Locomotive Class

Class 7

Class 7 Class: Class 7
Type: Steam
Designer: Robert A. Riddles
Weight: 143 tons
Purpose: Express Passenger & Freight

Information: Mixed traffic Class 7 Britannia locomotives were built between 1951 and 1954 as the final British Railways standard design. One member of the class 70013 Oliver Cromwell has the distinction of being the last official steam locomotive to haul a revenue train on August 11, 1968.

Details: Class 7 Pacific locomotives were conceived by the fledgling British Railways as a result of the 1948 locomotive exchange trials. The design was intended to replace many out-dated steam locomotives on all Regions of the newly formed British Railways.
Design took place at the British Railways Engineering Department in Derby under the tutelage of Robert A. Riddles . Ultimately, 55-locomotives were produced in three separate batches; all at the British Railways workshops in Crewe. The first batch (70000-70024) consisted of 15-members allocated to the Eastern Region, eight for the Western Region, and two for the London Midland Region. All entered service in 1951. The second batch, (70025-70044) were produced between 1952 and 1953. The final batch, (70045-70054) were built in 1954. This last batch; all allocated to the London Midland Region used a modified tender featuring a steam powered mechanical coal pusher to allow longer runs over the extensive West Coast mainline making the later machines easily discernable from previous batches.
The class; most of which were named after prominent historic British figures were all painted lined Brunswick Green, although the class leader 70000 Britannia was originally turned out in mixed traffic black. Several of the original Western allocated locomotives were given former GW Star class locomotive names, whilst the final batch got named after Scottish Firths. Curiously one member of the final batch, 70047 never received a name.
In theory the Class 7 locomotive was to be the most versatile locomotive ever designed in Britain. It was designed as a light-weight 4-6-2 Pacific capable of high speed operation, wide route availability, low capital expenditure, and with low operating and maintenance costs. The simple two cylinder design gave the Pacific the notoriety of being rough riders and prone to slippage on acceleration or on steep inclines. For this reason they were not accepted by the Western Region and other than a small allocation to Cardiff, where they were indeed accepted, most were transferred to duties on the Eastern.
The entire Class eventually dispersed over the entire British Railways network. They were rostered for all forms of duty, from humble freight and parcels through prestigious named passenger train runnings, which included Golden Arrow, Red Dragon, Bournemouth Belle, Irish Mail, and Master Cutler.
Not with-out problems; with many being resolved between batch production the class led woe-fully short working lives with the first member of the class 70007 Coeur de Lion being with-drawn in June 1965. The final member with-drawn, 70013 Oliver Cromwell has the distinction of hauling the last revenue British Railways passenger train; the 15-Guinea Special on August 11, 1968.
Two members have been preserved, class leader 70000 Britannia and 70013 Oliver Cromwell.

John Faulkner

Class 7 Releases (23)

MODEL NO. LIVERY
Bournemouth Belle (Britannia Class - Alfred The Great)
Released: 2009
70009 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7 Locomotive - William Shakespeare
Released: 1990 1991
70004 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Anzac (Weathered)
Released: 2005
70046 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Boadicea
Released: 2005
70036 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Firth Of Clyde
Released: 1999
70050 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Firth Of Tay
Released: 2006 2007
70052 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Hereward The Wake
Released: 2007
70037 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Lord Rowallan
Released: 2007 2008
70045 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Oliver Cromwell - National Railway Museum Collection - Special Edition
Released: 2006
70013 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - William Wordsworth
Released: 2006
70030 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7P Locomotive - Firth Of Tay
Released: 2000
70052 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7P6F Locomotive - Apollo
Released: 2008 2009
70015 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7P6F Locomotive - Firth Of Clyde
Released: 2008 2009
70050 B.R. Green
Britannia Class 7P6F Locomotive - Robin Hood
Released: 2008 2009
70038 B.R. Green
Britannia Class Locomotive - Owen Glendower
Released: 2010 2011
70010 B.R. Green
Class 7 Locomotive - Oliver Cromwell
Released: 1973 1974 1975
70013 B.R. Green
Class 7MT Locomotive - Britannia
Released: 1992 1993 2001 2002 2006
70000 B.R. Green
Class 7MT Locomotive - Clive Of India
Released: 2000 2001
70040 B.R. Green
Class 7MT Locomotive - Flying Dutchman
Released: 2004
70018 B.R. Green
Class 7MT Locomotive - Morning Star
Released: 1981 1982 1983
70021 B.R. Green
Class 7MT Locomotive - Western Star
Released: 2002 2003
70025 B.R. Green
Class 7P6F Locomotive - Britannia 70000 B.R. Green
The Bristolian (Britannia Class - Venus)
Released: 1997
70023 B.R. Green

Class 7 Images (23)

Bournemouth Belle (Britannia Class - Alfred The Great)
Bournemouth Belle (Britannia Class - Alfred The Great) 70009

Britannia Class 7 Locomotive - William Shakespeare
Britannia Class 7 Locomotive - William Shakespeare 70004

Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Anzac (Weathered)
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Anzac (Weathered) 70046

Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Boadicea
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Boadicea 70036

Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Firth Of Clyde
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Firth Of Clyde 70050

Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Firth Of Tay
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Firth Of Tay 70052

Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Hereward The Wake
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Hereward The Wake 70037

Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Lord Rowallan
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Lord Rowallan 70045

Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Oliver Cromwell - National Railway Museum Collection - Special Edition
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - Oliver Cromwell - National Railway Museum Collection - Special Edition 70013

Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - William Wordsworth
Britannia Class 7MT Locomotive - William Wordsworth 70030

Britannia Class 7P Locomotive - Firth Of Tay
Britannia Class 7P Locomotive - Firth Of Tay 70052

Britannia Class 7P6F Locomotive - Apollo
Britannia Class 7P6F Locomotive - Apollo 70015

Britannia Class 7P6F Locomotive - Firth Of Clyde
Britannia Class 7P6F Locomotive - Firth Of Clyde 70050

Britannia Class 7P6F Locomotive - Robin Hood
Britannia Class 7P6F Locomotive - Robin Hood 70038

Britannia Class Locomotive - Owen Glendower
Britannia Class Locomotive - Owen Glendower 70010

Class 7 Locomotive - Oliver Cromwell
Class 7 Locomotive - Oliver Cromwell 70013

Class 7MT Locomotive - Britannia
Class 7MT Locomotive - Britannia 70000

Class 7MT Locomotive - Clive Of India
Class 7MT Locomotive - Clive Of India 70040

Class 7MT Locomotive - Flying Dutchman
Class 7MT Locomotive - Flying Dutchman 70018

Class 7MT Locomotive - Morning Star
Class 7MT Locomotive - Morning Star 70021

Class 7MT Locomotive - Western Star
Class 7MT Locomotive - Western Star 70025

Class 7P6F Locomotive - Britannia
Class 7P6F Locomotive - Britannia 70000

The Bristolian (Britannia Class - Venus)
The Bristolian (Britannia Class - Venus) 70023


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11,328 yearly Items over 57 Years.
4,069 individual Items.
3,707 Models.
362 catalogued Train Sets.
156 Train Packs.
820 Steam Locomotives.
497 Diesel Locomotives.
1,082 Passenger Coaches.
1,152 Freight Wagons.


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