GWR Iron Duke Class

Iron Duke class engines awaiting scrapping

The Great Western Railway Iron Duke Class 4-2-2 was a class of 7 ft ¹⁄₄ in (2,140 mm) broad gauge steam locomotives for express passenger train work.

History

The prototype locomotive, Great Western, was built as a 2-2-2 locomotive in April 1846, but was soon converted to a 4-2-2 arrangement, with the leading wheels set rigidly within the sandwich framing, rather than in a separate bogie.^[1] The remainder of the class entered service between April 1847 and July 1855.

Locomotives of the Iron Duke class were extremely fast and had an estimated top speed of about 80 mph (130 km/h). They were used to haul the Flying Dutchman express train which, for several decades, was the world's fastest train. In 1852 the daily service from London Paddington Station to Exeter (194 miles or 312 km) was achieved with an average speed of 53 mph (85 km/h); with the flatter section between London and Swindon covered at an average speed of 59 mph (95 km/h).^[2]

From about 1865, the Iron Duke Class was known as the Alma Class.

In May to July 1870, three locomotives (Great Britain, Prometheus and Estaffete) were extensively rebuilt with new frames and boilers, but retaining their original names. Following these, further locomotives were built to similar specifications, entering service between August 1871 and July 1888. These new locomotives are generally referred to as the Rover class. Although these locomotives took the names of withdrawn locomotives of the original design, they were not rebuilt from them like the first three, but entirely new locomotives (though it is believed that Rover, Swallow and Balaklava may have included some parts from the earlier locomotives of those names).

Apart from the three conversions, the original locomotives were withdrawn between December 1870 and June 1884. Lord of the Isles (the last to be withdrawn) was initially preserved by the GWR at Swindon Works, but was scrapped in January 1906 owing to the pressure of space. The three conversions were withdrawn between September 1880 and October 1887, while the other locomotives to the later design were all withdrawn with the end of the GWR 7 ft ¹⁄₄ in (2,140 mm) broad gauge in May 1892 (except Hirondelle, which had been withdrawn in December 1890).

Many of the nameplates can be seen at the National Railway Museum and at Swindon Steam Railway Museum, while the driving wheels from Lord of the Isles can also be seen at Swindon.

Locomotives

2-2-2 Great Western

The prototype for this class was named the Great Western and built in 1846. Named after the railway, it was designed to show how the 2-2-2 express engines could be improved; its 8-foot-diameter (2.438 m) driving wheels were 1 foot (305 mm) larger than those of the successful Fire Fly class. It broke its leading axle after a short while in service and was subsequently rebuilt as a 4-2-2, becoming part of the Iron Duke class.

Iron Duke class

Name	Built	Withdrawn	Details and information
Great Western	1846	1870	rebuilt from the 2-2-2 The first, prototype, locomotive, with 18 ft 11 1⁄2 in (5.779 m) wheelbase. Name of the Great Western Railway company and Brunel's first steam ship, SS Great Western of 1838.
Great Britain	1847	1880	Second production locomotive, one of the first batch built, 18'6" wheelbase. Name of the country, Great Britain, and Brunel's SS Great Britain steamship of 1843.
Iron Duke replica, at Bristol.	Iron Duke	1847	1871	One of the first batch built, with 18 ft 6 in (5.639 m) wheelbase. Name of the class, Iron Duke was a reference to the Duke of Wellington.
Emperor	1847	1873	One of the first batch built, with 18 ft 6 in (5.639 m) wheelbase. Emperor is a ruler of an empire
Lightning	1847	1878	One of the first batch built, with 18 ft 6 in (5.639 m) wheelbase. lightning is a fast and powerful discharge of electrostatic energy from clouds
Pasha	1847	1876	One of the first batch built, with 18 ft 6 in (5.639 m) wheelbase. pasha is a Turkish chieftain
Sultan	1847	1874	One of the first batch built, with 18 ft 6 in (5.639 m) wheelbase. Involved in an accident at Ealling: it ran into some goods wagons that were being shunted, and six passengers were killed. Sultan is a Muslim ruler.
Iron Duke Model at STEAM-Museum, Swindon	Courier	1848	1877	courier is a person who carries packages
Dragon	1848	1872	dragon is a mythological fire-breathing beast
Hirondelle	1848	1873	hirondelle is French for a swallow
Rougemont	1848	1879	Rougemont Castle is a site of historic interest in Exeter, within the GWR region
Tartar	1848	1876	Tartar is an eastern European Turkic speakers
Warlock	1848	1874	warlock is a male witch
Wizard	1848	1875	wizard (fantasy) is a traditional magician or magus
Swallow	1849	1871	swallow is a fast-flying bird
Timour	1849	1871	Timour also called Timur or Tamerlane was a 14th-century central Asian ruler.
Tornado	1849	1881	tornado is a powerful wind
Estafette	1850	1884	Rebuilt 1870: new boiler and wheelbase increased to 19'. Estafette is French for military courier
Perseus	1850	1880	Perseus was a character in Greek mythology
Prometheus	1850	1887	Prometheus's boiler exploded at the locomotive sheds at Westbourne Park outside Paddington Station, 8/11/1862. Rebuilt in 1870: new boiler, wheelbase increased to 19', it was similar to the Rover class introduced the following year. Prometheus was a character in Greek mythology.
Rover	1850	1871	a rover is a wanderer
Amazon	1851	1877	the Amazons were a mythical tribe of warrior women
Lord of the Isles	1851	1884	Before entering service, named Charles Russell in honour of a GWR director; exhibited at the Great Exhibition in London. The following year it hauled the director's inspection train from Paddington station to Birmingham and was involved in a collision at Aynho railway station. After withdrawal in 1884, the locomotive was stored at Swindon railway works until 1906; during this time it was exhibitied at Edinburgh in 1890, Chicago in 1893, and Earls Court, (London) in 1897. Lord of the Isles was a hereditary title of the Scottish nobility, given to the eldest son of the British monarch.
Alma	1854	1872	commemorates the Battle of Alma (1854, Crimean War)
Balaklava	1854	1871	commemorates the Battle of Balaklava (1854, Crimean War)
Crimea	1855	1876	commemorates the Crimean War (10/1853–02/1856)
Eupatoria	1855	1876	commemorates the Battle of Eupatoria (1855, Crimean War)
Inkermann	1855	1877	commemorates the Battle of Inkerman (1854, Crimean War)
Kertch	1855	1872	commemorates the Capture of Kertch (1855, Crimean War)
Sebastopol	1855	1880	commemorates the Siege of Sebastopol (1854–1855, Crimean War)

Rover class

Name	Built	Withdrawn	Details and information
Balaklava	1871	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1875 (see above for details)
Hirondelle	1871	1890	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1873 (see above for details)
Iron Duke	1873	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1871 (see above for details)
Timour	1873	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1871 (see above for details)
Sultan	1876	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1874 (see above for details)
Tartar	1876	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1876 (see above for details)
Warlock	1876	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1874 (see above for details)
Amazon	1878	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1877 (see above for details)
Courier	1878	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1877 (see above for details)
Crimea	1878	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1876 (see above for details)
Eupatoria	1878	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1876 (see above for details)
Inkermann	1878	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1877 (see above for details)
Lightning	1878	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1878 (see above for details)
Alma	1880	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1872 (see above for details)
Bulkeley	1880	1892	This locomotive worked the last broad gauge passenger train out of Paddington Station on the afternoon of Friday, 20 May 1892. It worked this as far as Bristol Temple Meads and then returned early the following morning with the last train from Penzance, thus being the last broad gauge locomotive to work a passenger train on the main line. The name, Bulkeley, honoured a long-standing Great Western Railway director. It had previously been carried on a Sir Watkin class0-6-0T that had been sold to the South Devon Railway Company in 1872.
Dragon	1880	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1872 (see above for details)
Emperor	1880	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1873 (see above for details)
Scale model of GWR Emperor at STEAM Museum, Swindon	Great Britain	1880	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1880 (see above for details)
Sebastopol	1880	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1880 (see above for details)
Great Western	1888	1892	Great Western had the honour of hauling the last broad gauge "Cornishman" service from Paddington Station, which was the last through train to Penzance, although the locomotives were changed at Bristol Temple Meads. The name was reused from an Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1870 (see above for details)
Prometheus	1888	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1887 (see above for details)
Tornado	1888	1892	name reused from Iron Duke class locomotive withdrawn in 1881 (see above for details)

Replica

1985 replica of Iron Duke locomotive. Taken at the Maritime Heritage Centre alongside the Great Western Dockyard, Bristol for the duration of the Brunel 200 celebrations.

Iron Duke replica view, at Bristol.

In 1985 a working replica of Iron Duke was constructed using parts from two Hunslet Austerity tanks as part of the Great Western 150 celebrations. The boiler certificate has expired so it cannot currently be steamed.

It is part of the National Railway Collection but is currently on long-term loan to the Didcot Railway Centre, which has a section of working broad gauge track.^[3]

The replica appeared in The Railway Series book Thomas and the Great Railway Show, in which it was portrayed with whiskery eyebrows and a walrus moustache.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to GWR Iron Duke replica.

References

• Reed, P. J. T. (February 1953). White, D. E., ed. The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, Part 2: Broad Gauge. Kenilworth: RCTS. pp. B18, B19–B20, B29–B31. ISBN 0-901115-32-0. 

External links

• "What was the Broad Gauge?". The Broad Gauge Society.