South Devon Railway Eagle class

Eagle

Power type	Steam
Designer	Daniel Gooch
Builder	Stothert, Slaughter, Grunning & Co.
Configuration	4-4-0ST
Gauge	7 ft 0¼ in
Leading wheel size	3 ft 6 in
Driver size	5 ft 6 in
Wheelbase	18 ft 0 in
Cylinder size	16½ in dia × 24 stroke
Career	South Devon Railway
Class	Eagle

The Eagle class were sixteen 4-4-0 saddle tank broad gauge locomotives operated on the South Devon Railway, Cornwall Railway and associated adjacent railways. They were designed for passenger trains on this steep and sharply curved line but were also used on goods trains when required.

They were ordered by Evans, Walker and Gooch who were contracted to operate the locomotives for both the railways. They were designed by Daniel Gooch a development of his earlier Comet class with slightly smaller wheels and larger tanks containing 1,100 gallons, a 37.5% increase, and built by Stothert, Slaughter, Grunning and Company.

From 1 July 1866 the locomotives were bought by the South Devon Railway, after which they were operated as a combined fleet over both railways, but they continued to be accounted to their original owner. On 1 February 1876 the South Devon Railway was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway, the locomotives were given numbers by their new owners but continued to carry their names too.

Locomotives

South Devon Railway

• Antelope (1859 - 1884) GWR no. 2114

Named after the swift animal, antelope.

• Dart (1863 - 1885) GWR no. 2119

Dart hauled the first train on the Launceston and South Devon Railway on 1 June 1865 with Giraffe.

The locomotive was named after the dart missile.

• Giraffe (1859 - 1877) GWR no. 2112

Giraffe hauled the first train on the Launceston and South Devon Railway on 1 June 1865 with Dart.

The locomotive was named after the animal, giraffe.

• Hawk (1859 - 1886) GWR no. 2108

Named after the bird of prey, hawk.

• Hector (1860 - 1892) GWR no. 2117

Named after the Greek mythological character, Hector.

• Lion (1859 - 1883) GWR no. 2113

Named after the powerful animal, lion.

• Tiger (1860 - 1884) GWR no. 2116

Named after the powerful animal, tiger.

Cornwall Railway

• Castor (1865 - 1882) GWR no. 2121

Named after the Greek mythological character' Castor, it had originally intended to be named Fal after the River Fal.

• Cato (1863 - 1877) GWR no. 2118

Cato was a name shared by many famous romans.

• Eagle (1859 - 1876) GWR no. 2106

Named after the bird of prey, eagle.

• Elk (1859 - 1877) GWR no. 2107

Just two days after the opening of the railwayElk was derailed near St Germans and fell off Grove viaduct with fatal consequences.

The locomotive was named after the animal, elk.

• Gazelle (1859 - 1865) GWR no. 2110

Named after the swift animal, gazelle.

• Lynx (1859 - 1876) GWR no. 2109

Named after the strong animal, lynx.

• Mazeppa (1859 - 1885) GWR no. 2111

Named after an epic poem, Mazeppa by Lord Byron.

• Pollux (1865 - 1892) GWR no. 2120

Named after the Greek mythological character, Pollux, it had originally been intended to be named Tamar after the River Tamar.

• Wolf (1859 - 1878) GWR no. 2115

Named after the strong animal, wolf.

References

• Waters, Laurence (1999). The Great Western Broad Gauge. ISBN ISBN 0-906867-90-8. 
• Beck, Keith and Copsey, John (1990). The Great Western in South Devon. Didcot: Wild Swan Publications. ISBN 0-901115-32-0. 
• (1953) The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, Part 2: Broad Gauge. Rugeley: The Railway Correspondence and Travel Society. ISBN 0-906867-90-8. 
• Gregory, R H (1982). The South Devon Railway. Salisbury: The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-286-2. 
• Railway company records at The National Archives