bluebottle Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 (edited) Oh no, not my idea of a thing of beauty. We just wondered how they ever moved at all! I know they're quite popular with the guys over here though. Beauty lies within the eye of the beholder after all!! Oh yes, of course, it was cgraham who made the original post (#275), saying: "Until I stood next to one as its geared wheels rolled by me, I would not have said that a Shay is the most beautiful locomotive in the world." My error, sorry. Good video; oddly, watching those cranks working made me think of some gigantic crustacean scurrying along. Weird! (Edit to delete unnecessary repetition of video link) Edited February 8, 2013 by bluebottle 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward66 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I have actually ridden in the cab of one of the Cass Scenic Shays, brilliant experience, three cyls and ultra low gearing, sounded like a Jubilee running flat out at about 10- 15 mph! Edward Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welsh Yorkie Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Plenty of impressive looking locos on the thread (American ones, for example), but I'm not sure if you can call them GOOD looking! So coming back to neatness, proportionality, and other good-looking attributes: has to be a single chimney Castle, with honourable mentions to rebulit MN/WC/BB, BR 4MT tank, and K3. For diesel -- class 60 and Hymek would do me. Though I do like the class 67-- am I alone in this? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Class 74 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Some real beauties here, my faves are: - DB's BR 103 (in TEE/IC livery, you can't beat that!!!) - EMD's F and E units (real icons) When it comes to steam, here we go: - BBOe BR 214 (later BR 12) - Est/SNCF 241.A Cheers Simon 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted February 13, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 13, 2013 Tongue in cheek time..... Best steam? All of them. Best diesel? That would be the stuff in the 40 gallon drum, used for cleaning the 'best looking steam loco'.... Best electric? A steam driven Stones Generator..... Hat & Coat-Door-Taxi!!! Ian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel W Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I think the 72xx has the best rear view of any Steam Loco, its very much the Kim Kardashian of the tank engine world. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 (edited) I haven't looked at this topic since its early days until now. I'm really surprised that nobody has mentioned the LMS Princess Royal. IMO the most elegant British pacific (though the A3 comes close). Others like the Duchess, rebuilt Bulleid or A2 are more powerful-looking, but a Lizzie just looks classy. The one blemish is the size of the tender compared with the locomotive - it would definitely have benefitted from a longer one, 8-wheeled or double-bogie. I'm especially surprised at the omission because the Jubilee has been mentioned by quite a few people. What's a Princess Royal other than a 4-6-2 Jubilee? Edited February 14, 2013 by pH 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebottle Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I haven't looked at this topic since its early days until now. I'm really surprised that nobody has mentioned the LMS Princess Royal. IMO the most elegant British pacific (though the A3 comes close). Others like the Duchess, rebuilt Bulleid or A2 are more powerful-looking, but a Lizzie just looks classy. The one blemish is the size of the tender compared with the locomotive - it would definitely have benefitted from a longer one, 8-wheeled or double-bogie. I'm especially surprised at the omission because the Jubilee has been mentioned by quite a few people. What's a Princess Royal other than a 4-6-2 Jubilee? As always in matters of taste, one must preface ones remarks with "IMHO"... The "Duchesses", in any unstreamlined form, have a much better balanced appearance than the "Princess Royals". For want of a better word, the latter class strike me as gaunt. "What's a Princess Royal other than a 4-6-2 Jubilee?" An overstretched "Castle"? Gordon 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjnewitt Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 As always in matters of taste, one must preface ones remarks with "IMHO"... The "Duchesses", in any unstreamlined form, have a much better balanced appearance than the "Princess Royals". For want of a better word, the latter class strike me as gaunt. "What's a Princess Royal other than a 4-6-2 Jubilee?" An overstretched "Castle"? Gordon More an overstretched King I think. The Princess Royals were not well balanced at all and look a bit ungainly. The bogie needs moving backwards a few feet and the whole thing shortening, like they did with the Duchesses. The Jubilees were handsome machines but the best of them (IMHO) were Comet and Pheonix with their 2A boilers. If we hadn't had the BR standards then all the Jubilees would have ended up like that along with the Patriots. Instead we got the best looking of the BR Standards, the Brits. Justin 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edley Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 Sorry , I'm a bit late to this topic What seems obvious is that many people form their ideas of what is beautiful based on what they grow up with. In melbourne , th e Spirit of progress [searching under that name is how i came here] was just the thing in Victoria. Not as fast as UK locos because of the distances out here and the cost of trackwork that would cope. A situation that still applies. But , horses for courses, it suite dour conditions being airconditioned pre war. The upshot is a friend at Fitzroy Locomotives is doing a run of tinplate O gauge 3 rail Spirits. What I like is that apart from the mech it is all tinplate pressings, The mech being based on late BL but with modern magnet material. And it pulls like atrain, so to speak. 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted March 15, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 15, 2020 Matter of taste but I will never accept that streamlining on steam locos is good looking. Discounting overt pornography like Johnson Spinners, I rate the LSWR Drummond T9 as well proportioned and handsome, and among more recent British steam, the BR Britannia. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 35 minutes ago, The Johnster said: Matter of taste but I will never accept that streamlining on steam locos is good looking. Discounting overt pornography like Johnson Spinners, I rate the LSWR Drummond T9 as well proportioned and handsome, and among more recent British steam, the BR Britannia. Only the non-superheated version surely, once the super heaters went in the whole front end looked out of balance. yes no 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted March 15, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 15, 2020 (edited) Perversely, I prefer the superheated smokebox without wing plates look (draw whatever Freudian conclusions you wish), but Maunsell livery is best, followed by BR lined black. Coupling rod splashers are essential of course, and watercart 8 wheel tenders. There are plenty of British inside cylinder 4-4-0s to pick from, but this is easily the best for me! Edited March 15, 2020 by The Johnster 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 3 hours ago, The Johnster said: I rate the LSWR Drummond T9 as well proportioned and handsome, Yeah? But which one, to me the narrow-cab Greyhound looks much better. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted March 15, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 15, 2020 Narrow cab, to go with coupling rod splashers, of course! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 There you go. May as well lock the thread now. Jason 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Trainshed Terry Posted March 15, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 15, 2020 (edited) Sorry I belive that the King Class Locomotive was and is the best looking locomotive in the blue livery.. Thank You Edited March 15, 2020 by Trainshed Terry Spelling mistake Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 16 hours ago, Trainshed Terry said: Sorry I belive that the King Class Locomotive was and is the best looking locomotive in the blue livery.. Thank You Almost! I agree about the BR express blue livery, along with the fine "larger emblem" but the awkward looking bent steam pipes and that awful spring thing on the front bogie? Naw! Put that livery on a Castle, then you're talking! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium chris-shay Posted March 16, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 16, 2020 Difficult one this, but narrowed it down a bit... Diesel - has to be the Deltics. Either the prototype or production in two-tone green. UK Steam - 2-6-4 Fairburn tanks RoW steam - Rio Grande K-36 2-8-2 Mikados Electric - Either Great Northern Cascade Y-1 electrics or any of the Swiss Crocodile variants. There's an odd beauty in any machine if you look hard enough! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted March 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 16, 2020 Deltics were hideous; granted they had ‘presence’. If you want to paint something that colour, at least make it a Hymek. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted March 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 16, 2020 On 15/03/2020 at 17:15, Steamport Southport said: There you go. May as well lock the thread now. Jason Oh dear Jason, what has happened?There you are, talking sense, and then you drag a photo of that out. You really do need a Western saint, to guide you along the path of truth, stopping at Swindon along the way...... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dragonfly Posted March 17, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 17, 2020 For me it's the Great Central Improved Director, in original GC livery. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PJT Posted March 17, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 17, 2020 My vote for first place goes to the single chimney Stanier Jubilee. In my opinion, the most balanced and best-proportioned big loco. Every time I see one of the three single chimney survivors, I just find myself transfixed by it. Sorry Bahamas, you're a great looking loco and I'm sure your double chimney works a treat, but it just doesn't look quite right. Equal second place: Gresley V2 (great proportions, flowing lines, just let down at the last by the firebox hump), Peppercorn A2 (a seamless blend of traditional and modern lines). All very predictable? Yes, certainly! And for good reason. Pete T. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 For me it's the not exactly niche choice of the Alco PA & FA locos. EMD's F units, the new haven EP-5s and other similar streamlined locos are also often things of beauty. Though some streamliners were a bit clunky in their execution (Alco Dl-109, I'm looking at you), the designers of that era had something special going on. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
62613 Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Great Eastern Railway '1500' class 4-6-0 in its original form, and painted in GER blue, with red coupling rods. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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