92203 ‘Black Prince’ - British Railways 9F class, built at Swindon in 1959. No 92203 is owned by the artist David Shepherd. After completing a two-year major overhaul in 2004 at the Flour Mill workshops in the Forest of Dean the locomotive has returned to the GWR for the foreseeable future although it occasionally visits other railways.

Photograph copyright Dave Robinson, 2000

Wheel arrangement:

2-10-0 (note that the centre driving wheels are flangeless, to allow curves to be negotiated)

Origin:

British Railways

Introduced:

1954 - the final British Railways steam locomotive design. 251 were built and sister locomotive 92220 ‘Evening Star’ (now at the National Railway Museum) was the last steam locomotive built by British Railways at Swindon in 1960.

Working weight:

142 tons

Water capacity:

5,000 gallons

Purpose:

Heavy freight. The 9Fs were the most powerful freight locomotives to run in the UK and could be found throughout the UK. 92203 was latterly used to handle iron ore trains for Consett steel works. However, when pressed into passenger work they were found to be capable of speeds of up to 80mph, despite their small (5ft diameter) driving wheels. All members of the class had been withdrawn by 1968, no. 92203 being purchased by David shepherd straight out of British Railways service. The locomotive was named 'Black Prince' that year.