Steam Locomotives - Great Western Railway: Books (4/4)

Great Western - Eight Coupled Heavy Freight Locomotives (Locomotive Portfolio)

The first of a series of 'Locomotive Profiles' to be published by Pen & Sword. It describes the conception, design, building and operation of the fleet of powerful locomotives built in the first half of the twentieth century to meet the demands of the growing South Wales coal and steel industries and the West Midlands area served by the Great Western Railway.

Whilst concentrating mainly on the standard designs of the great locomotive engineer, George Jackson Churchward, the 28XX and 47XX 2-8-0 locomotives, it also covers the 2-8-0 and 2-8-2 tank engines designed for the South Wales Valleys mining areas and coal exports through Newport, Cardiff, Barry and Swansea Docks, and other 2-8-0 locomotives acquired by the Great Western to cope with the increased industrial needs during both world wars - the RODs, Swindon built 8Fs, WDs and American S160s.

The book also covers the earliest designs of the Barry and Port Talbot Railways intended to cope with the valley coal traffic. The book is copiously illustrated with 150 black and white and 50 coloured photographs and is a comprehensive record of some outstanding freight locomotives, many of the oldest engines still operating to the end of steam on British Railways in the mid 1960s, sixty years after they were designed.

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Great Western - Large Wheeled Outside Framed 4-4-0 Tender Locomotives (Locomotive Portfolio)

This volume extensively covers the large-wheeled outside frame classes of 4-4-0 tender locomotives that were once in service on the Great Western Railway. Specifically, it delves into the Atbara, Badminton, City, and Flower Classes, providing comprehensive details on each class. The book is enriched with high-quality pictures, diagrams, and lists of names and numbers.

Offering valuable insights for model makers, the publication meticulously documents mechanical and livery changes that occurred from the 1900s to the early 1930s. During this period, all locomotives from these classes, except the preserved 3440, City of Truro, were eventually withdrawn and scrapped.

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Great Western Railway Pannier Tanks

The name 'Great Western Railway' immediately conjures up images of Stars, Castles and Kings, the legendary express passenger locomotives that were the envy of the world in their day.
However, the Swindon empire also produced extensive fleets of all-purpose tank engines - everyday reliable workhorses and unsung heroes - which were also standout classics in their own right. The most distinctive and immediately recognizable type in terms of shape, all but unique to the GWR, was the six-coupled pannier tank.

With hundreds of photographs throughout, "Great Western Railway Pannier Tanks" covers:
- The supremely innovative pannier tank designs of GWR chief mechanical engineer Charles Benjamin Collett
- The appearance of the 5700 class in 1929
- The 5400, 6400, 7400 and 9400 classes
- The demise of the panniers in British Railways service and the 5700s that marked the end of Western Region steam
- A second life beneath the streets - 5700 class panniers on London Underground
- Panniers in preservation, plus cinema and TV roles and even a Royal Train duty.

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