Murican

Was thinking. How many LNER W2 4-6-4s could we theoretically see being built? Assuming the same number of A4s are built and there are still 6 of the Gresley 4-8-2s. Also, if Peppercorn takes over in 1941 and not Thompson, could we see his proposed 4-8-2s instead of the Peppercorn Pacifics? Or maybe more B17s instead of the Thompson 4-6-0s?

Looks like if Riddles was more impressed with the V4. Looks perfect for the former GWR. Though loading gauge may tell me otherwise.

I also had a what-if idea where the USATC built and operate a 4-6-0 counterpart to first the Pershings then the S160. Naturally, my idea would include the post-war Southern region using them on goods work.

Does anyone know of any restrictions that would prevent certain engines from working on the former Great Central? I ask since I was thinking of either having my idea for the Gresley T2 4-8-0s or a new fictional Gresley design work there. Though IIRC, the Gresley T2s were apparently proposed for Scotland.

I was also thinking about my LNER 4-6-4 and 4-8-2s. Would there be room for the A3s beyond the East Coast mainline? Maybe on the Great Central? If so, what could the A4s do if displaced by W2s and I1s?

Not bad at British steam for a Yankee, am I?

Just a brain fart there is all. I could probably use studying British rail maps more often. -

Even going off all my ideas and what I know about how Modernization of BR may have gone better, something truly worth of thought is the idea of a Stanier 10MT hauling container trains from London to Crewe, with a 8MT tank assisting her on the Lickey Incline.

For the sake of all my ideas, let's say that Peppercorn is automatically named Gresley's successor in 1938. As a result, the Thompson engines are gone, but what engines would we get from Peppercorn instead?

Going off my ideas so far, I could not only imagine Stanier planning 2-8-2s and possibly 2-8-4s, but also Peppercorn planning his own I2 4-8-2s before Nationalization. As for the idea of more American war machines staying in Britain, I had the idea that some S160s and S200s could be used by the Southern Railway for post-war goods work before nationalization.

I did.

Going off everything that's been discussed so far, here are some ideas I had. I know some have proposed these ideas before, but chose to use some of them as is because in America where I live, bigger is seen as better. - The LBSC "Remembrance" engines being 4-6-0 tender engines from the beginning. Resulting in locomotives that resemble a 4-6-0 variation of the B4X with outside cylinders. - L&Y's Hughes 2-10-0 becoming a reality, alongside the GCR's Baldwin 2-10-2. In my world, they'd set precedent for larger British steamers in general, with Baldwin collaborating with Beyer Peacock to make more of the 2-10-2s. - During early LMS days, the Lemon 4-8-0 is built, albeit with a running board more akin to what'd later appear on Black Fives. This same engine gets a 4-8-4T counterpart, but neither are that popular. - The mid-1920s sees the construction of several 4-8-0s mainly for mineral traffic; those being the above LMS Lemons, LNER Gresley T2s, and Maunsell S16. - GWR's Cathedral engines are eventually built as 4-8-0s so that they'll have better adhesion than the 4-6-2 variation. - Stanier building 2-8-4T variations of the 8F, which are continued under BR to take over for GWR mineral tanks. - In addition to the above, Stanier builds his planned 9P 'Admiral' 4-6-4s and 10MT 'Empire' 4-8-4s. The former largely supplements Pacifics and 4-6-0s, while the 4-8-4 takes over the fastest freights. - Gresley is tasked with building first the W2 4-6-4s, then the six I1 4-8-2s to take over from most of the A Class Pacifics. - The Beyer Peacock T1 Class 0-6-0Ts, a modified design of the LBSC E2 that become common on British industrial lines, and even saw service on BR and the Continent after the war on all sorts of jobs like shunting and suburban trains. The ubiquity is what inspired the Reverend Awdry to base Thomas off them. - Inspired by the LNER P2 and I1 locomotives, the Southern agrees to Bulleid's original 4-8-2 vision for the Merchant Navy Class. Only they end up built after nationalization, and as a result have their Standard-esque look from the beginning. In addition, they'd also have four-wheel tenders. - BR decides to build the Duke of Gloucester as a 4-8-4 with a four-axle tender in an attempt to ape the Stanier 10MTs. Otherwise, its history is the same as real life.

Going off my other ideas. If the LMS and LNER of my universe are big enough for 4-8-2s and 4-8-4s, I'd also fancy the idea of USATC steamers on BR. Or maybe some alternate history where some Russian Decapods and Pershing 2-8-0s end up stuck in the UK... As for British locomotives, I also think the idea of a Colliet "Cathedral" 4-8-0 and a Bulleid 4-8-2 plans for the Merchant Navys being what's built in the end. I would normally share quite a few more rail ideas, but they're include some context for larger alternate history ideas.

Also, has anyone ever tried modelling what a Standard 6MT 4-6-0 would have looked like? Or maybe had some US-built "Pershing" 2-8-0s ever seen service on BR?

I think other people have mentioned an idea of an 8MT or 9MT tank engine based on the 8F and 9F respectively, but Railway Mania's Sudrian Spotlight series gave me an idea for if some railways actually converted some O8 locomotives into 2-8-4 tank engines. Even beyond that, I also fancied the idea of some 4-6-4T versions of the Black Five, which would theoretically replace the 4MT tanks in an alternate timeline.

Another idea I fancied (inspired by a Thomas the tank engine headcanon) would be for Beyer Peacock to create a tank engine in collaboration with the Southern that attempted to fix the key problems with the LBSC E2, like with a shorter wheelbase and bigger coal bunker, and extended side tanks. Think this art of Thomas himself:

Any knowledge of what their numbers would be?

As for the sixth one, would 'Great North of Scotland' work?

Going off all that's been said, sight to see may have been Stanier and Gresley 4-6-4s racing from London to Glasgow. With later supplementation then replacement by "Conqueror" 4-8-4s and I1 4-8-2s.

In that case, maybe the LNER could have named the "I1s" after LNER predecessors. Like 'Great Central' or 'North Eastern'.

Just a question, but does anyone know of any planned naming scheme for the proposed Stanier 4-8-4s or the Gresley 4-8-2s?

Another thing I found compelling are several ideas for 4-8-0s on DeviantArt that I found. I'm from America, which is a country whose railroads rarely used 4-8-0s either, so they always seem to entrance me somehow. The LNER Gresley T2: https://www.deviantart.com/miscmischief48/art/Goodwill-LNER-T2-No-9954-Robert-767094659 The GWR Colliet Cathedrals: https://www.deviantart.com/no1thomasfan2012/art/GWR-8000-Exeter-Cathedral-694498748

Does anyone have the pictures of the LNER 4-8-2 and LMS 4-8-4 Robin Barnes apparently painted? Or even some of the other designs he also painted? I was hoping to look at them for some personal projects of my own.