BR standard class 9F 92220 Evening Star
Encyclopedia
British Railways Standard Class 9F
number 92220 Evening Star, is a preserved British
steam locomotive completed in 1960. It was the last steam locomotive
to be built by British Railways. It holds the distinction of being the only British main line steam locomotive ear-marked for preservation from the date of construction. It was the 999th locomotive of the whole British Railways Standard range.
-capped double chimney. All other members of the class of heavy freight locomotives were painted unlined black. 92220 was the only Class 9F to be named when running with BR, although others have subsequently been named in preservation; the name Evening Star
was chosen following a competition run in 1959-60 by the BR Western Region Staff Magazine. There were three competition winners, Driver T.M. Phillips (Aberystwyth), Boilermaker J.S. Sathi (Old Oak Common) and F.L. Pugh (Paddington), who had all suggested Evening Star. This name had been used twice before on GWR locomotives: one of the early Star class
broad gauge
locomotives built in 1839 was named Morning Star, and a subsequent member of the same class was named Evening Star; and a locomotive of the four-cylinder 4000 class
which was built in 1907 was also named Evening Star. The name was thought to be a fitting end to steam, and was chosen from hundreds of names entered. A special commemorative plate was affixed below the nameplate on the smoke deflectors
. The commemorative plate reads:
The wooden patterns for this commemorative plate and the engine's name plate were both carved by pattern maker Fred Marsh.
The naming ceremony took place on the morning of 18 March 1960 in the former Great Western Railway works at Swindon, Wiltshire, UK, where the locomotive was built. A speech was given by R.F.Hanks in which he began by saying, "There had to be a last steam locomotive, and it is a tremendous thing that that last steam locomotive should be built here in these great works at Swindon." After acknowledging the fine craftsmanship of the workers, he went on to say:
"I am sure it has been truly said that no other product of man's mind has ever exercised such a compelling hold upon the public's imagination as the steam locomotive. No other machine in its day has been a more faithful friend to mankind nor has contributed more to the growth of industry in this the land of its birth and indeed throughout the whole world... Those who have lived in the steam age of railways will carry the most nostalgic memories right to the end."
The loco was then named by Keith Grand of the British Transport Commission, by the unveiling of the nameplate, lettered in the Great Western style. "Ladies & Gentlemen, I now unveil this locomotive (curtains draw back) "and christen it the Evening Star."
and over the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
line. On 16 July 1962 and 18 July 1962 the locomotive was photographed at Gloucester
Barnwood shed yard and on 8 September 1962 it hauled the last Pines Express
over S&DJR metals. It was recorded hauling passenger express trains at over 90 mph (144.8 km/h). 92220 was withdrawn in 1965, after a working life of only five years but was subsequently preserved as part of the National Collection.
, York
for many years. She is one of nine surviving 9Fs.
After a brief period displayed at the "Locomotion"
museum at Shildon, County Durham, the engine returned to its birthplace, Swindon Works
, on 3 September 2008. Evening Star is to be exhibited for two years at the Swindon 'Steam' Railway Museum
, during which period the GWR locomotive King George V
will take its place in York.
electric locomotive
, operated by National Express East Anglia, was given the name 'The Evening Star' in a ceremony at Ipswich railway station
on 23 July 2010. The name commemorates the 125th anniversary of the publication of the Ipswich-based Evening Star
newspaper.
BR standard class 9F
The British Railways BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 is a class of steam locomotive designed for British Railways by Robert Riddles. The Class 9F was the last in a series of standardised locomotive classes designed for British Railways during the 1950s, and was intended for use on fast, heavy freight...
number 92220 Evening Star, is a preserved British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
steam locomotive completed in 1960. It was the last steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
to be built by British Railways. It holds the distinction of being the only British main line steam locomotive ear-marked for preservation from the date of construction. It was the 999th locomotive of the whole British Railways Standard range.
Construction
Evening Star was built at Swindon railway works in 1960. Though the last to be built, it was not the last 9F numerically as Crewe had already completed engines with higher numbers. It was equipped with a BR1G-type tender and given BR Brunswick green livery, normally reserved for passenger locomotives, and was completed with a copperCopper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
-capped double chimney. All other members of the class of heavy freight locomotives were painted unlined black. 92220 was the only Class 9F to be named when running with BR, although others have subsequently been named in preservation; the name Evening Star
Evening Star
Evening Star is the name given to the planet Venus when it appears in the West after sunset; the ancient Greeks gave it the name Hesperus. It may also refer to:-People:* Arwen, an elf-maiden in J.R.R...
was chosen following a competition run in 1959-60 by the BR Western Region Staff Magazine. There were three competition winners, Driver T.M. Phillips (Aberystwyth), Boilermaker J.S. Sathi (Old Oak Common) and F.L. Pugh (Paddington), who had all suggested Evening Star. This name had been used twice before on GWR locomotives: one of the early Star class
GWR Star Class
The Great Western Railway Star Class of 2-2-2 broad gauge steam locomotives were used for passenger train work. Designed by Robert Stephenson, the class was introduced into service between November 1838 and November 1841, and withdrawn between April 1864 and September 1871.A total of twelve Star...
broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
locomotives built in 1839 was named Morning Star, and a subsequent member of the same class was named Evening Star; and a locomotive of the four-cylinder 4000 class
GWR 4000 Class
A Star class locomotive was a particular type of steam locomotive of the Great Western Railway. The prototype was an experimental locomotive, North Star , constructed with the 'Atlantic' 4-4-2 wheel arrangement for comparative trials with 4-cylinder compound locomotives of the de Glehn type that...
which was built in 1907 was also named Evening Star. The name was thought to be a fitting end to steam, and was chosen from hundreds of names entered. A special commemorative plate was affixed below the nameplate on the smoke deflectors
Smoke deflectors
Smoke deflectors are vertical plates attached to the front of a steam locomotive on each side of the smokebox. They are designed to lift smoke away from the locomotive at speed so that the driver has better visibility unimpaired by drifting smoke....
. The commemorative plate reads:
| No. 92220 built at Swindon March 1960 The last steam locomotive for British Railways Named at Swindon on March 18, 1960 by K.W.C. Grand, Esq. Member of the British Transport Commission |
The wooden patterns for this commemorative plate and the engine's name plate were both carved by pattern maker Fred Marsh.
Naming ceremony
"I am sure it has been truly said that no other product of man's mind has ever exercised such a compelling hold upon the public's imagination as the steam locomotive. No other machine in its day has been a more faithful friend to mankind nor has contributed more to the growth of industry in this the land of its birth and indeed throughout the whole world... Those who have lived in the steam age of railways will carry the most nostalgic memories right to the end."
The loco was then named by Keith Grand of the British Transport Commission, by the unveiling of the nameplate, lettered in the Great Western style. "Ladies & Gentlemen, I now unveil this locomotive (curtains draw back) "and christen it the Evening Star."
In service
92220 was used over the Western RegionWestern Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
and over the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bournemouth now in south east Dorset but then in Hampshire...
line. On 16 July 1962 and 18 July 1962 the locomotive was photographed at Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
Barnwood shed yard and on 8 September 1962 it hauled the last Pines Express
Pines Express
The Pines Express was a named passenger train that ran daily between Manchester and Bournemouth in England between 1910 and 1967.It ran for the first time under the name "Pines Express" on 26 September 1927; and is believed to have been named after the pine trees growing in the Chines in the...
over S&DJR metals. It was recorded hauling passenger express trains at over 90 mph (144.8 km/h). 92220 was withdrawn in 1965, after a working life of only five years but was subsequently preserved as part of the National Collection.
Preservation
Although steamed since retirement from BR, Evening Star has been a static exhibit at the National Railway MuseumNational Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...
, York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
for many years. She is one of nine surviving 9Fs.
After a brief period displayed at the "Locomotion"
Shildon Locomotion Museum
Shildon Locomotion Museum is a railway museum in Shildon, County Durham, England. The museum is a branch of the National Railway Museum , which is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry...
museum at Shildon, County Durham, the engine returned to its birthplace, Swindon Works
Swindon Works
Swindon railway works were built by the Great Western Railway in 1841 in Swindon in the English county of Wiltshire.-History:In 1835 Parliament approved the construction of a railway between London and Bristol. Its Chief Engineer was Isambard Kingdom Brunel.From 1836, Brunel had been buying...
, on 3 September 2008. Evening Star is to be exhibited for two years at the Swindon 'Steam' Railway Museum
Swindon Steam Railway Museum
STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway, also known as Swindon Steam Railway Museum, is located at the site of the old railway works in Swindon, England – Wiltshire's 'railway town'...
, during which period the GWR locomotive King George V
GWR 6000 Class 6000 King George V
thumb|right|6000 King George V at Swindon having just hauled the last King-hauled train from Wolverhampton and Birmingham Snow Hill . Note the bell which was given to the engine when it toured the U.S...
will take its place in York.
Other locomotives
A British Rail Class 90British Rail Class 90
The British Rail Class 90 electric locomotives were built by BREL at Crewe from 1987-1990. Each locomotive weighs 84.5 tonnes and has a top speed of . They operate from 25 kV AC overhead wires and produce...
electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
, operated by National Express East Anglia, was given the name 'The Evening Star' in a ceremony at Ipswich railway station
Ipswich railway station
Ipswich railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line 68¾ miles east of London Liverpool Street towards Norwich...
on 23 July 2010. The name commemorates the 125th anniversary of the publication of the Ipswich-based Evening Star
Evening Star (Ipswich)
The Evening Star is a daily evening local newspaper based in Ipswich.The newspaper started publication on 17 February 1885 and was known as The Star of the East until 1893....
newspaper.
See also
- List of preserved BR Standard Class 9F locomotives
- The last steam locomotive in India had a similar name: The Last Star