GWR Rover Class
Design and development
The Iron Duke class of 1847, with their 8 ft 0 in driving wheels, had been the GWR's premier broad-gauge express engines for over two decades. As their original boilers wore out, Gooch — and after him William Dean — rebuilt them as effectively new engines, retaining the wheel arrangement but with new frames, larger boilers, and modernised motion. The first rebuild was Iron Duke itself in 1871, and 24 rebuilt or new "Rover class" engines followed between 1871 and 1888.
Service and withdrawals
The Rovers worked the GWR's premier broad-gauge expresses — Paddington–Bristol, Paddington–Plymouth, the West of England trains — until the abolition of the broad gauge in May 1892. The famous "Last Day of the Broad Gauge" on 20 May 1892 saw Rover-class engines hauling the last express trains on the 7 ft 0¼ in gauge. All were scrapped within months of withdrawal — none were preserved, a serious loss to British railway preservation.
A non-working full-size replica of Iron Duke was built at Swindon in 1985 for the GWR 150th anniversary and is displayed at STEAM Swindon.
Identification features
Broad-gauge 4-2-2 with 8 ft 0 in driving wheels, leading 4-wheel bogie, inside cylinders, large domeless boiler with brass safety valve cover. Polished brass and copper fittings, GWR holly green livery.
Notable locomotives
- Iron Duke (1871 rebuild — replica at STEAM Swindon)
- Rover, Lord of the Isles, Great Britain (1871–88, not preserved)