standard class standard class class pacific steam locomotive designed use british railways prototype constructed named duke gloucester constructed duke popularly known replacement destroyed princess royal class locomotive number princess anne involved rail disaster duke based standard class design incorporated sets modified valve gear relatively new british locomotive engineering efficient valve gear duke regarded failure locomotive crews poor steaming characteristics heavy fuel consumption trials undertaken british railways returned negative feedback reporting problems poor locomotive resulted difficulty result operational period years unique locomotive saved scrapped barry south wales purchased group railway enthusiasts restored built condition years modifications original design resulting efficient powerful steam locomotives run britain result duke gloucester frequently seen mainline britain background frequently argued case inclusion standard class pacific standard range locomotives introduced british railways proposals rejected grounds cost attempting develop form steam motive power necessarily required use britain railways class locomotives available use opportunity came short lived rebuild princess anne destroyed rail disaster gap existed roster locomotives power classification demand high efficient operation heavy expresses west_coast main line scotland presented perfect opportunity press case new design prototype duly authorised construction design details wished develop enlarged version standard class design featured cylinder layout size cylinders order achieve power classification design british loading gauge limit reluctant cylinder layout ensued reluctance born experience valve gear difficult maintain location middle cylinder frames alternative type valve gear found valve gear settled modified form valve gear novel driven valve gear developed based italian locomotive practice allowed precise control steam admission cylinders improving exhaust flow boiler characteristics compared conventional valve gear paper created free steaming hard working locomotive capable hauling heavy loads long distances practice fundamental design errors drawings construction combined prevent locomotive achieving expected performance british railways ownership main problem known locomotive construction representative recommended use fierce exhaust experienced system standard double chimney type fabricated order cut costs installed supposedly result locomotive suffered choke area chimney small pressure created exhaust leading poor problems locomotive discovered restoration including poorly small fire air operating speed british railways modernization plan development concurrent construction raising questions following experience occasional cracks appearing near spring clans substantial took place area resulted locomotive riding cast steel sub frames carrying spring lengthened spring rear driven axle remarkably integrated cast combined sub frame pony truck pivot pony truck pivot planned batch smaller built fitted arrangement construction history opportunity create entire batch locomotives category declined said design process highly expensive complex locomotive emerged thoughts especially advent plan result remained solitary member proposed class standard locomotives naming locomotive emerging locomotive named duke gloucester prior entering revenue earning service locomotives constructed belonged duke class standing alongside sister locomotives locomotive colloquially referred steam enthusiasts crews duke operational details duke highly unpopular crews regarded liability poor steam production caused aforementioned problems abilities design meant examples constructed fact effort problems indicates change policy steam locomotives plan entering circulation duke entered service based entire working life depot locomotive utilised hauling boat trains culminated locomotive having short service life years withdrawn service reputation locomotive crews poor steamer eventually disappear rescued numbering duke continuation british railways standard class practice class given power classification following duke numbered british railways standard numbering system series duke given number featured brass black background located smoke preservation withdrawal duke initially selected later decided cylinder arrangement interest outside cylinders removed display removed restore balance readiness scrapping locomotive purchased initially sent wrong duke years enthusiasts purchased locomotive forming duke gloucester steam locomotive trust restoration began earnest components missing expensive valve gear took years effort enthusiasts assistance guise industry return locomotive near built condition replacing previous steel cylinders iron significant construction errors discovered restoration chimney small compared locomotives similar size resulting poor boiler times high steam demand air inlet built drawings small resulting poor air supply inefficient errors corrected opportunity taken incorporate improvements including previously recommended exhaust system finally unlocked locomotive true potential powerful express passenger locomotive duke allowed haul load main line immediately obvious boiler producing steam efficient rate duke failure experienced british railways ownership modifications duke powerful steam locomotives run britain railways past present held title british railways auspices cylinder duke actually achieved cylinder horse power figure recorded cylinder princess coronation class ironically powerful diesel locomotives replaced service locomotive regularly seen hauling enthusiasts special trains country preservation duke held operational record reliability june engine operated preston returning settle operational reasons locomotive start position changed little miles journey locomotive stopped leaking tubes removed train engine withdrawn overhaul return service january locomotive bears little mechanical resemblance operated british railways test bed incorporating modifications innovations intended investigate locomotive performance enhanced raising speculation surrounding capabilities entire batch standard class history different models december announced product range duke gloucester model released late praised reviews model rail magazines documented construction working live steam scale duke gloucester models magazine england beginning original british railways subsidiary drawings built complete fully working valve gear inch gauge inch inch gauge duke won multiple awards 48th model engineer exhibition inch gauge locomotive 61st model engineer exhibition
BR Standard Class 8