GWR Cathedral Class

Specifications
Specifications
Configuration:;
• Whyte	4-6-2
• UIC	2′C1′
Driver dia.	6 ft 6 in (1.981 m)
Boiler pressure	250 psi (1.7 MPa)
Cylinders	Four (two outside, two inside)
Cylinder size	16+1⁄4 in × 28 in (410 mm × 710 mm)

Type and origin
Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Designer	Frederick Hawksworth
Build date	Never built

GWR 8000 *Cathedral* Class
GWR 8000 Cathedral Class
Power type
Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Designer	Frederick Hawksworth
Build date	Never built
Configuration:;
Specifications
Configuration:;
• Whyte	4-6-2
• UIC	2′C1′
Driver dia.	6 ft 6 in (1.981 m)
Boiler pressure	250 psi (1.7 MPa)
Cylinders	Four (two outside, two inside)
Cylinder size	16+1⁄4 in × 28 in (410 mm × 710 mm)
Tractive effort
Performance figures
Tractive effort	40,300 lbf (179.26 kN)

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 8000 or Cathedral Class was a class of proposed 4-6-2 steam locomotive. This locomotive class would have been the GWR's second attempt at designing a 4-6-2 locomotive, following No. 111 The Great Bear.^[1]^[2]^[3]

History[edit]

Proposal[edit]

The proposal for the Cathedral Class was submitted by Frederick Hawksworth in 1941. It was designed for post-war rail traffic.^[1]

Design[edit]

The Cathedral Class would have featured similar features from other locomotives in the UK, such as having 4-cylinders, an all-new tender design from the Hall Class and 1000 County Class that would come years later, same pony truck from the King Class 4-6-0s, different trailing bogie design coming from the LMS Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 Pacifics and, the same body design from the LMS Princess Royal Class 4-6-2 Pacifics but designed with the smokebox from the GWR Star Class.^[2]

The locomotive was to have a boiler pressure of 250 psi (1.7 MPa).^[3] The locomotive's tractive effort was raised from 31,625 lbf (140.68 kN) on the Castle Class to 40,300 lbf (179 kN) on the Cathedral Class.^[3] The 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) driver diameter on the King Class was kept for the Cathedral Class.^[1]

In games[edit]

Caledonia Works made a model of the Cathedral Class for Train Simulator 2022, even writing their own history for the class.^[4]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c Griffiths (1987), pp. 46–48
^ ^a ^b Nock (1984), p. 51
^ ^a ^b ^c Jackson (2018), p. 175
^ "GWR 8000 Class "Cathedrals" | Caledonia Works". Caledonia Works. Retrieved 24 March 2022.

Bibliography[edit]

Griffiths, Denis (1987). Locomotive engineers of the GWR. Wellingborough: Stephens. pp. 46–48. ISBN 0-85059-819-2.
Jackson, Allen (2018). Great Western Railway Stars, Castles and Kings. Crowood Press. ISBN 978-1-78500-482-7.
Nock, Oswald Stevens (1984). Tales of the Great Western Railway - Informal Recollections of a Near-lifetime's Association with the Line. David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-8347-6.