Portal:Trains/Selected article/Week 10, 2008

The BR Standard Class 8 was a class of 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive designed by Robert Riddles for use by British Railways. Only the prototype was constructed, which was named Duke of Gloucester. Constructed at Crewe Works in 1954, the Duke, as it is also referred to, was a replacement for the destroyed Princess Coronation Class locomotive number 46202 Princess Anne, which was involved in the Harrow and Wealdstone rail disaster of 1952. The Duke was based on the BR Standard Class 7 Britannia design. It incorporated three sets of modified Caprotti valve gear, relatively new to British locomotive engineering, and more efficient than two sets of Walschaerts or Stephenson valve gear. The Duke was regarded as a failure by locomotive crews due to its poor steaming characteristics and its heavy fuel consumption. Trials undertaken by British Railways also returned negative feedback, reporting problems with the poor draughting of the locomotive having an adverse effect on adhering to timetables. The result was an operational period of only eight years. This unique locomotive was saved from being scrapped at Woodhams' Scrapyard when it was purchased by a group of railway enthusiasts who restored it from scrapyard to as-built condition in 13 years. Since then, modifications have been made to the original design, resulting in one of the most efficient and powerful locomotives ever to run in Britain. As a result, the Duke of Gloucester can frequently be seen on the mainline around Britain.