Stirling GNR 8ft Single on an RCTS excursion at Peterborough in 1938
The Great Northern Railway (GNR) No. 1 class Stirling Single is a class of steam locomotive designed for express passenger work. Designed by Patrick Stirling, they are characterised by a single pair of large driving wheels which led to the nickname "eight-footer". Originally the locomotive was designed to haul up to 26 passenger carriages at an average speed of 47 miles per hour. A total of 53 were built at Doncaster between 1870 and 1895, in three series introduced in 1870, 1884, and 1894. With the arrival of the Ivatt Atlantics after 1898, the class began to be displaced from the most prestigious express services. Several examples were rebuilt by Ivatt after 1898 with a domed boiler, but withdrawals of the 1870 series began in 1899. The last examples of the class were in use on secondary services until 1916. The first of the class, No 1 is the only engine to be preserved. It is at present exhibited at the National Railway Museum, York, UK but was used to operate enthusiasts specials which it did in 1938 for the RCTS from Peterborough into London Kings Cross and back.
Size: 3232px × 2002px
Location: Peterborough, UK
Photo credit: © Digbydachshund / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 8ft, carriages, crowd, gnr, lner, locomotive, preserved, railtour, railway, rcts, single, station, steam, stirling, train
