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The first 19 locomotives ordered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Great Western Railway included six 2-2-2 Mather, Dixon locomotives. They were built by Mather, Dixon and Company unsuccessful and rapidly replaced by the Star Class locomotives ordered by Daniel Gooch once he had been apponited as the Locomotive Engineer.
[edit] Locomotives
- This rather distinctive locomotive had plate 10ft wheels instead of the more usual spoked ones, the carrying wheels being 5ft. The 14in × 20in cylinders were fed from a doubled-domed boiler. It was named after Ajax, a hero in Greek mythology.
- This locomotive was the second of the Mather, Dixon locomotives to arrive and featured 14in × 14in cylinders. Ariel is, amongst other things, an angel and a fairy in William Shakespeare's The Tempest.
- This locomotive was built with 10ft wheeels, but did not enter service until they had been changed to 8ft ones. The cylinders were 16in × 20in. It was not successful, being delivered in April 1840 and withdrawn in December. It was named after Mars, the Roman god of war; the name was later carried by one of the Ariadne Class standard goods locomotives.
- This locomotive was delivered in December 1838 but not accepted into service until 26 September 1839. It had 8ft driving wheels and 16in × 20in cylinders. It was named after Mercury, a Roman god; the name was later carried by one of the Ariadne Class standard goods locomotives.
- This locomotive was built to similar dimensions to Planet and also arrived in December 1838 before being put to work in August 1839. After withdrawal it was used as a stationary boiler at Reading. The planets at this time were all named after mythological gods.
- This locomotive, along with Charles Tayleur's Vulcan was delivered by canal to West Drayton on 25 November 1837. It had 14½in × 14½in cylinders. The name, which means "first", was later used on the first locomotive built at Swindon, the first of the Premier Class goods locomotives.
[edit] References
- The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, Part 2: Broad Gauge. The Railway Correspondence and Travel Society. ISBN 0-906867-90-8.
- Waters, Laurence (1999). The Great Western Broad Gauge. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0-906867-90-8.
