The William Dean 7 or Armstrong Class refers to a group of four prototype 4-4-0 double-frame locomotives built at the Swindon Works of the Great Western Railway in 1894. They were nominal renewals of four of Dean's "experimental locomotives", Nos. 7, 8, 14 and 16. Had it not been for the recent derailing of one of his 3001 Class 2-2-2s in Box Tunnel, these engines would probably have been rebuilt as 2-2-2s; in the event they emerged as double-framed four-coupled engines with 7' driving wheels and a front bogie similar to that used on the 3031 Class. The four locomotives, which with their double-curved running plates were exceptionally handsome, were named as follows:
Since Gooch, Brunel and Saunders (one-time secretary to the GWR) were all deceased by 1894, it can be assumed that the Armstrong referred to was Joseph Armstrong, who had died in 1877, rather than his brother George who in 1894 was still hard at work in the employment of the GWR.
At the end of the 19th century the four locos ran between London and Bristol, but after about 1910 they were moved to Wolverhampton and worked north from there. Rather later, between 1915 and 1923, all four were rebuilt with smaller driving wheels and became members of the Badminton Class, and were duly renumbered 4169-4172.[1].
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