Ten Best Railway Locomotive Contenders of All Time

Click to share...

Everybody loves trains. Whether it’s the magic of a world held within thin aluminium walls moving along a pre-determined line to arrive at a destination intact, or the engineering that goes into the massive engines with just one job to do, trains and locomotives are a wonder of this age and ages past. This article will put forth ten candidates for the best railway locomotive of all time.

L0 Series – Fastest Locomotive

The rail land speed record was last set in 2015 by the Japanese L0 Series maglev train. This locomotive can travel at 375 mph with seven cars. Even when not setting records, this train is intended to run at up to 310 mph on regular journeys between Tokyo and either Nagoya or Osaka.

Maglev technology is a relatively new technology which involves holding the train off the rails by the use of opposing magnets. This creates a ‘levitating’ train in the magnetic field, and removes all rolling resistance to motion.

This is no doubt the fastest locomotive, but is it the best railway locomotive of all time?

Salamanca – the First Commercial Locomotive

In 1804 Richard Trevithick demonstrated a working locomotive for a bet. He used a steam hammer from the mine he worked at to haul a load to it’s destination. After receiving his winnings he reinstalled the steam hammer in its original position and didn’t give it a second thought. In 1812 Matthew Murray took it a step further and built the world’s first commercially successful steam locomotive.

The locomotive was built for John Blenkinsop, a manager of the Middleton quarry, to haul coal from the quarry to Leeds. This breakthrough was to pave the way for industrialisation on a massive scale in Britain.

Does the fact that this was the first make it the best railway locomotive of all time?

Union Pacific GTEL 8080 – the Heaviest Locomotive

Union Pacific are famous for building massive engines to haul their goods across the US. The heaviest locomotive ever built was an experimental coal-burning turbine engine in 1961. It weighed 661 tonnes across 18 axles, and generated 7000 horsepower. The engine was ultimately unsuccessful and was taken out of service after less than two years due to coal particles eroding the turbine blades.

Is this failed experiment one of the best railway locomotives of all time?

Cruise Train Seven Stars – Most Luxurious Train

First operated in 2013, the Japanese cruise train, Seven Stars, aims to wow it’s customers. Only seating 28 on each cruise, tickets are allocated by lottery as demand is so high. The train incorporates all the latest technology to increase passenger comfort, such as counter-acting the sideways motion of each carriage using sensors to remove uncomfortable sensations of movement.

Each couple gets a large private suite, and there are three dining carriages. There is even a bar and pianist for entertainment.

This is an incredibly luxurious train, but is it the best railway locomotive of all time?

Fairy Queen – Oldest Operational Locomotive

The Fairy Queen is a steam locomotive built in Leeds by Kitson, Thomas and Hewitson in 1855. It was shipped to India where it held a number of roles, including hauling mail between Howrah and Ranigan, moving troops, and construction duties in Bihar.

It was decommissioned in 1909 and put on display. In 1997 it was refurbished and put back in service between New Delhi and Alwar. The Guiness Book of Records lists it as the oldest steam locomotive in regular service.

This engine is old and is still serving faithfully, but does that make it the best railway locomotive of all time?

Shen 24 – Most Powerful Locomotive

Built in China to haul cargo on the Shenshuo Railway, this electric monster generates 38,621 hp. The locomotive can haul hundreds of carriages, with a maximum train weight of 10,000 tonnes. It is the world’s longest engine at 106 metres in length, and has the record for the most number of axles at 24.

This Chinese master of power can pull a vast load, but does that make it the best railway locomotive of all time?

LNER A4 Pacific “Mallard” 4468 – Most Beautiful Locomotive of all Time?

A potentially contentious contestant for the most beautiful engine of all time, so I’ve put another contender below as well. But the Mallard 4468 was a superb example of engineering in 1938, designed by Sir Nigel Gresley of the London and North Eastern Railway in the UK. This loco still holds the world land speed record for a steam engine, set in July 1938 at 126 mph.

This engine covered 1.5 million miles while in service until it was retired in 1963. It currently resides at the National Railway Museum in York, and is one of the most famous steam engines of all time.

This is certainly a very pretty engine, but is it the best railway locomotive of all time?

LNER A3 “Flying Scotsman” 4472 – Most Famous Locomotive

In almost every poll this engine comes out top as the world’s most famous locomotive. Built in 1923 in Doncaster, to Nigel Gresley’s design, this loco set world records as the first steam locomotive to reach 100 mph, and the longest non-stop run by a steam locomotive at 422 miles in 1989 in Australia.

The engine gained its name from it’s regular route from London to Edinburgh as an express passenger train. It operated regularly for 40 years during which time it covered over 2 million miles. It has since toured the UK, US, Canada and Australia. Most recently it was brought back to the UK for an overhaul, completed in 2016, and testing was conducted on the East Lancashire Railway prior to more special tours throughout Great Britain.

This is a very famous engine, but does that necessarily make it the best railway locomotive of all time?

NZR AB Class “Kingston Flyer” 778 – Most Beautiful Locomotive of All Time?

This pretty steam engine was built in the 1920s as an express passenger / freight train on the New Zealand mainline. There were 141 of these built, making it the most successful locomotive in New Zealand ever.

This particular engine is preserved in Kingston and operates occasionally on the Kingston Flyer heritage line, although there are financial concerns with the current owners.

Does the beauty of this engine, though, make it the best railway locomotive of all time?

Stephenson’s Rocket – Most Influential Locomotive

The Rocket is not, contrary to common belief, the first steam railway engine built. That accolade goes to other engineers a couple of decades earlier. It was, however, possibly the most influential engine in capturing people’s imagination and setting public opinion in favour of the railway.

Rocket was one of five contenders at the Rainhill Trials in 1829. This public competition was intended to find the best device for transporting cargo and passengers from Liverpool to Manchester. Steam engines had been around for about 25 years at this point, but early versions were slow, inefficient, weak and could be beaten by horse-drawn carriages. The Rocket, and fellow contender Sans Pareil, were not new designs, but significant improvements had been made to multiple major components. This meant that for the first time the steam engine was proven to have significant commercial advantage over other transportation methods of the time.

Does the historical signficance and the public influence this engine had make it a contender for the best railway locomotive of all time?