South Devon Railway Eagle class

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Eagle
Power type Steam
Designer Daniel Gooch
Builder Stothert, Slaughter, Grunning & Co.
Configuration 4-4-0ST
Gauge 7 ft 0¼ in
Leading wheel size 3 ft 6 in
Driver size 5 ft 6 in
Wheelbase 18 ft 0 in
Cylinder size 16½ in dia × 24 stroke
Career South Devon Railway
Class Eagle

The Eagle class were sixteen 4-4-0 saddle tank broad gauge locomotives operated on the South Devon Railway, Cornwall Railway and associated adjacent railways. They were designed for passenger trains on this steep and sharply curved line but were also used on goods trains when required.

They were ordered by Evans, Walker and Gooch who were contracted to operate the locomotives for both the railways. They were designed by Daniel Gooch a development of his earlier Comet class with slightly smaller wheels and larger tanks containing 1,100 gallons, a 37.5% increase, and built by Stothert, Slaughter, Grunning and Company.

From 1 July 1866 the locomotives were bought by the South Devon Railway, after which they were operated as a combined fleet over both railways, but they continued to be accounted to their original owner. On 1 February 1876 the South Devon Railway was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway, the locomotives were given numbers by their new owners but continued to carry their names too.

Contents

[edit] Locomotives

[edit] South Devon Railway

  • Antelope (1859 - 1884) GWR no. 2114
Named after the swift animal, antelope.
  • Dart (1863 - 1885) GWR no. 2119
Dart hauled the first train on the Launceston and South Devon Railway on 1 June 1865 with Giraffe.
The locomotive was named after the dart missile.
  • Giraffe (1859 - 1877) GWR no. 2112
Giraffe hauled the first train on the Launceston and South Devon Railway on 1 June 1865 with Dart.
The locomotive was named after the animal, giraffe.
  • Hawk (1859 - 1886) GWR no. 2108
Named after the bird of prey, hawk.
  • Hector (1860 - 1892) GWR no. 2117
Named after the Greek mythological character, Hector.
  • Lion (1859 - 1883) GWR no. 2113
Named after the powerful animal, lion.
  • Tiger (1860 - 1884) GWR no. 2116
Named after the powerful animal, tiger.

[edit] Cornwall Railway

  • Castor (1865 - 1882) GWR no. 2121
Named after the Greek mythological character' Castor, it had originally intended to be named Fal after the River Fal.
  • Cato (1863 - 1877) GWR no. 2118
Cato was a name shared by many famous romans.
  • Eagle (1859 - 1876) GWR no. 2106
Named after the bird of prey, eagle.
  • Elk (1859 - 1877) GWR no. 2107
Just two days after the opening of the railwayElk was derailed near St Germans and fell off Grove viaduct with fatal consequences.
The locomotive was named after the animal, elk.
  • Gazelle (1859 - 1865) GWR no. 2110
Named after the swift animal, gazelle.
  • Lynx (1859 - 1876) GWR no. 2109
Named after the strong animal, lynx.
  • Mazeppa (1859 - 1885) GWR no. 2111
Named after an epic poem, Mazeppa by Lord Byron.
  • Pollux (1865 - 1892) GWR no. 2120
Named after the Greek mythological character, Pollux, it had originally been intended to be named Tamar after the River Tamar.
  • Wolf (1859 - 1878) GWR no. 2115
Named after the strong animal, wolf.

[edit] References

  • Waters, Laurence (1999). The Great Western Broad Gauge. ISBN ISBN 0-906867-90-8. 
  • Beck, Keith and Copsey, John (1990). The Great Western in South Devon. Didcot: Wild Swan Publications. ISBN 0-901115-32-0. 
  • (1953) The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, Part 2: Broad Gauge. Rugeley: The Railway Correspondence and Travel Society. ISBN 0-906867-90-8. 
  • Gregory, R H (1982). The South Devon Railway. Salisbury: The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-286-2. 
  • Railway company records at The National Archives
v • d • e
South Devon Railway locomotives
4-4-0ST
Comet — Eagle — Gorgon — Leopard
0-6-0ST
Tornado — Dido — Remus — Taurus — Buffalo
Other