Great Western, County Classes - The Churchward 4-4-0s, 4-4-2 Tanks...

Great Western, County Classes - The Churchward 4-4-0s, 4-4-2 Tanks and Hawksworth 4-6-0s

The Great Western Railway had two classes of tender locomotives named after counties. The first class of two cylinder 4-4-0 tender locomotives, designed by George Jackson Churchward, were introduced in the 1900s to provide efficient motive power, including lines on the 'North & West' route between Hereford and Shrewsbury, owned jointly by the Great Western and L.N.W.R.

The 4-4-0 counties were in service until the early 1930s, when they were withdrawn and replaced by more modern motive power.

The 4-4-0 counties, were paralleled in design by the county 4-4-2 tanks, which operated suburban services in the London area and were also withdrawn in the early 1930s.

In 1945, the Great Western introduced the County 4-6-0 tender locomotives, designed by F W Hawksworth. These two cylinder machines had a high pressure boiler that was meant to give the same tractive effort as a Castle class 4-6-0 four cylinder locomotive,

After modifications and boiler pressure reduction, the County class 4-6-0s operated in express and semi fast train service, until the last members of the class were withdrawn in 1964.