BR Standard Class 7 facts for kids
The BR Standard Class 7, also known as the Britannia Class, was a special type of steam locomotive used by British Railways. These powerful engines were designed to handle both passenger trains and freight (goods) trains. Fifty-five of these locomotives were built between 1951 and 1954.
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Meet the Britannia Steam Locomotives
The Britannia Class locomotives were designed by Robert Riddles. They were known as "4-6-2" engines. This number describes their wheels: four small wheels at the front, six large driving wheels in the middle, and two small wheels at the back. This design helped them run smoothly and pull heavy loads.
Why Were They Built?
Before these engines were designed, British Railways tested many different types of locomotives in 1948. This helped them figure out the best features for new engines. The Britannia Class was one of the first new types of locomotives built after these tests. They were made to be good at many different jobs. This is why they were called "mixed traffic" engines.
Where Were They Built?
All 55 Britannia Class locomotives were built at the Crewe Works factory. This was a famous place for building trains. They were built before a big plan in 1955 to update Britain's railways. The locomotives were given numbers from 70000 to 70054.
Images for kids
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70045 Lord Rowallan with LMS-style buffers.
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70015, without nameplates.
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Basingstoke
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With Golden Arrow
