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GWR scratch build 4-6-2 what if? “The Palace Class”
A Poppywood Branchline original designed and scratch built from a Lima King body, a Triang Princess chassis, and a Triang Castle tender: (forgive me for the emerald green it was unfortunately all I had in the shed 🤣, but it added to the lore that it was a special color for a special class of locomotive.)
Forged in the drawing offices of Swindon Works and imagined as the Great Western Railway’s ultimate 4-6-2 express engine, the Palace Class combines classic GWR elegance with raw mainline power.With towering 6-foot driving wheels, a wide Belpaire firebox, and a mechanically assisted stoker beneath the cab floor, the design was built for sustained high-speed running across the Western Region’s heavy express routes.Finished in an intentionally distinct deep emerald green with copper-capped chimney and polished brasswork, the Palace Class captures everything that made Swindon steam legendary: precision engineering, graceful proportions, and effortless speed.A locomotive that looks as if it should have existed — and perhaps should have ruled the metals from Paddington to Plymouth.#GWR #SteamLocomotive #RailwayHistory #SwindonWorks #GreatWesternRailway #SteamEngine #TrainArt #LocomotiveDesign #Engineering #RailwayPhotography
