Andy, just as a matter of interest , (please excuse my ignorance) on the first picture of an engine, is that a Welsh Dragon with the Welsh -Queens Coronet , -Logo ? What does it represent? Does the engine have a name or just the number? (Don't say IVOR!!)
Anorak Time!
Sorry bunnie - not the Welsh dragon - this is actually the badge of British Railways which came into being in 1948 with the nationalisation of the former railway companies in the UK (the Great Western, the Southern Railway, the London and North Eastern, etc). The badge you're referring to is actually this one:
It shows the British Lion holding a steam locomotive wheel in it's paws, while sat in a crown or coronet (note that this appears to be made up of the national emblems of England (the Tudor Rose and Oak Leaf), Wales (the Leek) and Scotland (the Thistle). It's supposed to be quite a proud lion (with a blue tongue?) but the badge was more usually referred to (especially by railway staff) as 'The Ferret and Dartboard' !
A bit more history if you're interested: The locomotive 92212 is a member of the BR Standard 9F class - 9 being the power classification (in this case actually the most powerful) and 'F' meaning freight. 'Standard' means it was one of the classes of locos introduced as part of the British Railways modernisation plan in 1955 - the idea being to take all the best designs from the former railway companies and produce a fleet of locomotives that utilised the best elements.
In fact the modernisation plan only lasted 5 years as far as steam was concerned. The last steam locomotive to be built for British Railways was No 92220 in 1960. This was also a 9F and, because it was built at the former Great Western Railway works at Swindon and was such a landmark engine, it was painted in the Great Western style of express passenger Brunswick Green lined out in orange and black pinstripe (rather than freight loco black as 92212), given a copper-capped chimney also in the Great Western tradition, and named 'Evening Star'.
There's a short article on 'Evening Star' on wikipedia at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BR_standard_class_9F_92220_Evening_Star#_note-NRM including a fine study by photographer Dave Cooper:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:92220_Evening_Star_%28Dave_Cooper%29.jpgRegular steam finished on British Railways only 8 years later in 1968 and most of the remaining steam locomotives were scrapped in rather indecent haste.
Apart from those that were sent to Barry Scrapyard in South Wales where scrapping of wagons took priority - the engines were just parked up in sidings awaiting their fate - and that's where I used to go with my brother on a sort of pilgrimage - if there's any interest I'll post some photos.
92212 was one of those that ended up at Barry with over 200 others of many types. Built in 1959, withdrawn only a few years later and then languishing in the scrapyard until funds were raised to purchase and restore her - she moved again under her own steam in 1996. She doesn't have a name so far as I'm aware.
The 9Fs, although designed as freight engines, and having relatively small wheels actually turned out to be the best of the new standard class engines and were found to be capable of speeds up to 90 mph(!). They were used as relief engines on summer passenger expresses (not having train heating eqipment they couldn't be used in the colder months) and very much liked by their crews. Because they have 10 driving wheels this spreads the weight of the loco and so can be used on branch lines built for lighter axleloads than the main line - this of course includes most of the heritage/preserved railways in th UK - so they are really useful engines.
Roni might be interested to note that these were much used to haul the heavy iron ore hopper trains up the steeply graded line from Tyne Dock to the steel works at Consett.
Happiliy, nine of these engines have been preserved - including 'Evening Star' which can be seen at the National Railway Museum in York. 'Murdoch the Heavy Goods Engine' in the Thomas the Tank stories is a 9F.
hope you find this interesting?
andyb
