Image Licensing : No 111 The Great Bear with No 111 2-4-0 locomotive

EDITORS COMMENTS

This photograph showcases No. 111, a historic 4-6-2 Pacific class locomotive, proudly displayed at the Steam Museum of the Great Western Railway (GWR). Originally built in 1908, this magnificent machine was a 2-4-0 locomotive, a designation that refers to its two leading and four trailing wheels. In 1924, No. 111 underwent a significant transformation. It was rebuilt into a Castle class 4-6-0, specifically a Viscount Churchill model. The Castle class locomotives were an iconic series of steam engines designed by the legendary engineer, Charles Collett, for the GWR. The rebuild resulted in a powerful and efficient machine, with the addition of two more driving wheels, increasing its pulling power and adaptability on various railway lines. The Pacific class locomotive, with its distinctive wheel arrangement, was an earlier design, primarily used for high-speed passenger trains. However, the evolving needs of the railway industry led to its modification into the more versatile Castle class. No. 111's journey from a 2-4-0 to a 4-6-0 is a testament to the adaptability and innovation that characterized the steam railway era. The Steam Museum of the GWR is an invaluable repository of railway history, and No. 111 stands as a testament to the ingenuity and progress of steam locomotive engineering. Its presence in the museum serves as a reminder of the golden age of rail travel and the indelible mark it left on transportation history.