Motive Power
The first trains were worked by City Class 4-4-0 steam locomotives, including 3433 City of Bath which worked the special demonstration train on June 30, 1904 that took the coaches down ready for the first public train the following day. Some trains in the early days were worked by larger 4-6-0 Saint Class locomotives.
1907 saw the introduction of Star Class 4-6-0s to the Cornish Riviera, which in turn were superseded by Castle Class 4-6-0s in 1924. Locomotives were usually changed at Plymouth, the train being worked through Cornwall by a local locomotive - a City or Duke class or later, a Hall Class 4-6-0. In 1927 the train became the responsibility of the new King Class 4-6-0s, but these were too heavy to cross the Royal Albert Bridge into Cornwall. In 1952 BR Britannia Class 4-6-2s worked the train west of Plymouth for a short period.
At various times visiting locomotives have been tested on this demanding roster. LNER A1 Class 4-6-2 4474 Victor Wild saw trials in 1925, and then in 1948 and 1955 ex-LMSR Princess Coronation Class 4-6-2s were similarly tried; on the second occasion the locomotive was 46237 City of Bristol. In 1956 the Kings were temporarily withdrawn for modifications, their place being taken on the Cornish Riviera by ex-LMSR Princess Royal and Princess Coronation class 4-6-2s 46207 Princess Arthur of Connaught, 46210 Lady Patricia, 46254 City of Stoke-on-Trent, and 46257 City of Salford.
In 1958 diesel traction took over on The Limited in the shape of the D600 Warships. These however were not sufficiently reliable and D800 Warships were working the train throughout by 1960. D1000 Western Class locomotives took over in 1964 but the D800s returned in 1968 - 1970, now working in pairs. Westerns were not fitted for electric train heating and so were replaced by Class 50 locomotives when air-conditioned Mk2 carriages were introduced in 1975 and although these were initially unnamed, they were soon given names of warships, some of which were once carried by the earlier Warship classes. Class 47 diesel-electrics also appeared from time to time throughout the 1970s.
The last locomotive hauled Cornish Riviera ran on 5 August 1979 hauled by 50039 Implacable; the following day High Speed Trains were introduced powered by Class 43 power cars. These HSTs continue to be used with very little change in formation or performance.
Read more about this topic: Cornish Riviera Express
Famous quotes containing the words motive and/or power:
“It was the feeling of a passenger on an ocean steamer whose mind will not give him rest until he has been in the engine-room and talked with the engineer. She wanted to see with her own eyes the action of primary forces; to touch with her own eyes the action of primary forces; to touch with her own hand the massive machinery of society; to measure with her own mind the capacity of the motive power. She was bent upon getting to the heart of the great American mystery of democracy and government.”
—Henry Brooks Adams (1838–1918)
“I swear by the mighty power of Amon-Ra, whose anger can shatter the world, and by the dread power of Set, that I will never betray my trust as High Priest of Karnak.”
—Griffin Jay, Maxwell Shane (1905–1983)