The absolutely beautiful Great Northern Railway No. 1 on display at The National Railway Museum, York. The loco is probably the peak of British locomotive builder's obsession with form over function. The elegant curves, the perfect symmetry of the chimney, cylinders and bogie and the paddlebox are all features of this famous engine designed by Patrick Stirling in 1870. With its massive 8' 1" diameter single driving wheel, the loco was able to achieve very high speeds because of the resulting low piston sliding speeds. If you are interested, click HERE to see a photo of a preserved LNWR 2-2-2 loco with an 8'6" single driving wheel!
