The steam engine built to do nothing but push - Big "Emma" Bertha 

"We must push little kart. PUSH!" - Heavy weapons guy, 2007

It’s such a shame she wasn’t preserved. She would’ve stood out big time among the preservation movement, be it in a museum or running on a heritage line.

I've always admired the strength that Big Bertha had during her time. The fact that she went up and down Lickey over 2000 times just proves that she will always hold the title of the only engine to not be tricked by the Lickey Incline's trick.

I'm sad that big Bertha wasn't preserved until today But I get it,it was used as a banker and a banker only, she has a place in our hearts

I like the tender cab it had. Surprising not too many locomotives had that.

I'm surprised no one has tried to build a replica. It would fit perfectly into the National Railway Museum as a piece of history.

Well, Bertha was always lovely machine, either locomotive or machine.

*Ten big wheels do roll her along* *Just a working girl on the Lickey* *Bertha's the name, in the hall of fame* *she was the only one of her kind* *the first and last on her line* -big bertha, Dave Goulder

A machine was designed to do exactly one thing, and it did that one thing well. That actually describes quite a lot of modern machinery.

"We should take Bikini Bottom, and PUSH it somewhere else!"

The steam equivalent of a powerlifter.

Bertha was loved by everyone. People would come from all over the world just to see her

_I hear that background music, I bet you weren't expecting someone who'd WATCHED THE SHOW AS A CHILD, DID YA?_ That was a really pleasant surprise for a very nice video, perfect for my train of thought to catch on!

Fascinating! I have visited the Lickey Hills on a number of occasions - but never been near the railway line. This is a piece of historic interest for anybody with a love of trains!

What impeccable timing, I was just listening to Dave Goulder's song "Big Bertha" about the same engine last night!

Bertha is one of my favorite steam locomotive for this exact reason

It’s a real shame that this one of a kind loco was scrapped! A very interesting video - thank you 🙂

Loving the theme use of the often forgotten children's classic "Bertha"

I have good memories of Bertha, watching her at Blackwell station with school mate’s, the driver always tooted to us on the way up and back down, was a sad day when she stopped working, she was a huge locomotive and one of a kind. A pity she wasn’t saved for preservation, probably because she wasn’t the prettiest of locomotives also she retired a lot earlier than other preserved locos, but still a shame.

"Bertha, lovely Bertha. You are a lovely machine. And anyone who works with you will know just what I mean.."

Again, unbelievably fitting use of music! The Bertha theme song REALLY suits her.

Good thing her doctor didnt forbid her from pushing

The fact that you added the “Bertha” song is just great

Good video as always, but just one point I want to make- The town of Derby, where the major railway works is, is pronounced "Darby"

Bertha was a cool engine, always would love to see a model of her... Love the Bertha theme in the background as well.

forgive me if i'm wrong, but that is a seriously impressive working life. i did a quick calculation, according to wikipedia, the lickey incline, where big bertha worked, was 3.2 kilometres long, meaning, at the very most, she went up and down that incline over her working life some 421,877 times. she worked roughly 13,514 days (37 years). if thats the case, and mind you i know this is too many, but still. she went up and down that incline about 32 times per day

As an aside,Big Emma,was actually based off the Italian Railways,Plancher Compounds,and they did fairly well,on home grounds too! And since Italy is loaded with some fairly heavy gradients,they were rather common! Of course the Midland had much experience with Compounds,as there main passenger engine,was the 4-4-0,900 series Compound,plus the protype,number 1000,and it's successors! Anyway,thank you for the forum!! Thank you 😊!

Somehow, I knew you'd do a video with Bertha. But still, quite an impressive mileage for her. Traveling up and down the Lickey incline presumably 209,000 times!

That would be neat if Big Bertha was preserved in a museum.

Whilst Lickey Bank is steep it was never the steepest adhesion worked incline in regular use. That honour was shared by the Ballochney Incline and the Causeway End Incline, both of which were 1 in 23 compared to the Lickey's 1 in 37. Both of these Scottish inclines lost their passenger services in 1st May 1930.

Yeah, Big Bertha could break records with its torque, but the 9F’s could do the work in a similar manner AND could pull passenger trains up to 90mph consistently.

Man I wish bertha could have been preserved. She would look amazing in a museum display

you know, something i find amazing about the stories told on this channel, is that they often have *morals*

curious video, cool engine. Have you considered covering the uintah narrow gauge railway? Just saying, 7% inclines and 60° curves, with articulated steam engines on narrow gauge.

I'd just noticed that you put Mainland's 'Bertha' theme in the background! A very nice touch, good sir!

so sad this loco was not saved hope fully same one builds a new one great video 🚂👍

Definitely a different concept, but interesting none the less

Nice background music. Glad to see that somebody else remembers that brilliant TV Show.

Talk about a tale, bummer that she didn't get preserved, but at least she isn't forgotten

I was lucky enough to have a cab ride up and down the bank in 1956 (just in time!) I was only 11 years old! magnificent experience.Alton Towers, eat your heart out

Just like Edward and Bertha,they very good in back engine

Thank you Bertha/Emma for all your hard work! Thanks for bringing this loco to light.

she would of been given the power classification of 9f if she ever did get one

Bertha, lovely Bertha. You are a lovely machine….

“Bertha lovely Bertha, you are a lovely machine...”

The Bertha theme at the end was just too perfect

The older I get, the more I see of people - the more I love good dogs and old machinery.

If you can only do one thing, then make sure no one can do it better.

Bertha, lovely Bertha. Good choice of background music.

Very interesting and love that you used the theme tune from “Bertha”

Steepest section of main line track, the Cromford and High Peak Railway had a 1 in 14 gradient regularly worked by steam locomotives, even if with only 3 wagons in tow

The proverbial “Brick House” by the Commodores equivalent of train engines. Ironically, the standardized X-X-X wheel configuration naming convention is compatible with the Bust x Waist x Hips measurement referenced in the song. 🤔😜

Another excellent one! Great stuff.

That back ground music 🎶 so good.

love this engine, very unique

Bertha. What a lovely machine.

Oh bertha. What a lovely machine.

this is basically the heavy from tf2 but in train form. Epik B)

the Bertha theme song in the background made me laugh

I love just listening to your voice...

The Big Bertha theme was a nice touch!

having the theme for the bertha show really suited the video

Love the Bertha theme in the background!!

Northern Pacific bought two 2-10-0 locos in 1886 for use on switchbacks ("Zig-Zags" in Australia) up and over Stampede Pass in Washington state. The statistics are remarkable: boiler pressure of only 150 psi, 46 inch diameter drivers, and yet 34,800 lbs of tractive effort and 133,000 lbs on the drivers, which was amazing performance when 2-8-0 was pulling most freight and even some passenger trains in the USA. NP would put both on one train, which indicates the steepness of gradients on the switchbacks that preceded Stampede Tunnel. Apparently they exceeded the expectations that the NP had for them, because they survived long after Stampede Tunnel was completed om 1888 -- they were kept working into the early 1930s as heavy yard switchers; most likely they were declared surplus when business dropped during the Great Depression. The NP Decapods are similar in a lot of ways to the one-off Midland 0-10-0.

Interesting loco and history, however Derby is pronounced Darby

Lol, I’m glad you used what you did for the background music.🎵

Nice showing Papyrus in the beginning. IIRC Still holds the record for fastest non-streamlined loco

Fascinating video harvey :)

I love how tiny and cute UK steam engines are am an American who lives near a lot of historic Pennsy stuff.

Love the use of the Bertha theme, very creative. (also because I like the song lol)

I can imagine a Thomas and Friends character with this basis named "Big Bertha"

When we work out what you have to do, you can always get the trains up, always get the trains up, we can depend upon you.

Thanks to this tough gal, I was able to think of a name for my alpha goodra in arceus, here's to you big Bertha! Your legacy lives on!

If only this engine had been preserved.

Love the outro theme👌

Absolute unit.

We all wish she was preserved

im especially fond of the pusher engines built. amongst the most beautiful are the mallet tank locomotives built by the gotthardbahn type scb ed 2x3/3 in my opinion. another special one is the DB BR96. due to them all be one trick ponys with issues they all got withrawn even in the mountainous alps. hovever they all set records in tractive effort managing incline and steep turns while being massive and sporting huge torque. really like your video.

Big Bertha pushing 🅿️

I wish we had Big Birtha still alive, would be awesome to see it actually pull trucks and coaches and go top speed.

A surprisingly pretty locomotive

It's a shame we never had a chance to preserve Bertha, but I do wonder what ever happened to that headlight. It likely lasted into an era where its history was appreciated, but I haven't even heard of when that 9F was withdrawn.

I saw this loco. once in the late 1950’s during a Derby Works visit, sadly after withdrawal.

Mixed traffic engines exist even though all engines (except for ones without couplings) can pull both passengers and freight meaning that every engine is mixed traffic.

BR: ‘This is a one of a kind steam engine that has captured the hearts and minds of enthusiasts for nearly 35 years! Its rather special.’ Also BR: ‘Fuck she’s expensive…… off to the scrapyard with you then! Good days work on British Railways I say!’

Love your choice of music.

And now that theme song's stuck in my head

What song did you use? It’s catchy! Great video!

I see the two outboard cylinders; were the other two between the frame rails?

Reminds me of the later diesel electric shunters found working mines.

Bertha, lovely Bertha...

When you realize the theme from the show actually called “Bertha” was playing the whole time…

Nice berthra refrience at the end

0:18 I’ve heard of trains pulled by steam locomotives sometimes needing double heading, sometimes even triple heading, but I have NEVER heard about quadruple heading!

In an alternate universe, I could see Bertha being saved from scrapping last-minute by a business man who wished to place her in a museum… Oh well, at least we’ve got her memory, photos and the odd video, along with the now rather out-dated Trainz model

The guns on that girl! Seriously, the four cylinders and the ten drive wheels make it readily apparent that she was built for power. She's a brick... house...

The Erie railroad’s Triplex had the same job, even though it was meant for pulling it ended up being used for “helping” trains up hills. Poor thing was scrapped. I wish it would’ve been saved for a museum.

Big Bertha was also featured in Mafia (2002 video game) despite the game's American setting

a tragedy that Bertha was scrapped. The British Steam Societies should consider building a replica of her. (Cosmetically at least)

Damn, now I want a model of Big Bertha