3001s, which had 7'9" driving wheels, were built in two batches:
Despite the fact that the broad gauge
was in its very final months, new broad gauge engines were still needed to maintain services, and eight of these new engines, Nos. 3021-3028, were built (as "convertibles") with the wheels outside the frames, to run on the broad gauge. They were duly converted back to "narrow" (standard) gauge in summer 1892.
These engines were too heavy at the front end, and after a derailment in 1893 it was decided give them front bogies. Thus transformed, in 1894 the class joined the 3031 Class
, one of the most elegant of the entire late Victorian era.
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
in 1891-2 was the culmination of the tradition of GWR 2-2-2 locomotives that had begun with Gooch
Daniel Gooch
Sir Daniel Gooch, 1st Baronet was an English railway and transatlantic cable engineer and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1865 to 1885...
's North Star over 50 years earlier. The 3001s, which had 7'9" driving wheels, were built in two batches:
- 3001-3020 (Lot 84, 1892)
- 3021-3030 (Lot 86, 1891-2)
Despite the fact that the broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
was in its very final months, new broad gauge engines were still needed to maintain services, and eight of these new engines, Nos. 3021-3028, were built (as "convertibles") with the wheels outside the frames, to run on the broad gauge. They were duly converted back to "narrow" (standard) gauge in summer 1892.
These engines were too heavy at the front end, and after a derailment in 1893 it was decided give them front bogies. Thus transformed, in 1894 the class joined the 3031 Class
GWR 3031 Class
The Dean Single, 3031 Class, or Achilles Class was a type of steam locomotive built by the Great Western Railway between 1891 and 1899. They were designed by William Dean for passenger work...
, one of the most elegant of the entire late Victorian era.
Source
- F.J. Tabor (1956), Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part four: Six-wheeled Tender Engines, RCTS