Steam Gallery

US 2-8-0 tender locomotive No. 1604 at Paddington Station, 1942

On December 11th 1942, for the very first time, an American built locomotive steamed into Paddington Station. Acute shortages of locomotives on the GW network due to locomotives being sent overseas caused operational problems that threatened to affect the service the Company could offer to both the government and the general public. This was alleviated in part by borrowing locomotives from other British Railway Companies and also reinstating previously withdrawn engines back into service. In 1942 however, a number of American locomotives were shipped over to Britain to assist the domestic transport network. In a ceremony held at Paddington Station on the 11th December 1942, United States 2-8-0 tender locomotive No. 1604, pictured here adorned with the British and American flags, was formally handed over to Lord Leathers, Minister of War Transport, by Colonel N.A. Ryan, Chief of Transportation for the American Army, who stated that he hoped the locomotive ?will do as good work for you as British Engines have done already for us?

No 111 The Great Bear at Paddington Station, c1910

An image of the No 111 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive, The Great Bear, in steam at Paddington station in c.1910. It was built in 1908 and withdrawn in 1924 and rebuilt as 4-6-0 Viscount Churchill

© STEAM Museum of the GWR

1910, Bear, Great, Great Bear, Locomotive, Pacific, Paddington, Paddington Station, Station

Mogul locomotive No. 8314 with bomb damage in 1941

A 4300 Mogul locomotive, No. 8314, lies amongst the debris following an air raid in Weymouth on 17th January 1941. Star Class locomotive, Princess Charlotte, can be seen to the right of the photograph and has escaped the worst of the damage. The south coast of Britain was easy prey for the German Luftwaffe based in Northern France, and the ports of Weymouth and Portland were prime targets for bombers due to their naval connections