standard class standard class known class class pacific steam locomotive designed use british railways mixed traffic duties constructed design result locomotive exchanges undertaken advance locomotive classes constructed constructed publication plan class based previous locomotive designs significantly influenced notably boiler rear truck design incorporating best practices locomotive technology regards labour saving lowering maintenance costs weight saving measures increased route availability pacific type locomotive british railways network received positive reception crews regularly operating locomotives giving favourable reports regards performance trials areas british railway network returned negative feedback primarily indifferent operation locomotive effects took names great star class locomotives scottish class remained service withdrawn survived preservation class number number hauled mainline period display following limited steaming returned mainline steam time leaving british railways ownership returned main line background locomotive exchanges commissioned fledgling british railways test best worst aspects locomotive design big railway companies existed research gained operating best designs southern railways different areas british railways network paved way new classes locomotives constructed new locomotive designs intended replace designs inherited british railways new classes designed previously designed locomotives wartime use design requested new express passenger pacific locomotive designed specifically reduce maintenance latest available innovations steam technology home abroad labour saving devices utilised produce simple standard effective design able produce equivalent power available big design features basic design owed building practices especially considering previous career said railway keeping necessity follow best practice creating steam locomotives utilised variation boiler trailing wheel merchant navy class weight kept margins laid designed similar having rocking allowed fire rebuilt stopping locomotive removing ash unlike inner constructed copper instead steel lacked self cleaning enabled ash flow atmosphere reducing workload engine cleaner end working day single chimney placed unusual pacific type locomotive designed claimed better results obtained designed single chimney previous double chimney arrangements driving wheels compromise took account intended mixed traffic role designed meant large sustained fast running heavy passenger trains small allow undertake mundane tasks freight design featured raised running plates wheels allowed easy access inside frames purposes lack wheel running plate reduced risk allowing air flow speed wheel older locomotive designs box portion driving wheels aesthetic reasons prevent water dirt thrown cab windows designed requirements operating crews mock constructed test ease maintenance availability spare parts increased reliability sets valve gear largest cylinders capable staying british loading gauge inside cylinders located frames locomotive difficult access maintenance cylinder design class valve gear outside avoided maintenance problems boiler generally exposed maintain ease access common standard designs exhaust device maintained following experience occasional cracks appearing near spring class standard built complete intended engines chassis rearranged similar solitary standard class duke gloucester drawn 2nd batch class standard resulted locomotive riding cast steel sub frames carrying spring unlike smaller standards exhaust steam saddle standard class engines intricate steel casting construction history designed british railways new class constructed british railways initial order locomotives demand eastern region rushed construction problems prototypes total members class constructed given improvements improve reliability efficiency overcome flaws original design batch constructed january october second batch constructed september october batch constructed variations modifications problems class experienced immediately locomotives withdrawn october complaints received crews driving wheels shifting subsequently modified released revenue earning service initially return main driving wheels block type seen changed simpler stud fitting result problem difficulty removing type built roller leading trailing coupled plain remaining whilst built plain service roller remaining cases showed advantage reliability cost unusual fault engines class fore aft vibration strong prompt passengers complain cause fire longitudinal compartment tender work way forward cab passengers complaints dealt reducing tension spring locomotive changed new improved designs available examples second batch equipped tender higher water capacity gallons members batch equipped tender design tons coal gallons water fact intended use longer runs north railway network tender design featured steam powered coal eliminated need crew members mount tender pull forward coal locomotive stop delivered fitted alongside smoke locomotives looked radically different rest class allocated manchester ran series brake trials london midland main line mid-1950s subsequently equipment removed fitted fitted style oval course repairs collision damage photograph january settle rail crash cost lives passengers caused rod cross head connecting rod came loose damaged opposite line freight train approaching locomotive freight train train tore sides passenger coaches slide assembly redesigned fitted locomotives routinely western region based examples hand foot holds cut smoke steps improve forward visibility class involved major naming mid-1950s responsibility recommending names locomotives british railways rested senior railway officers chairman committee set rules years developed practices names pleasant sound meaning readily apparent interested member public good publicity value names providing good morale staff collection names class provide form class identity rule use names people alive time committee strong dislike names associations military largely fed recently ended war preference names heroes known people following single theme absurd extent discouraged bestowed class member caused great debate committee wider executive british railways noted suggested set general theme naming process featured great theme allowed exceptions allocated operated given names star class locomotives scottish region granted names scottish locomotive naming ceremonies carried railway stations british railways network named operational details class liked crews regions british railways especially glowing reports operating depot lower weight high power transformed motive power restricted east lines negative feedback received operating departments notably criticism primarily partisan preference designed locomotive stock staff particular class left hand drive contrast right hand drive locomotive signalling practice factor rail crash reason western region locomotive depots old oak common declared class surplus requirements cardiff depot displayed liking class despite empire managed obtain good results passenger traffic favourable reports marked consistency losing time longer runs recorded complaints individual techniques operating crews compounded irregular allocation class depots network meaning crews great deal experience driving allocation seven merchant navy class locomotives temporarily withdrawn inspection line axle central driving wheel repairs class undertaken works financial constraints terms expenditure steam began regular overhaul locomotives mid-1960s carried exclusively locomotive withdrawn service number entire class gradually transferred glasgow depots steam displaced british railways succession bulk began number oliver took place end steam operation britain subsequently locomotive selected represent class privately preserved saw main line service preservation era oliver restoration completed worked guinea special special train run commemorate final steam working found operating main line system accidents incidents november locomotive polar star hauling excursion train excessive speed crossover people killed injured january locomotive hauling express passenger train settle yorkshire defect locomotive people killed injured numbering member class given plain black lining changed new standard british railways green applied express passenger locomotives despite locomotive classed mixed traffic lined orange black class given power classification numbered new british railways standard numbering system series locomotives numbered featured brass initial black background followed red located smoke end steam plain green substituted touching existing preferred aesthetic overhaul preservation survived original number number originally selected represent class form future ultimately rejected poor mechanical condition locomotive result eventually selected represent class benefit future generations purchased privately british railways ensuring class survive preservation era subsequently utilised mainline locomotive use late 1990s requiring work bring steam eventually sold stored spell storage norfolk moved preserved following ownership dispute locomotive returned steam great central railway readers magazine contributed overhaul july appeared open weekend august saw locomotive return main line turn guinea special run manchester years performed duty result preserved members class operated mainline preservation sale overhauled returned main line 60th anniversary initially black plates originally plates fitted festival britain later year location details preserved locomotives list class locomotives gallery
BR Standard Class 7