What improved?
Ten coupled driving wheels spread the weight and helped the engine grip the rails. The centre pair had no flanges, helping the long wheelbase negotiate curves.
THE ENGINE ROOM / 15
Small parts. Big discoveries.
A little steam. A clever machine. Let’s see what makes it move.
ON THE WORKBENCH2-10-0 · Heavy freight1960 · 2-10-0 · Heavy freight
Explore the steam history timeline
3D MODEL
Evening StarShown as green No. 92220. Five coupled axles, two outside cylinders and the flangeless centre driving wheels distinguish the 9F layout.
Drag to turn · Scroll or pinch to zoom · Right-drag or two-finger drag to panTap a part to discover it
Ready when you are
FROM THE HISTORICAL RECORD · 1960 · 2-10-0 · Heavy freight
THE ENGINE’S STORYMeet Evening Star
Evening Star was completed at Swindon in 1960. It was the last steam locomotive built by British Railways. Unlike a racing express engine, this powerful 9F was designed mainly to pull heavy goods trains.
Original, replica or teaching model?
Read the source Shown as green No. 92220. Five coupled axles, two outside cylinders and the flangeless centre driving wheels distinguish the 9F layout.
How did life change?
Goods trains carried coal, food and materials. Diesel and electric engines gradually took over, changing railway jobs and skills.
In the archive
Select a photograph to look closer. Captions distinguish originals, replicas and related examples.
BR Standard 9F No. 92220 Evening Star approaching Leaton with the Welsh Marches Pullman, 21 May 1983.
David Ingham from Bury, Lancashire, England · CC BY-SA 2.0Archive record ↗
YOUR NEXT DISCOVERY
Look closer. Have a go. Find out.Think like an engineer.
The freight planner
Build a freight train for three routes. Heavy loads need more grip, especially when the line climbs.
Order 1: Level line. Deliver exactly 10 load units. The route limit is 13. Tap wagons to add or remove them.
No timer. Try as often as you like. These puzzles explain ideas; they are not instructions for operating a real engine.