Photo and History of GWR City Class 3440 4-4-0 UK Steam Locomotive

Great Western Railway City Class Steam Loco

Great Western Railway 3440 'City of Truro' Steam Locomotive

Photo of the Great Western Railway's 3700 'City' Class UK steam locomotive, designed by William Dean for use as express passenger motive power on the GWR, came into being following George Jackson Churchward's rebuilding in September 1902, of Atbara Class 4-4-0 No. 3405 Mauritius, by replacing the original boiler with his new Standard No.4 design.

Following successful trials with 3405 (3705) Mauritius, 10 new steam locomotives were ordered and built at the GWR Swindon Works in 1903, bearing the numbers 3433-3442.

As a point of interest it cost £1,957 to construct No. 3440 (later renumbered 3717) 'City of Truro'.

The new batch of locomotives was added to by the rebuilding of another nine Atbaras between 1907 and 1909. Between 1910 and 1912, all 20 engines in the class received superheaters.

Regular passenger services between Paddington and Bristol, and on the non-stop Paddington to Plymouth 'Cornish Riviera Express', were hauled by 'Cities' as their first employment on the Great Western Railway network.

In 1905, London to Birmingham passenger trains which were at the time still routed through Oxford, began to be hauled by a 'City' locomotive until a few years later when they were gradually replaced by 4-6-0s and Atlantics.

Following on from this, the 'City' class locos then saw service between Birmingham and Bristol.

After 24 years of service the writing was on the wall for the 55 ton, double-framed, 'City' class locomotives and withdrawal was on the horizon.

No. 3441 (3718) 'City of Winchester' was condemned in October 1927, swiftly followed by the others until only 2 of the original 20 remained – 3435 (3712)'City of Bristol' and 3440 (3717) 'City of Truro'.

'City of Bristol' was scrapped in May 1931. However, through the efforts of various parties, 'City of Truro' was saved and, when not on display at York railway museum, can still be seen today at various locations heading up 'specials' around the UK.

During a working life of 28 years, 'City of Truro', which incidentally was the 2,000^th steam locomotive to be constructed at Swindon, had clocked up an impressive 1,000,483 miles of hauling.

List of 'City' locomotive numbers and names. Numbers in brackets are those renumbered in 1912.

3400 (3700) Durban

3401 (3701) Gibraltar

3402 (3702) Halifax

3403 (3703) Hobart

3404 (3704) Lyttelton

3405 (3705) Mauritius

3406 (3706) Melbourne

3407 (3707) Malta

3408 (3708) Ophir  &  Killarny

3409 (3709) Quebec

3433 (3710) City of Bath

3434 (3711) City of Birmingham

3435 (3712) City of Bristol

3436 (3713) City of Chester

3437 (3714) City of Gloucester

3438 (3715) City of Hereford

3439 (3716) City of London

3440 (3717) City of Truro

3441 (3718) City of Winchester

3442 (3719) City of Worcester   &  City of Exeter

 

 

More steam locomotive 'Photos and History' pages.

 

Photos and History of Q1 Class 0-6-0  UK Steam Locomotive

Photos and History of King Arthur Class 4-6-0 UK Steam Locomotive

'City of Truro' GWR steam locomotive on YouTube:

Locos in Profile: 'City of Truro'.

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Photo Class 57316 Virgin Trains Thunderbird Fab 1 UK Diesel Loco Rugby

Class 57316 Diesel 'Thunderbird' Fab1 Locomotive

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Photographed in a bay platform at Rugby station, Virgin Trains UK Thunderbird diesel locomotive Class 57316 'Fab 1' was built in March 1966 as a basic Class 47 at either Brush Traction, Loughborough, or BR Crewe Works; one of a total of 512 produced.

The loco did not become a named engine until the 20th December 2004, whereupon it bore the name 'Fab 1 - Thunderbirds' as in the photo above.
It lost its name five years later in January 2009.

57316 is a re-engineered diesel loco rebuilt by Brush Traction, Loughborough, using parts from redundant Class 47 locos.
The Class 57s were fitted with a refurbished EMD engine and a re-conditioned alternator which greatly improved performance and reliability.

Before conversion to a Class 57,this former Class 47 was numbered, 47290.

After fifty-six years on the rails, diesel locomotive Class 57316 continues in service operated by West Coast Railways bearing the company's maroon livery.

'Fab 1' Class 57316 Loco Nameplate
Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

Class 57316 on YouTube:
Class 57316 shunts to connect to 390093 Pendolino.
Class 57316 departs Crewe pulling a Pendolino.
Class 57316 at Lawrence Hill.

Class 57316 couples to 390052 Pendolino.

Class 57316 pulls DVT 82126 and coaches at Crewe.

512 Class 47s were built, of which 30 have passed into preservation and can be found (at time of blog-page publication) at the following locations, though this may be subject to change for various reasons.

D1524  47004 - Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway.

D1693  47105 - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

D1705  47117 'Sparrowhawk' - Great Central Railway.

D1842  47192 - Crewe Heritage Centre.

D1855  47205/47395 - Northampton & Lamport Railway.

D1994  47292 - Great Central Railway Nottingham.

D1787  47306 'The Sapper' - Bodmin & Wenford Railway.

D1886  47367 - Mid Norfolk Railway.

D1895  47376 'Freightliner 1995' - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

D1500  47401 'North Eastern' - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1501  47402 - East Lancashire Railway.

D1516  47417 - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1566  47449 - Llangollen Railway.

D1662  47484 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel' - (Private Location).

D1107  47524 - Dean Forest Railway.

D1778  47183/47579/47793 'James Nightall G.C. - Mid Hants Railway.

D1762  47167/47580/47732 'County of Essex - Carnforth.

D1933  47233/47596 'Aldeburgh Festival' - Mid Norfolk Railway.

D1606  47029/47635 'Jimmy Milne' - Epping Ongar Railway.

D1970  47269/47643 - Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway.

D1948  47505/47712 'Lady Diana Spencer' - Crewe Heritage Centre.

D1619  47038/47564/47761 - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1643  47765/47059/47631 - East Lancashire Railway.

D1946  47503/47771 - Eastleigh Works.

D1755  47541/47773 - (Location Not Known).

D1909  47232/47785/47820 - Wensleydale Railway.

D1656  47072/47609/47834/47798 'Prince William' - York Railway Museum.

D1654  47070/47620/47799/47835 'Prince Henry' - Eden Valley Railway.

D1966  47266/47629/47828 - Carnforth.

D1661  47077/47613/47840 'North Star' - West Somerset Railway.

More Class 47 and 57 images on 'Along These Tracks'.

Class 47100 'Merlin'

Class 57305 'John Tracy'

Class 57308 'Tin Tin'

Class 47822

Class 47701

Class 47790 'Galway Princess'

Class 57307 'Lady Penelope'

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Photo British Railways Class 117 DMU W51405 Ropley Mid Hants Railway

BR Class 117 W51405 DMU on Mid-Hants Railway

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Early generation diesel multiple unit, Class 117 51405, is photographed above in immaculate original British Railways green livery, standing in Ropley station on the Mid-Hants heritage railway in Hampshire, UK.

Class 117 51405 dmu UK passenger train was built between 1959 and 1961 by Pressed Steel through associate company Budd Corporation in their engineering factory at Linwood, Scotland.

When introduced into service on the British railway network, dmu units such as 51405 worked on the Western Region operating suburban services out of London Paddington.

When replaced by more modern units, the class 117s worked for a number of years alongside diesel multiple unit classes 115, 116, 118, and 121 on the Birmingham Cross-City Line until complete withdrawal by 1995.

Class 117 51405 dmu is now in full restoration and owned by Cotswold Diesel Railcar Ltd.

 

 

Class 117 51405 DMU at Toddington in 2016.  

Photo: wheelsnwings2007/Mike (flickr)

 

 

Class 117 diesel multiple unit on YouTube:

Class 117 DMU departing Toddington.

Class 117 DMU on Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

Class 117 DMU enters Sleaford.

Class 117 DMU leaves Ramsbottom.

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Photo Virgin Trains Thunderbirds UK Diesel Loco Class 57305 Rugby Station

Class 57305 'Thunderbird' Diesel Locomotive 'John Tracy', Rugby Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Looking smart in its Virgin Trains livery, UK Thunderbirds diesel locomotive, Class 57305 'John Tracy', built in 1964 poses for a photo in a bay platform (now filled in) at Rugby station.

Before being converted to a Class 57, the locomotive was in service as 47822.

In 2002 it was carrying the name 'Pride of Shrewsbury'.  The loco has carried four names in its career; 'Alan Tracy - Thunderbirds, John Tracy - Thunderbirds, 'Pride of Shrewsbury', and 'Northern Princess'.

At some point in the 1990s the loco carried no name at all,

Diesel loco UK Class 57305 can be seen elsewhere on the 'Along These Tracks' photo blog standing in Basingstoke station in Swallow livery by clicking here.

Class 57 Locomotives on YouTube:

Watford Junction Class 57 Thunderbird Action.

Class 57 Pendolino Drags at Bletchley.

512 Class 47s were built, of which 30 have passed into preservation and can be found (at time of blog-page publication) at the following locations, though this may be subject to change for various reasons.

D1524  47004 - Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway.

D1693  47105 - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

D1705  47117 'Sparrowhawk' - Great Central Railway.

D1842  47192 - Crewe Heritage Centre.

D1855  47205/47395 - Northampton & Lamport Railway.

D1994  47292 - Great Central Railway Nottingham.

D1787  47306 'The Sapper' - Bodmin & Wenford Railway.

D1886  47367 - Mid Norfolk Railway.

D1895  47376 'Freightliner 1995' - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

D1500  47401 'North Eastern' - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1501  47402 - East Lancashire Railway.

D1516  47417 - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1566  47449 - Llangollen Railway.

D1662  47484 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel' - (Private Location).

D1107  47524 - Dean Forest Railway.

D1778  47183/47579/47793 'James Nightall G.C. - Mid Hants Railway.

D1762  47167/47580/47732 'County of Essex - Carnforth.

D1933  47233/47596 'Aldeburgh Festival' - Mid Norfolk Railway.

D1606  47029/47635 'Jimmy Milne' - Epping Ongar Railway.

D1970  47269/47643 - Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway.

D1948  47505/47712 'Lady Diana Spencer' - Crewe Heritage Centre.

D1619  47038/47564/47761 - Midland Railway Butterley.

D1643  47765/47059/47631 - East Lancashire Railway.

D1946  47503/47771 - Eastleigh Works.

D1755  47541/47773 - (Location Not Known).

D1909  47232/47785/47820 - Wensleydale Railway.

D1656  47072/47609/47834/47798 'Prince William' - York Railway Museum.

D1654  47070/47620/47799/47835 'Prince Henry' - Eden Valley Railway.

D1966  47266/47629/47828 - Carnforth.

D1661  47077/47613/47840 'North Star' - West Somerset Railway.

More Class 47 and 57 images on 'Along These Tracks'.

Class 47100 'Merlin'

Class 57316 'Fab 1'

Class 57308 'Tin Tin'

Class 47822

Class 47701

Class 47790 'Galway Princess'

Class 57307 'Lady Penelope'

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Photo Virgin Trains Super Voyager Class 221142 DMU Train Rugby 2012

221142 'Super Voyager' DEMU, Rugby Station

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Class 221142 Virgin Voyager diesel electric multiple unit, photographed on a wet, stormy evening, as can be seen by the threatening clouds above the train, stands in Rugby railway station on the 2nd September 2012 whilst en route with a scheduled service to Wolverhampton.

This tilting 5-car diesel electric multiple unit UK passenger train, known as a Super Voyager, was built between 2001 and 2002 by Bombardier Transportation.

Since Virgin Trains lost it franchise in December 2019, this and other West Coast Main Line Class 221 Voyager units are operated by Avanti West Coast.

As I typed the words, Rugby station, I was reminded of its connection with the world-famous author, Charles Dickens and of his fictional, Mugby Junction, (the name inspired by Rugby station).

Finding himself at the Warwickshire station during a reading tour in 1866, Charles Dickens and a companion entered its refreshment room.  While Dickens' companion searched in his pockets for the correct change with which to pay for the coffee the pair had ordered, the novelist reached out to take hold of the milk and sugar.  

However, before he could lay his hands on the items, they were whisked out of reach by the counter assistant who said, "You sha'nt have any milk and sugar, 'till you two fellows have paid for your coffee".

No celebrity worship there then!

Apparently the counter assistant had not recognised the esteemed writer.

The incident made it into one of the 'Mugby Junction' stories.

Class 221 Voyager DMU on YouTube:

Virgin Voyager Class 221 at Milton Keynes.

Class 221101 Voyager DMU 'Ghost of Virgin Past'.

Double Virgin Trains Class 221 Super Voyager at Crewe.

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Night Photo Class 165035 Chiltern Railways Network Turbo DMU Train Banbury 2017

Class 165035 Diesel Multiple Unit, Banbury Station at Night

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Black and white night photo of Chiltern Railways diesel multiple unit Class 165035 passenger train at Banbury railway station UK.

This Class 165 three-car dmu unit, one of a class originally known as Network Turbos, was photographed late at night with a long exposure time in 2017, had recently completed a scheduled commuter train service from London Marylebone and would probably have been stabled at the station for the night.

Class 165 DMUs on YouTube:

Chiltern Railways Class 165 DMU departs Aylesbury.

Chiltern Railways Class 165s at speed compilation.

Chiltern Railways Class 165 DMU 'Ghost Train'.

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Photo Class 92038 Eurotunnel UK Diesel Loco 'Voltaire' at Rugby 2012

Class 92038 Eurotunnel Diesel Locomotive 'Voltaire'

Photo:  Charles Moorhen

Class 92038 UK diesel locomotive named after 'Voltaire', the French writer, historian and philosopher, poses for a photo in European Passenger Services two-tone grey livery, parked up in a bay platform at Rugby station in April 2012.

The class 92 diesel locomotives were built between 1993 and 1995 by Brush Traction at Loughborough.  92038 was completed in October 1995.

It is fitted with TVM430 signalling equipment enabling it to operate on High Speed 1.

The Class 92 locos were designed specifically to operate services through the Channel Tunnel between France and Britain, and have dual-voltage in order to run from overhead power cables (25 kV AC) or the third rail (750 V DC).

The fleet numbers of 92s ran from 92001 to 92046 with the majority being named after famous writers or composers/musicians, such as 92022 Charles Dickens, 92002 H.G. Wells and 92043 Debussy. 
At the time of this update, (2020), 13 of the class have been exported for use abroad - and 92038 'Voltaire' has lost its name.

Class 92 Locomotives on YouTube:

Class 92 Locomotive Compilation (Stills & Action).

 

The Best of Class 92.

Class 92 on the Mainline.

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