The Power of the Counties (Power Series)
Towards the end of World War 2, rumours began to circulate that the Great Western Railway was working on a revolutionary design of large passenger engine. Although the new class, when it emerged, proved to be no more than an enlarged two-cylinder 4-6-0, it represented the final development of a type of locomotive that the GWR had been perfecting for almost half a century. In fact, the 'County' class represented a considerable revolution in GWR locomotive practice despite being outwardly very similar to earlier 4-6-0 designs. Apart from the double blastpipe and chimney, the locomotive was fitted with a new boiler, based around experience that Swindon had had during the war constructing higher pressure cylinders for use on the Stanier '8Fs' built there. which allowed for a much higher pressure than earlier GWR designs. Other changes were represented by a new design of tender and by the non-standard diameter driving wheels.
The class, which eventually numbered 30, was designed by the last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the GWR, F. W. Hawksworth, whose work also included the earlier 'Modified Hall' class. Destined for a relatively short life, as a result of the programme of dieselisation of the Western Region after the 1955 Modernisation Plan. all 30 members of the class were withdrawn by the end of 1964. Whilst none was preserved at the time, the Great Western Society at Didcot is in the process of recreating one of the class - County of Glamorgan.
Hardback with dust jacket, 112 pages, black & white photographs
Condition: Very Good
ISBN: 9780860936046
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Updated: 2 April 2024