Lot Essay
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY 'CASTLE' CLASS 4-6-0 NO. 4073 'CAERPHILLY CASTLE'
The GWR 'Castle' locomotives were arguably the best known and certainly the most numerous of a whole series of four-cylinder engines whose origins went back to the importation of three four-cylinder French compound 4-4-2s during 1903-5 (see Lot 75 - above). This model represents the first of the 'Castles', built in 1923 (the prototype of which is preserved in the British National Collection), but its conceptual origins are firmly grounded in the Churchward era.
In 1906, as well as continuing to develop the two-cylinder 'Saint' type, Churchward caused to be built, for additional comparison with the French imports, a four cylinder 4-4-2 locomotive (No.40) which used the de Glehn four-cylinder arrangement and layout but with the simple rather than compound expansion. Named North Star soon after its building, it proved to be a masterpiece and in 1907 gave its thematic name to an eventual 71 further examples, this time in 4-6-0 configuration, to which form No.40 was converted in 1909, taking the number 4000 at the head of the 'Star' list in 1912, the others being numbered 4001 and upwards. Their chosen names were far more eclectic in thematic terms and most were in service by 1914. However, at the turn of the grouping period (1922-23) a final dozen 'Stars' were to appear (nos. 4061-72, all named after Abbeys) and these were to lead directly to the 'Castles' in the same year. Indeed, the types were so alike that in due time, several 'Stars' were actually converted to 'Castles', including North Star itself in 1929.
The 'Castles' were conceived as enlarged 'Stars' with bigger boilers and cylinders. They had more spacious cabs and a few visible external differences (e.g. outside steam pipes) and their design is credited to C.B. Collett (in succession to Churchward), but essentially they were much the same in principle as the great man himself had advanced almost twenty years before. They were also something of a compromise with the civil engineers of the day in terms of their all-up weight and it was not until 1927 that the heavier and even more powerful 'Kings' were authorised. However, for the most part, there was little which a 'Castle' could not do and by the time of the formation of British Railways in 1948, they were undoubtedly the archetypal principal GWR express class. Building actually continued until 1950, British Railways adding thirty examples, bringing the eventual class total to 171 (including five rebuilt from 'Stars' and one rebuilt from the solitary GWR 4-6-2).
As offered, the model represents 'Caerphilly Castle' in its final pre-British Railways form with the larger high sided tender which all had received between 1926 and 1930, later examples having them from new. As such, it makes an interesting comparison with the preserved prototype which has been coupled to the original pattern of smaller tender.
The GWR 'Castle' locomotives were arguably the best known and certainly the most numerous of a whole series of four-cylinder engines whose origins went back to the importation of three four-cylinder French compound 4-4-2s during 1903-5 (see Lot 75 - above). This model represents the first of the 'Castles', built in 1923 (the prototype of which is preserved in the British National Collection), but its conceptual origins are firmly grounded in the Churchward era.
In 1906, as well as continuing to develop the two-cylinder 'Saint' type, Churchward caused to be built, for additional comparison with the French imports, a four cylinder 4-4-2 locomotive (No.40) which used the de Glehn four-cylinder arrangement and layout but with the simple rather than compound expansion. Named North Star soon after its building, it proved to be a masterpiece and in 1907 gave its thematic name to an eventual 71 further examples, this time in 4-6-0 configuration, to which form No.40 was converted in 1909, taking the number 4000 at the head of the 'Star' list in 1912, the others being numbered 4001 and upwards. Their chosen names were far more eclectic in thematic terms and most were in service by 1914. However, at the turn of the grouping period (1922-23) a final dozen 'Stars' were to appear (nos. 4061-72, all named after Abbeys) and these were to lead directly to the 'Castles' in the same year. Indeed, the types were so alike that in due time, several 'Stars' were actually converted to 'Castles', including North Star itself in 1929.
The 'Castles' were conceived as enlarged 'Stars' with bigger boilers and cylinders. They had more spacious cabs and a few visible external differences (e.g. outside steam pipes) and their design is credited to C.B. Collett (in succession to Churchward), but essentially they were much the same in principle as the great man himself had advanced almost twenty years before. They were also something of a compromise with the civil engineers of the day in terms of their all-up weight and it was not until 1927 that the heavier and even more powerful 'Kings' were authorised. However, for the most part, there was little which a 'Castle' could not do and by the time of the formation of British Railways in 1948, they were undoubtedly the archetypal principal GWR express class. Building actually continued until 1950, British Railways adding thirty examples, bringing the eventual class total to 171 (including five rebuilt from 'Stars' and one rebuilt from the solitary GWR 4-6-2).
As offered, the model represents 'Caerphilly Castle' in its final pre-British Railways form with the larger high sided tender which all had received between 1926 and 1930, later examples having them from new. As such, it makes an interesting comparison with the preserved prototype which has been coupled to the original pattern of smaller tender.