British Steam Trains | Smallest to Largest! 

14:28 The coach nearly derailed as it almost tipped over.

11:44 The Gresley A1s were a pre-grouping design and were classified 7P by BR.

British locomotives look so stylish and efficient, great video as always!

Please review the Bachmann 36-151 Plasser OWB10 with crane, Hattons have 2 in stock now. :)

Despite it being made for freight, the Evening Star and it's fellow 9F's do look great with a rake of coaches!

I enjoyed this video very much indeed, Sam. A very informative overview of British steam loco sizes, a subject of which I was completely ignorant. More, please!

Just to mention, the SR Schools Class is a 5P And anything Southern could be considered all mixed traffic, as said Schools class have be used to haul freight trains when there's nothing else to use (and mostly at night, can't have the passengers seeing lovely express engines pulling goods!), but Terriers were often used for freight trains on smaller lines as either nothing else about or nothing else could run on those lines. Great video as always Sam!

British steam locos have a nice range of sizes. :)

Excellent video Sam. It was a great idea to show these engines and showing what the real things were capable of. Also, the scene at 6:14 had the 2Ps tender derailed, and I just thought that was funny to point out.

San, The cab on your 2P is way out of alignment

One of the thngs I like about this channel is that I always learn something new. This time was the British Classification System. Thanks, Sam.

5:19 The system was originally developed by the Midland Railway, then adopted by LMS and BR in slightly modified forms following the grouping and later nationalisation.

Theoretically, if Gresley's P2 locomotives were kept to BR era instead of getting rebuilt by Thompson, it would receive power classification of 8MT, which would be the only one of its kind. Also, LNER P1 with its boosters is said to be the first locomotive in Britain to reach the 9F standard. The two P1 locomotives were scrapped right after WW2 and would never see BR operations.

Thanks Sam, really enjoyed this video and learn something as well!

Wonderful. The sheer intricate quintessentialness of the British steamers has again been demonstrated by this superb line up. Just imagine that we could see them all arranged like this in real life...

I'm wondering if the difference in classification for passenger s and freight has something to do with pulling power versus speed. The classification for passengers might be with lower criteria for pulled weight, but higher ones for speed.

excellent run through of the steam locomotives... Great 2P loved this video Sam

Loved the video today Sam really interesting to hear about them locomotives

The Caledonian Railway 264 Class or "pug" was a 0F locomotive and was often seen with a homemade tender, so could technically be an 0 class tender locomotive?

Wow wonderful video! I loved the explanation and obviously the beautiful trains

this is an amazing and very organized video xD! well done Sam you never fail to impress me -Charlie

Been awhile but im back! Awesome video, just like i remembered 👍

Great video Sam. Definitely do the freight classification too please. I'm stuck for a 2f on my layout so it'll be interesting to see. Cheers... keep up the great work 👍

Your videos are almost always the best! And now the f or the mt version!

A very interesting video. The great range of size power and livery’s is amazing. That is why I am so interested in British railways so much more interesting than ours in America.

Great video - love the loco line-up

14:29 the coach wanted to tip but the loco wouldn't let it

You need to take into account carriage sizes and weights which accelerated into the 1930's. What you consider to be a 2P Midland 4-4-0 would easily be pulling a rake of 7+ coaches on an express train. When the 1930’s brought about the speed challenge LMS - LNER not only did you know see the A4’s & Coronations, they were pulling carriages that were twice the size of the 1920’s and they were also twice the weight!

The reason for the different numbers is that the power thresholds were tested at 50mph for passenger locos, but 25mph for freight. That's why you get the 5P4F - different tests. If the numbers happened to match for both they were called 5MT. Excellent video - brilliant idea!

Excellent review, informative and entertaining.

Awesome video I can’t wait to see the next video

The funny thing is that the 9F would be considered middling in the United States. Most of the American locos you have reviewed have higher tractive efforts than the 9F. There are even those--like the Yellowstone, Allegheny/Blue Ridge, and Big Boy--being equal to nearly four 9Fs. Just as a note: if you ever look into a Yellowstone or any other Minnesota Iron Range locomotive, that the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway is pronounced "Duh-LOOTH Miss-AH-bee" (/dəˈluθ mɪˈsɑbi/ in IPA.)

I've been looking for a model of the unique, little-seen and possibly mythical (?) BR loco that apparently carried a Classification which was turned all the way up to "Class 11". I believe it was called "the Spinal Tap"...

The BR 9F was actually used frequently as a passenger locomotive on the Somerset and Dorset as suitable power for the winding and steep route. Well known as motive power on "The Pines Express". As such it could well have been classed as MT. Great video Sam.

Hey Sam I just got a 0F BR pug for my layout and it’s really nice thanks for that review like a year ago :)

Now do one for diesel classifications from smallest to largest, I think BR had a classification for diesels based on performance and size as well.

Lovely engines! Great video!

I went to the railfans weekend at the Huckleberry Railroad today, I rode the train, saw several train layouts and went on a tour of the restoration shops, and they have a new diesel engine #12

The WR still used the GWR Route Classification disc's on their ex GWR loco's up until they were withdrawn, rather than the 'BR System'. Even some of the BR Standards running on the Western Region had the Route Classification discs.

The p2 would have been classified as 9p if they'd have survived into br ownership

Nice evolution of locomotives from 0P-9F! This goes to show how impressive these upgrades are!

Thanks for uploading this video. It explaines the classificaton system the british steam locos. Thanks fore explainng the difrent classes of steam locos. 👍👍👍🇸🇪👍👍

Hi Sam, Nice review, made things a bit clearer, , more please, All the Best Brian 🤗

Nothing like to make a sams trains video to make my birthday better! (And yes it is my birthday today)

Great episode really enjoyed

PRINCESS CORONATION, 9F, CRAB, FOWLER TANK, LORD NELSON JUBILEE, SUPERB PURE class, thank you Sam. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️🚄🚅🐖

Hey Sam @ 5:16 - I've got the very same Loco!!! Very informative Sam Thanks 🙂🚂🚂🚂

In general, passenger locos - usually due to their larger wheels - were rated lower for freight than passenger work, where both power levels were listed. For example, the A4 was an 8P/6F

Fun fact about power classification: In the case of some steam locomotives, like the SR Q1s (5F or 5FA), there is another letter beside the F. There are two letters: A and B. They meant to represent the low power range or high power range of the power class (that is how weak or powerful they are on the same power class). I’m not sure which one’s which but this is a very special and interesting fact that I can share in this comment section.

The D11 62677 Edie Ochiltree was a Gresley built loco of the GCR Robinson "Improved Director" design for work in Scotland. All 24 where built including this one, Gresley know a good existing locomotive design when he saw one.

Interesting video well explained and demonstrated..

Great video. I think it's OK to include the 9f. They were used on passenger services on the S&D. Evening Star pulled the last Pines Express. Cheers Paul.

The Evening Star wasn't the only 9F on passenger service; apparently they were used often on the Somerset and Dorset, and were used on other lines as substitutes when the usual Pacifics weren't available.

Great video. Absolutely adore that unstreamlined princess coronation, what a beauty

Haven't been on this channel since 2017. It's been a nice return 🙂

Lovely video Sam.😎😎

Amazing video 👌

very well made video!!

British steam locomotives are by far and way the best in the world for me! Great video!

A very interesting video Sam..nice one. Evening Star, even though it only had a short working life of 5 years..1960 - 65..never worked a freight train.

9:55 I wish I could have seen a Black 5 today, quite a splendid engine

Freight locos often had higher power classifications because of their small driving wheels making them more powerful. The most obvious example is the 5MT and 8F which are near identical locos apart from their wheel arrangement.

Interesting and slightly different idea for a video Sam, I like it. The exact criteria for the power classification was different for freight and passenger locos, I think the speed for the TE was different, so a 4P isn’t directly comparable to a 4F. I seem to remember that the 9 was created especially for the 9F to emphasise the power of the new class.

What an interesting idea… thanks for that, I learnt something

2:41 sams trains turns to good mythical morning

The Big Boy would be classified as a 30F because of the big size and the long freight trains it hauls, imagine if he joins in this group! 😂

There is a terric mistake with the Johnson 4-4-0. These were express engines designed to pull 7+ carriages pre grouping. Not double bogie heavy weight carriages of the 1930-40's!

Some quite nice looking engines there sam.

Cool video and cool trains

If you ever consider doing a video like this with freight locomotives, here are 10 locomotives I'd choose if I were you: 0F: LMS Pug 1F: Midland 1F 2F: LMS Ivatt class 2 (It's a 2MT in the BR era, but back in LMS days it was a 2F, so take it or leave it) 3F: LMS Jinty 4F: Fowler 4F 5F: LNER J39 6F: LNER Q6 7F: S&DJR 7F 8F: LMS 8F 9F: BR 9F

I like how British trains have letters and numbers in their name like it's so cool

Hope you do this type of video again it is great.

"Steamies may get up to tricks but diesels are much stronger" Very interesting and an amazing video as usual Keep up the great work -TC5

hi Sam, another great vid. The power rating number was not just power it also indicated the brake rating. The 0P Terrier was very powerful so could be a 2P but had a poor braking system that could not stop a train needing 2P brakes, so hence the 0 rating

Thanks Sam this was very helpful and although it seems obvious now, I didn’t know. I don’t call myself the model railway noob for nothing 😎. I literally started my interest in June 2018 when I built a child’s Thomas layout and enjoyed it. Now I have built up quite a collection.

I really enjoyed this! Being an American I never understood what those numbers meant. In a way though it is similar to how diesels in the states we were classified, such as the EMDs “F” series that used a “P” (as in EMD FP7) to signify they were a bit longer to accommodate steam heating for the passenger cars. Thanks for the video as always!

Just one word before talking about the subjet : my J27 had the same problem as yours on arrival : chimney not fitted...AS a bonus, I have the folding footplate between the engine and the tender to put back on, but no problems with the coupling rods. Seems Oxford Rail might have to change his manufacturer later due to quality issues... Great idea your viedo on power classification, I can give you another idea : why not one by type of wheelsets ? See the difference bitween a Mugl and a Pacific, what is an Atlantic or a Prairie, this kind of stuff if you wish. By the way, nice video today, I love it !

Excellent as always. How about a video on actual weight v pulling power of model loco's ?

That is so spectacular

Hey Sam! I’m back to your channel after a while. Also this video sounds really interesting :D

There were several reasons for different power classifications for passenger and freight. Freight was largely unbraked (unfitted) early on, so a loco that didn't weigh much wouldn't have much stopping power, regardless of its hauling capability. As a consequence of unfitted trains, freight was also restricted in speed - typical 40 mph. This allowed freight locos to have smaller driving wheels, giving a loco more torque but lower top speed. Passenger locos on the other hand, had larger driving wheels (like the Stirling Single). in order to give a higher top speed. Also, for Passenger work, locos had to be fitted with a vacuum pipe system, and heater pipes (steam) for train heating. This means that most freight locos couldn't haul passengers "even if they could". They could however, still serve as banking engines for passenger trains.

Superb video and hugely educational, well done. Any chance you could point me in the direction of the alternative power source you used in the Hornby HM 6000 video. 3 months and still no sign of one in the post, close to needing sedation 😂. Thanks in advance, Gordon

Love the video, though I have one little thing to add. Though the 9F's were classified as freight engines, they were a rather common site on heavy express trains. The S&D used them for their expresses and some depots had 9F's on stand-by in case an express engine failed. They didn't commonly pull the top link services like the Flying Scotsman or the Royal Scot, but they didn't shy away from named expresses and weren't slouches in speed.

The 9F was the biggest to run on British railways, but it was a tiddler compared British-built steam locos for export. Beyer Peacock built 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratts in the 1950s for East African Railways that were twice as long, twice as heavy, and twice as powerful as 9Fs. A wonderful bit of British railway heritage that most railway fans in the UK don't know about. Sadly.

Brilliant as always although has confused me even more as to what loco's to buy first

Not sure if you have a GWR Star class Sam, but they were classified 5P when they entered BR service. Great video, as always

That little 1P is a stunner

Nice video took a lot of work to put this together

Thanks Sam !

9F's regularly ran passenger trains on the Somerset and Dorset

Hi Sam, I am starting a model railway and I need a solid dcc steam locomotive. I have 5 diesels 2 of which are dcc and I would like to put chips in the other three. Can you recommend a solid steam dcc loco please

the terriour is just the right size for me sam nice and small but i would not mind a powerful 9f loco thx ben :)

There is no surprise that CME Robert Riddles came from the LMS so, the decision to adopt the LMS power classification makes sense.

The system originated with the Midland Railway and so was taken up by the LMS and then later by BR. The classification was based on the power output represented by a locomotive's tractive effort at 50 mph (passenger locomotives) or 25 mph (goods locomotives). This is the continuous tractive effort and is much lower than the starting tractive effort which is the figure usually quoted in technical publications. Also explains why some Locomotives had different passenger and freight classifications. Eg 5P4F Other railways did not use the system. Non LMS types only gained a classification in BR days if they survived in service that long.. Eg no Stirling Single classification. Not at all a locomotive class since the classification was not unique to a class.

10:04 Do you have a Star or a King Arthur (LWSR N15)? I believe they were both 5Ps used designed mainly for passenger work. Of course, many express passenger locos were used on freight work later in their lives, and as a result aquired a freight power classification. The A4s for instance were 8P6F.

The GWR also had a power classification that used colored circles that sometimes had symbols in them

Now you should compare the power classes of American steam locomotives to British versions. Say a 9f vs the big boy

You still need to review the heljan gwr railway. I have seen videos of it and it looks ok.

There was a couple of locos you could of chosen for 8p theres the kings coronations princess royal and the most powerful Express loco in Britain is the lner p2s with 44,000 pounds in traction effort great video

LMS Jubilee was orginally 5XP, then became 6P. if you have a BR Clan , that is also a 6P!