Metropolitan H

Has to be the V2 as far as I'm concerned. Regards Chris H

I'll have one of them - 3-rail "O" gauge coarse scale please! Coming back to todays poll, much as I like the D49s and V1/V3 tanks, the most successful has to be the N2 0-6-2T - either on the suburbans out of Moorgate or the Bradford portion of the Pullmans. Regards Chris H

It has to be the A4 for me. Regards Chris H

Another vote for the O1 here. Regards Chris H

Pity we are being very focussed on the B1 - which was a good mixed traffic loco, and appeared in large numbers. In my view the really successful Thompson MT loco design was the "One off" K1/1 2-6-0 that was later multiplied with a few mods by Mr Pepprcorn as the K1 class. They had a bit more grunt and punch and were very good locos. So my vote goes to the K1/1. Regards Chris H

Agreed. My vote also goes to the L1 2-6-4T. Regards Chris H

Another vote for the Stanier "Black" 5MT 4-6-0 - but then I am also a fan of the closely related (older uncle?) GWR "Hall" class. Regards Chris H

Oops! - Paul is quite right, and I did mean 6233 Sutherland! Regards Chris H

Much as I like 6233 Duchess of Hamilton, after much mulling my vote goes to the "Rebuilt Royal Scots" - they were superb and capable machines and my IMechE mentor had stated his working life with the LMS at St Rollox where they had him learning to draw on the designs for the smoke deflectors. Regards Chris H

While I might understand the votes for the Q1, they were purely heavy freight locos and did have occasional failings - particularly in the poor braking department. I also understand the attraction of the "Class 12" Diesel Shunters which were definitely part of the way forward with the two Co-Co electric locos CC1/2 - but they were penny numbers. Consequently my vote goes to the ubiquitous "Light Pacfics" which could do anything well almost anywhere on the SR system. They had superb boilers - like all the Bulleid designs on the SR / BR(S) - which would make steam on the proverbial candle and could run fast. Their main failing was that due to very good dynamic balancing they would slip easily from rest or at speed - but they were track friendly, with low Hammer-blow. Regards Chris H

There were various remains around Bottomboat and Bottomboat Ferry - Stanley - including traces of the "Lake Lock Railroad" which was narrow gauge and predates the Surrey Iron Railway and another slightly 3Ft 4inch gauge line which ran from a pit working (Victoria Haigh Moor Pit - ??) by the junction of Aberford Rd and Bottomboat Lane down to Bottomboat Ferry. An article "The First Public Railway - ?" in Narrow Gauge World Issue No. 126 - includes a photograph taken in the 1990s of the narrow gauge rails crossing Bottomboat Lane 100+ yards to the west of Bottomboat Farm. My Father was born further up Bottomboat Lane in 1915 - his Father was one of the three signalmen who worked Stanley Station signal box at the time. I was born close to the line of the Croydon, Merstham and Godstone Iron Railway - Purley, Surrey - in 1950. So we have always had a family interest in these early railways. Regards Chris H

My vote goes to the Class 2 2-6-2T - which often seemed to punch above their weight. If the Co-Co diesels had got beyond just the two examples - before being morphed into other types in the mid 1950s onwards - my vote would have been different. Regards Chris H

Another vote for the J6 (LNER classification) here. Regards Chris H

Much as the C12 (LNER class) 4-4-2Ts and the later N1 0-6-2Ts were very good, my vote goes to the GNR C2 (LNER C1) "Large" Atlantic, which were very successful - especially when superheated. Regards Chris H

I think my vote has to go to the 'Dunalastair' 4-4-0s of 1896. They had a good reputation as big pullers and speed on difficult routes. Unfortunately the 4-6-0 contenders seem to have all been in small classes and mainly more stylish than really good worker - with perhaps the exception of the "Oban Bogie" class 55 4-6-0s which seem to have a good reputation. Regards Chris H

In terms of numbers built and longevity the Caledonian 294 / 711 class 0-6-0s were verd good. However, my vote still goes to the LSWR T9 4-4-0s, which i rate as the most successful design of Dugald Drummond - they were "Fliers" as first designed then further improved by the Urie superheating. Regards Chris H

As the Baltic tank was only limited to 20 locos and all scrapped by end 1942, it will have to be the "Crab" 2-6-0 which with 245 built just got on with their hard work for a good long life - with few problems. Regards Chris H

Two things: - The "Blue" Pacific locomotive pictured at Fairbourne in 15" gauge times is "Ernest W Twining" - named after its designer, who also designed the 2-4-2s "Sian" and "Katie". It is now in Japan - which some of us might feel is a shame, but at least it went to a good home. One of the best sources on the 15" gauge Fairbourne Railway and its stock is W. J. Milner's "Rails Through the Sands" (1996) - my copy of which is definitely a treasured volume. - Moving to the opposite side of England, The picture of the American style locomotiove in front of the water-tank is at AYLSHAM on the Bure Valley Railway (not Cleethorpes - which is quite a bit further north across the Wash). I don't have any of my own photographs in a suitable form to publish and provide the proof - but there are quite a number on the internet if you search for "Bure Valley Railway". Those photos make clear that the BVR water-tanks on sticks - there is another at Wroxham - are much larger than a standard 55 gallon drum, by a factor of at least 4x the volume. Sorry to be a pedant, but I thought it worh getting the story straight. Regards Chris H

In terms of successsfully doing the job they were built for - for an awfully long time - my vote goes to the GNR J14 (LNER J53) 0-6-0ST - especially the ones fitted with condensing apparatus for working over the Metropolitan Railway lines. Regards Chris H

My vote goes to the 4-6-2 "Superheater" tank locos - aka "The Prince of Wales Tanks". Regards Chris H

Another vote here for the 4P 2-6-4T as the most successful of the "Sir Henry Fowler" designs. Regards Chris H

And another vote for the S15 4-6-0. Regards Chris H

My vote goes to the beautiful and successful T9 4-4-0 - which brings back memories of seeing No 120 in the LSWR Urie lined light green livery running around circa 1960 - with much younger BR(s) green coaches (I think they were Bulleid types mainly?). The M7 tanks and "Black Motors" (Class 700 0-6-0s) were also rather marvellous, but the T9s took the lead as the successful "Fliers". Regards Chris H

"The Greenhowards" has said it all - I agree that the G5 and A6 tanks were rather good, but for good old-fashioned grunt delivered reliably for 60 years the J27 has my vote. Regards Chris H

Or like this? Regards Chris H