The Firefly was a class of 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 :...

 2-2-2

Whyte notation

The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...

 steam locomotives used for passenger

Passenger

A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....

 services on the Great Western Railway

Great Western Railway

The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...

. The class was introduced into service between March 1840 and December 1842, and withdrawn between December 1863 and July 1879.

Following the success of the 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 Designed by Robert Stephenson, the class was introduced into service between November 1838 and November 1841, and withdrawn between April 1864 and September 1871.A total of twelve Star...

 locomotives introduced to the Great Western Railway by Daniel Gooch, Gooch set to work to develop a new class based on North Star, but with larger boilers. The result was the Fire Fly, later followed by 61 similar locomotives designated the same class.

From about 1865, the Fire Fly Class locomotives became part of the Priam Class, along with the Prince Class

GWR Prince Class

The Great Western Railway Prince Class 2-2-2 broad gauge steam locomotives for passenger train work. This class was introduced into service between August 1846 and March 1847, and withdrawn between January and September 1870....

 locomotives.

The original Fire Fly is said to have covered the 30.75 miles (49.5 km) from Twyford

Twyford, Berkshire

For other places of the same name, see Twyford.Twyford is a village and civil parish in the English Royal county of Berkshire. It is situated, at , in the heart of the Thames Valley on the A4 between Reading and Maidenhead, close to Henley-on-Thames and Wokingham.-History:The town's name is...

 to London Paddington in 37 minutes, an average speed of 50 miles per hour (80.5 km/h), which was unprecedented in 1840.

A to D

• Acheron (1842–1866)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson

Fenton, Murray and Jackson

Fenton, Murray and Jackson was an engineering company at the Round Foundry off Water Lane in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-Fenton, Murray and Wood:...

. The name Acheron

Acheron

The Acheron is a river located in the Epirus region of northwest Greece. It flows into the Ionian Sea in Ammoudia, near Parga.-In mythology:...

comes from a Greek river and was later carried by a Hawthorn class

GWR Hawthorn Class

The Great Western Railway Hawthorn Class were 2-4-0 broad gauge steam locomotives for passenger train work. This class was introduced into service in 1865, a development of the Victoria Class....

 locomotive.

• Achilles (1841–1867)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company

Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company

Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company, originally called The Bridgewater Foundry, specialised in the production of heavy machine tools and locomotives. It was located in Patricroft, in Salford England, close to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the Bridgewater Canal and the Manchester Ship Canal...

. The name is that of a Greek mythological warrior. See Achilles

Achilles

In Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.Plato named Achilles the handsomest of the heroes assembled against Troy....

.

• Actaeon (1841–1868)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company, the name is that of a hero from Greek mythology. See Actaeon

Actaeon

Actaeon , in Greek mythology, son of the priestly herdsman Aristaeus and Autonoe in Boeotia, was a famous Theban hero. Like Achilles in a later generation, he was trained by the centaur Chiron....

.

• Arab (1841–1870)

Built by G and J Rennie. An Arab

Arab

Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...

 is a member of an ethnic group found mainly in the Middle East and Africa.

• Argus (1842–1873)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Argus was the builder of the Argo

Argo

In Greek mythology, the Argo was the ship on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to retrieve the Golden Fleece. It was named after its builder, Argus.-Legend:...

, a ship in Greek mythology.

• Arrow (1841–1864)

Built by Stothert and Slaughter

Avonside Engine Company

The Avonside Engine Company was a locomotive manufacturer in Avon Street, St. Philip's, Bristol, England between 1864 and 1934. However the business originated with an earlier enterprise Henry Stothert and Company.-Origins:...

. An arrow

Arrow

An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...

 is a pointed projectile weapon.

• Bellona (1841–1870)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. Bellona

Bellona

-Places:United States of America*Bellona Foundry and adjacent Bellona Arsenal, 19th century United States Army and Confederate munitions factory and depot in VirginiaItaly*Bellona, Campania, a comune in the Province of CasertaSolomon Islands...

 was a Roman goddess.

• Castor (1841–1874)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. Castor

Castor and Pollux

In Greek and Roman mythology, Castor and Pollux or Polydeuces were twin brothers, together known as the Dioscuri . Their mother was Leda, but Castor was the mortal son of Tyndareus, king of Sparta, and Pollux the divine son of Zeus, who visited Leda in the guise of a swan...

 was the twin of Pollux in Greek mythology.

• Centaur (1841–1867)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. A centaur

Centaur

In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...

 is a Greek mythological creature, half human and half horse.

• Cerebus (1841–1866)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Cerebus was a character in Greek mythology

Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...

 and the name was later carried by a Hawthorn class

GWR Hawthorn Class

The Great Western Railway Hawthorn Class were 2-4-0 broad gauge steam locomotives for passenger train work. This class was introduced into service in 1865, a development of the Victoria Class....

 locomotive.

• Charon (1840–1878)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. In Greek mythology, Charon

Charon (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon is the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. A coin to pay Charon for passage, usually an obolus or danake, was sometimes placed in or on...

 was the ferryman who carried the dead in his boat.

• Cyclops (1840–1865)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Cyclops

Cyclops

A cyclops , in Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, was a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his forehead...

 was a one-eyed monster in Greek myth.

• Damon (1842–1870)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. Damon

Damon and Pythias

In Greek mythology, the legend of Damon and Pythias symbolizes trust and loyalty in a true friendship.- Greek legend :As told by Aristoxenus, and after him Cicero , Diodorus Siculus , and others, around the 4th century BC, Pythias and his friend Damon, both followers of the philosopher...

 was a follower of the Greek philosopher, Pythagoras.

• Dart (1841–1870)

Built by Stothert and Slaughter. A dart

Dart (missile)

Darts are missile weapons, designed to fly such that a sharp, often weighted point will strike first. They can be distinguished from javelins by fletching and a shaft that is shorter and/or more flexible, and from arrows by the fact that they are not of the right length to use with a normal...

 is a projectile weapon.

E to H

• Electra (1842–1867)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. In Greek mythology, Electra

Electra

In Greek mythology, Electra was an Argive princess and daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra. She and her brother Orestes plotted revenge against their mother Clytemnestra and stepfather Aegisthus for the murder of their father Agamemnon...

 was daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra.

• Erebus (1842–1873)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Erebus

Erebus

In Greek mythology, Erebus , also Erebos , was often conceived as a primordial deity, representing the personification of darkness; for instance, Hesiod's Theogony places him as the first five beings to come into existence from Chaos...

 was the son of the primordial Greek god, Chaos.

• Falcon (1840–1867)

Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company

Sharp, Roberts and Company

Sharp, Stewart and Company was a steam locomotive manufacturer, initially based in Manchester, England. The company was formed in 1843 upon the demise of Sharp, Roberts & Co. and moved to Glasgow, Scotland in 1888, eventually amalgamating with two other Glasgow-based locomotive manufacturers to...

. A falcon

Falcon

A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....

 is a kind of bird of prey.

• Fire Ball (1840–1866)

Built by Jones, Turner and Evans

Vulcan Foundry

Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire .-History:It was originally opened in 1832 as Charles Tayleur and Company to produce girders for bridges, switches and crossings, and other ironwork following the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway...

 with a 13 in 4 in (4.06 m) wheelbase, Fire Ball hauled the first train from Temple Meads

Bristol Temple Meads railway station

Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...

 to Bath

Bath Spa railway station

Bath Spa railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Bath, in South West England.-Architecture:Bath Spa station was built in 1840 for the Great Western Railway by Brunel and is a grade II* listed building...

 on 31 August 1840, and from Temple Meads to Bridgwater

Bridgwater railway station

Bridgwater railway station serves Bridgwater in Somerset, England. It is on the Bristol to Taunton Line and is operated by First Great Western. Originally built to the designs of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the station is now a Grade II* listed building.-History:...

 on 14 June 1841. It was rebuilt c.1849 as a saddle tank locomotive. This was one of six Fire Fly class locomotives named with a fire theme - the term fire ball refers to an explosion of fire.

• Fire Brand (1840–1866)

Built by Jones, Turner and Evans with a 13 in 4 in (4.06 m) wheelbase. A firebrand

Firebrand

The word Firebrand has several uses:* A piece of burning wood * A person with a penchant for militancy in speech and/or action-Vehicles:*Blackburn Firebrand, an aircraft constructed for the Royal Navy...

 is a piece of burning wood, but also used to denote a person with a fiery temperament.

• Fire Fly (1840–1870)

Built by Jones, Turner and Evans with a 13 in 4 in (4.06 m) wheelbase. A firefly

Firefly

Lampyridae is a family of insects in the beetle order Coleoptera. They are winged beetles, and commonly called fireflies or lightning bugs for their conspicuous crepuscular use of bioluminescence to attract mates or prey. Fireflies produce a "cold light", with no infrared or ultraviolet frequencies...

 is a luminous beetle.

• Fire King (1840–1875)

This locomotive crashed in front of Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...

 on 25 October 1840, the first recorded accident on the railway. The driver and a guard were killed when Fire King and its goods train failed to stop at the temporary terminus at Faringdon

Faringdon

Faringdon is a market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. It is on the edge of the Thames Valley, between the River Thames and the Ridgeway...

. It had been built by Jones, Turner and Evans with a 13 in 4 in (4.06 m) wheelbase, and was rebuilt circa 1849 as a saddle tank locomotive.

• Ganymede (1842–1878)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Ganymede

Ganymede (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Ganymede is a divine hero whose homeland was Troy. Homer describes Ganymede as the most beautiful of mortals. In the best-known myth, he is abducted by Zeus, in the form of an eagle, to serve as cup-bearer in Olympus. Some interpretations of the myth treat it as an allegory of...

 was a hero in Greek mythology.

• Gorgon (1841–1878)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. The Gorgon

Gorgon

In Greek mythology, the Gorgon was a terrifying female creature. The name derives from the Greek word gorgós, which means "dreadful." While descriptions of Gorgons vary across Greek literature, the term commonly refers to any of three sisters who had hair of living, venomous snakes, and a...

 was a Greek mythological monster with hair of living snakes.

• Greyhound (1841–1866)

Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company. A greyhound

Greyhound

The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...

 is a kind of dog bred for its speed.

• Harpy (1841–1873)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. A harpy

Harpy

In Greek mythology, a harpy was one of the winged spirits best known for constantly stealing all food from Phineas...

 was a Greek mythological winged spirit.

• Hawk (1840–1865)

Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company. A hawk

Hawk

The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...

 is a kind of bird of prey; the name was later carried by a Hawthorn class

GWR Hawthorn Class

The Great Western Railway Hawthorn Class were 2-4-0 broad gauge steam locomotives for passenger train work. This class was introduced into service in 1865, a development of the Victoria Class....

 locomotive.

• Hecate (1841–1867)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Hecate

Hecate

Hecate or Hekate is a chthonic Greco-Roman goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, necromancy, and crossroads.She is attested in poetry as early as Hesiod's Theogony...

 was a Greek goddess of childbirth.

• Hector (1841–1866)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. Hector

Hector

In Greek mythology, Hectōr , or Hektōr, is a Trojan prince and the greatest fighter for Troy in the Trojan War. As the first-born son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, a descendant of Dardanus, who lived under Mount Ida, and of Tros, the founder of Troy, he was a prince of the royal house and the...

 was a Greek hero in the Trojan War.

• Hydra (1842–1865)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. The Hydra

Lernaean Hydra

In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed many heads — the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint, and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath so virulent even...

 was a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology.

I to N

• Ixion (1841–1879)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson, this was the locomotive that represented the broad gauge at the Gauge Commission trails of 1845, achieving a maximum of 61 mi/h. Ixion

Ixion

In Greek mythology, Ixion was king of the Lapiths, the most ancient tribe of Thessaly, and a son of Ares, or Leonteus, or Antion and Perimele, or the notorious evildoer Phlegyas, whose name connotes "fiery". Peirithoös was his son...

 was a king in Greek mythology.

• Jupiter (1841–1867)

Built by R B Longridge and Company. This locomotive was named after Jupiter

Jupiter (mythology)

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Jupiter or Jove is the king of the gods, and the god of the sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon....

, a senior Roman god.

• Leopard (1840–1878)

Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company. A leopard

Leopard

The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

 is a large member of the cat family.

• Lethe (1842–1878)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Lethe

Lethe

In Greek mythology, Lethe was one of the five rivers of Hades. Also known as the Ameles potamos , the Lethe flowed around the cave of Hypnos and through the Underworld, where all those who drank from it experienced complete forgetfulness...

 is one of the rivers in Hades, the Greek underworld, and drinking its waters caused forgetfulness.

• Lucifer (1841–1870)

Built by R B Longridge and Company. Lucifer

Lucifer

Traditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...

 was the poetic Roman name for the morning star.

• Lynx (1840–1870)

Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company. A lynx is a kind of wild cat.

• Mars (1841–1868)

Built by R B Longridge and Company. This locomotive was named after Mars

Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...

, the Roman god of war.

• Mazeppa (1841–1868)

Built by G and J Rennie. Mazeppa

Mazeppa (Byron)

This article is about the poem by Lord Byron, for other uses see MazeppaMazeppa is a Romantic narrative poem written by Lord Byron in 1819, based on a popular legend about the early life of Ivan Mazepa , a Ukrainian gentleman who later became Hetman of the Ukrainian Cossacks...

was a popular Victorian heroic poem.

• Medea (1842–1873)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Medea

Medea

Medea is a woman in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, niece of Circe, granddaughter of the sun god Helios, and later wife to the hero Jason, with whom she had two children, Mermeros and Pheres. In Euripides's play Medea, Jason leaves Medea when Creon, king of...

 was a princess in Greek mythology.

• Medusa (1842–1864)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Medusa

Medusa

In Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...

 was a Greek mythological monster whose look could turn a person to stone.

• Mentor (1841–1867)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. The original mentor

Mentor

In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...

 was a friend of Odysseus who featured in Greek mythology.

• Mercury (1841–1865)

Built by R B Longridge and Company. This locomotive was named after Mercury

Mercury (mythology)

Mercury was a messenger who wore winged sandals, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx , mercari , and merces...

, a Roman god.

• Milo (1841–1866)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. This locomotive was probably named after Titus Annius Milo

Titus Annius Milo

Titus Annius Milo Papianus was a Roman political agitator, the son of Gaius Papius Celsus, but adopted by his maternal grandfather, Titus Annius Luscus...

, a Roman politician.

• Minos (1841–1870)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Minos

Minos

In Greek mythology, Minos was a king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. Every year he made King Aegeus pick seven men and seven women to go to Daedalus' creation, the labyrinth, to be eaten by The Minotaur. After his death, Minos became a judge of the dead in Hades. The Minoan civilization of Crete...

 was a king of Crete featured in Greek mythology.

N to W

• Orion (1842–1867)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. Rebuilt as a 4-2-2

4-2-2

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-2-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles, two powered driving wheels on one axle, and two trailing wheels on one axle....

ST saddle tank locomotive. This locomotive was probably named after Orion of Thebes

Orion of Thebes

Orion of Thebes was a 5th century grammarian of Thebes , the teacher of Proclus the neo-Platonist, and of Eudocia, the wife of Emperor Theodosius II. He taught at Alexandria, Caesarea in Cappadocia and Byzantium. He was the author of a partly extant etymological Lexicon Orion of Thebes (died ca....

, a Grecian scholar.

• Ostrich (1840–1865)

Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company. An ostrich

Ostrich

The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...

 is a large flightless bird; the name was later carried by a Hawthorn class

GWR Hawthorn Class

The Great Western Railway Hawthorn Class were 2-4-0 broad gauge steam locomotives for passenger train work. This class was introduced into service in 1865, a development of the Victoria Class....

 locomotive.

• Panther (1840–1869)

Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company. A panther is a big cat and appears in Greek mythology

Panther (legendary creature)

A Panther is a creature out of ancient myth that resembles a big cat with a multicoloured hide.Under medieval belief after feasting the panther will sleep in a cave for a total of three days. After this period ends, the panther roars, in the process emitting a sweet smelling odor...

 as an animal that carried gods.

• Pegasus (1842–1868)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. Pegasus

Pegasus

Pegasus is one of the best known fantastical as well as mythological creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine horse, usually white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. He was the brother of Chrysaor, born at a single birthing...

 was the winged horse of Greek mythology.

• Phlegethon (1842–1866)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson, this locomotive had the privilege of powering Queen Victoria's first railway journey on 13 June 1842. Phlegethon

Phlegethon

In Greek mythology, the river Phlegethon or Pyriphlegethon was one of the five rivers in the infernal regions of the underworld, along with the rivers Styx, Lethe, Cocytus, and Acheron...

 was one of the five rivers of the Greek underworld. The name was later carried by a Hawthorn class

GWR Hawthorn Class

The Great Western Railway Hawthorn Class were 2-4-0 broad gauge steam locomotives for passenger train work. This class was introduced into service in 1865, a development of the Victoria Class....

 locomotive.

• Phoenix (1842–1870)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. The phoenix

Phoenix (mythology)

The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....

 was a Greek mythological bird that is reborn from the ashes of its fiery death.

• Pluto (1841–1870)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. This locomotive was named after Pluto

Pluto (mythology)

In ancient Greek religion and myth, Pluto was a name for the ruler of the underworld; the god was also known as Hades, a name for the underworld itself...

, the Roman god of the underworld.

• Pollux (1842–1866)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. Pollux

Castor and Pollux

In Greek and Roman mythology, Castor and Pollux or Polydeuces were twin brothers, together known as the Dioscuri . Their mother was Leda, but Castor was the mortal son of Tyndareus, king of Sparta, and Pollux the divine son of Zeus, who visited Leda in the guise of a swan...

 was the twin of Castor in Greek mythology; the name was later transferred to a Hawthorn class

GWR Hawthorn Class

The Great Western Railway Hawthorn Class were 2-4-0 broad gauge steam locomotives for passenger train work. This class was introduced into service in 1865, a development of the Victoria Class....

 locomotive.

• Priam (1842–1864)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. Priam

Priam

Priam was the king of Troy during the Trojan War and youngest son of Laomedon. Modern scholars derive his name from the Luwian compound Priimuua, which means "exceptionally courageous".- Marriage and issue :...

 was the king of Troy during the Trojan War.

• Proserpine (1842–1873)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Proserpine

Persephone

In Greek mythology, Persephone , also called Kore , is the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld; she was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld....

 was the goddess of the Greek underworld.

• Saturn (1841–1878)

Built by R B Longridge and Company. This locomotive is named after Saturn

Saturn (mythology)

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Saturn was a major god presiding over agriculture and the harvest time. His reign was depicted as a Golden Age of abundance and peace by many Roman authors. In medieval times he was known as the Roman god of agriculture, justice and strength. He held a sickle in...

, the Roman god of the harvest.

• Spit Fire (1840–1878)

Built by Jones, Turner and Evans with a 13 in 4 in (4.06 m) wheelbase.

• Stag (1840–1870)

Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company. A stag is a male deer

Deer

Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...

.

• Stentor (1842–1867)

Built by Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. Stentor

Stentor

In Greek mythology, Stentor was a herald of the Greek forces during the Trojan War. Although he is mentioned only briefly in Homer's Iliad, in which Hera takes Stentor's character to encourage the Greeks to fight, his name has been living in the term "stentorian" voice, meaning loud-voiced, for...

 was a herald in the Trojan War.

• Tiger (1840–1873)

Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company, it derailed near Chippenham

Chippenham railway station

Chippenham railway station serves the market town of Chippenham in Wiltshire, England. The station is on the Great Western Main Line, in between and , and is served by First Great Western main line services between Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington, and a smaller First Great Western local...

 on 7 September 1841 due to an earthslip, although Rising Star

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...

, which was coupled in front, ran over the damaged track without mishap. A tiger

Tiger

The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...

 is a big cat.

• Venus (1841–1870)

Built by R B Longridge and Company. This locomotive was named after Venus

Venus (mythology)

Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...

, the Roman goddess of love.

• Vesta (1841–1864)

Built by Fenton, Murray and Jackson. Vesta

Vesta (mythology)

Vesta was the virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and family in Roman religion. Vesta's presence was symbolized by the sacred fire that burned at her hearth and temples...

 was the Roman goddess of the home.

• Vulture (1840–1870)

Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company. A vulture

Vulture

Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...

 is a large scavenging bird.

• Wild Fire (1840–1867)

Built by Jones, Turner and Evans with a 13 in 4 in (4.06 m) wheelbase. One of six Firefly Class locomotives named with a fire theme; a wildfire

Wildfire

A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...

 is another name for a forest fire.

Replica

• Firefly (2005)

A 63rd member of the Fire Fly class was unveiled to the public in 2005. It is a replica of the original Fire Fly and is kept at Didcot Railway Centre

Didcot Railway Centre

Didcot Railway Centre, located in the town of Didcot in the English county of Oxfordshire, is based around the site of a comprehensive "engine shed" which became redundant after the nationalisation of the UK railways, due to the gradual changeover from steam to diesel motive power.-Description:The...

. It can be seen in steam on regular occasions throughout the year; see link below.

External links

• The Didcot Railway Centre, where the Fire Fly replica is kept and maintained