The steam locomotives of British Railways were used by British Railways over the period 1948–1968. The vast majority of these were inherited from its four constituent companies, the "Big Four".
In addition, BR built 2537 steam locomotives in the period 1948–1960, 1538 to pre-nationalisation designs and 999 to its own standard designs. These locomotives had short lives, some as little as five years against a design life of over 30 years, because of the decision to end the use of steam traction by 1968.
Read more about Steam Locomotives Of British Railways: Background, Locomotives Inherited From Constituent Companies, Classification, Locomotives Acquired From The War Department, Locomotives Built By BR To Big Four Designs, BR 'Standard' Classes, Liveries, Withdrawal, Vale of Rheidol Finale, Preservation
Famous quotes containing the words steam, locomotives, british and/or railways:
“If Steam has done nothing else, it has at least added a whole new Species to English Literature ... the bookletsthe little thrilling romances, where the Murder comes at page fifteen, and the Wedding at page fortysurely they are due to Steam?
And when we travel by electricityif I may venture to develop your theorywe shall have leaflets instead of booklets, and the Murder and the Wedding will come on the same page.”
—Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (18321898)
“The flower-fed buffaloes of the spring
In the days of long ago,
Ranged where the locomotives sing
And the prairie flowers lie low:”
—Vachel Lindsay (18791931)
“If this creature is a murderer, then so are we all. This snake has killed one British soldier; we have killed many. This is not murder, gentlemen. This is war.”
—Administration in the State of Sout, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“There is nothing in machinery, there is nothing in embankments and railways and iron bridges and engineering devices to oblige them to be ugly. Ugliness is the measure of imperfection.”
—H.G. (Herbert George)