The Dutch Railway museum has also only a short lenght of broad gauge track for the replica (build in 1939) of Arend (eagle). GWR was the consultant for the firts Dutch railroad so thats why we started with broadgauge. Only after the first international railroad was build (Belgium-Netherlands-Germany) in the 1840's the standard gauge was adapted and like in the UK lines and rollingstock was converted. Operational broad gauge lines only exist today on the Iberian peninsula,Finland and the Baltic states. More and more lines are converted to standard gauge. Russian broadgauge is garanteed to be fased out asap.
... there are and have been some more broad gauges; ... 5 ft 6 in gauge railway (Indian subcontinent and BART), 5 ft 3 in gauge railways (Irland, as already sad Australia, Brazil and in the past some others like Großherzoglich Badische Staatseisenbahnen) ..., but the 2140mm of Brunel is the extremest build, while the "Breitspurbahn" 3000mm was just a mad phantasm. The short lengh of that shown track and therefore short trip helps getting many passangers per runningday the possibility for a drive, it´s noticeable that alot of them prefer to be nearest to the engine ;) .
Surprises many enthusiasts that that there is more route length of broad gauge track in the world than narrow gauge lines. But none of it as extravagant as the Brunel broad gauge.
4' 8-1/2" is considered "standard gauge". Anything wider is broad gauge, less is narrow gauge. Here in Victoria, Australia we have broad gauge 5'3" for the suburban network and many country routes, 4' 8-1/2" standard gauge for interstate routes and 2'6" narrow gauge for some mountains routes, two of which are now tourist railways. There is also a tourist line which was 5'3" which has been converted to 3'6" narrow gauge.
That's the think. They were big in their day, but compared to 20th century locos not big at all. The replic of Iron Duke is based on an Austerity 0-6-0. same boiler, cylinders etc.
Thank you. For days I have been researching the boiler diameters for these locomotives although this means that the earlier standard gauge locomotives must have had small diameter boilers.
@@Tak3anap Not neccessarily. Or by that much. Patentee's Boiler was 3ft 6in, whilst Ajax, now preserved in Vienna has a boiler diameter of 4ft 6in. Robert Stephenson was making boilers up to 4ft diameter by c.1840
All North Star, Firefly etc are slightly enlarged Patentees, and Gooch maintained the Robert Stephenson design of sandwich frames - which Stephenson had discarded in the 1840s - right down to 1892 and the end of Broad Gauge. As world expert on early railways Dr Michael Bailey says of Gooch's locomotives, they were the ultimate expression of Stephenson's Patentee of 1833.
They absolutely would. Until the 1860s GWR loco crews were ordered to wear white fustian jackets and trousers - fustian, a blend of cotton and linen, was cheap. Undyed and unbleached fustian was the de-rigeur cloth of choice for the working man. It was cheap (not bleached, not dyed) and very easily washed. Dark colours were expensive, and other than dark blue, often very fugitive i.e. they changed colour. See my paper on Railway Uniform in the Early Mainline Period in the proceedings from the 7th international Early Railways Conference and my forthcoming book on C19th railway clothing.
Thank you for the video Anthony. It seems to be like the short trip you can do today behind the replica, it gives much more than it seems. I think that Gooch standardization established the “technological superiority“ of the God’s Wonderful Railway fans. And possibly the “big wheels fast passenger trains” pattern. But the shape of the firebox… was the knowledge of how Firefly was built to influence the Thunderb… ahem Lion restoration?
Only one surviving Brunel gauge locomotive. The atypical and tiny "Tiny" that was forgotten in the locomotive clearout and scrapping of the final gauge conversion project of 1892.
It would also be more historically accurate. the whole varnished boiler cladding comes from the GWR replica of North Star. But it's stuck in the popular mind set. Same with all the brass and fancy work. Locomotives like Lion, Planet, North Star, Firefly, Iron Duke etc would've had painted boiler cladding.
Like canals, anal retention people in charge. No vision just get now. Broad gauge, wow imagine. No beeching sticky fingers. Build with vision. Ah well. We gave all away. Anyone rem prof Eric Laithwait and his linear magnet train. Thank u for the video.
Lovely video what a lovely looking loco.
Over 90 km/h in the early 1840s... That must have seemed allmost unfathomably impressive at the time.
What a wonderful sight, the broad gauge looks so elegant. The fabricated driving wheels are a work of art.
To make those wheels by the process described and have them reliable enough to haul heavy trains over long distances is mind bogglingly impressive.
It would be great if there was something considerably longer than a short length of demonstration track to run these wonderful broad gauge trains on.
Sometimes for visitors the short trip packs all the emotions of a longer one.
The Dutch Railway museum has also only a short lenght of broad gauge track for the replica (build in 1939) of Arend (eagle).
GWR was the consultant for the firts Dutch railroad so thats why we started with broadgauge.
Only after the first international railroad was build (Belgium-Netherlands-Germany) in the 1840's the standard gauge was adapted and like in the UK lines and rollingstock was converted.
Operational broad gauge lines only exist today on the Iberian peninsula,Finland and the Baltic states.
More and more lines are converted to standard gauge.
Russian broadgauge is garanteed to be fased out asap.
@@obelic71 we have 5'3" broad gauge here in Victoria and south Australia but 7' broad gauge that's something else.
... there are and have been some more broad gauges; ... 5 ft 6 in gauge railway (Indian subcontinent and BART), 5 ft 3 in gauge railways (Irland, as already sad Australia, Brazil and in the past some others like Großherzoglich Badische Staatseisenbahnen) ..., but the 2140mm of Brunel is the extremest build, while the "Breitspurbahn" 3000mm was just a mad phantasm.
The short lengh of that shown track and therefore short trip helps getting many passangers per runningday the possibility for a drive, it´s noticeable that alot of them prefer to be nearest to the engine ;) .
Surprises many enthusiasts that that there is more route length of broad gauge track in the world than narrow gauge lines.
But none of it as extravagant as the Brunel broad gauge.
Fascinating story, Mr. Dawson. Several early American railways were built to five feet (such as the Erie) but narrow gauge (4'8-1/2") won out.
4' 8-1/2" is considered "standard gauge". Anything wider is broad gauge, less is narrow gauge.
Here in Victoria, Australia we have broad gauge 5'3" for the suburban network and many country routes, 4' 8-1/2" standard gauge for interstate routes and 2'6" narrow gauge for some mountains routes, two of which are now tourist railways. There is also a tourist line which was 5'3" which has been converted to 3'6" narrow gauge.
Another great video, seeing one of those broad gauge locomotives in operation must be surreal.
It looks and sounds like Planet, but with more chomk.
Marvellous, thank you.
I enjoyed the video! Thanks as always Anthony. Cheers.
Glad you enjoyed it
Fire Fly is a wonderful locomotive, sadly only seen her as a static, is there plans to overhaul her?
It's very low down the list, sadly, like Iron Duke.
Thank you for another great video! Despite being broad gauge, it still looks small next to the pannier. 😄
That's the think. They were big in their day, but compared to 20th century locos not big at all. The replic of Iron Duke is based on an Austerity 0-6-0. same boiler, cylinders etc.
make more videos on the old gwr broad gauge engines!
That's the plan!
Excuse me Mr Dawson but what is the boiler diameter for Firefly, North star, and the Iron duke.
North Star boiler was 4ft outside diameter; Firefly was 4ft; Iron Duke 4ft 9 3/4in
Thank you. For days I have been researching the boiler diameters for these locomotives although this means that the earlier standard gauge locomotives must have had small diameter boilers.
@@Tak3anap Not neccessarily. Or by that much. Patentee's Boiler was 3ft 6in, whilst Ajax, now preserved in Vienna has a boiler diameter of 4ft 6in. Robert Stephenson was making boilers up to 4ft diameter by c.1840
I see.
I guess you could gauge the problem of standardization as a "broad" spectrum.
Horrible puns aside, loved the video!
2:13 From where to Paddington Station? 😂
Slough.
@@AnthonyDawsonHistorysounded like you said "Sluff"... 😉
Have you ever heard of a pump trolley/hand car?
I have yes. Ive had a go one.
@@AnthonyDawsonHistory Maybe a video on one ?
Daniel Gooch was the founder of the modern railway and also the mythology of God's Wonderful Railway. I mean railways everywhere, not just Britain.
All North Star, Firefly etc are slightly enlarged Patentees, and Gooch maintained the Robert Stephenson design of sandwich frames - which Stephenson had discarded in the 1840s - right down to 1892 and the end of Broad Gauge. As world expert on early railways Dr Michael Bailey says of Gooch's locomotives, they were the ultimate expression of Stephenson's Patentee of 1833.
Would the footplate crew have worn white? It would seem to be very impractical.
They absolutely would. Until the 1860s GWR loco crews were ordered to wear white fustian jackets and trousers - fustian, a blend of cotton and linen, was cheap. Undyed and unbleached fustian was the de-rigeur cloth of choice for the working man. It was cheap (not bleached, not dyed) and very easily washed. Dark colours were expensive, and other than dark blue, often very fugitive i.e. they changed colour. See my paper on Railway Uniform in the Early Mainline Period in the proceedings from the 7th international Early Railways Conference and my forthcoming book on C19th railway clothing.
I would love to see broad gauge in real life, those tracks must look strange.
Thank you for the video Anthony. It seems to be like the short trip you can do today behind the replica, it gives much more than it seems. I think that Gooch standardization established the “technological superiority“ of the God’s Wonderful Railway fans. And possibly the “big wheels fast passenger trains” pattern.
But the shape of the firebox… was the knowledge of how Firefly was built to influence the Thunderb… ahem Lion restoration?
The fake and horrible firebox cover on Lion was meant to replicate the shape of the Arc de Cloitre firebox.
Makes you wonder how magnificent locomotives would have become if we'd stuck with broad gauge
I’d say we got just as beautiful, if not better, standard gauge loco designs over time.
Very few I suspect because they must be more expensive to build and maintain. Beeching would have wielded his chopper even harder.
Does the video show the original engine or is it a replica?
I now see that it is a replica
Only one surviving Brunel gauge locomotive.
The atypical and tiny "Tiny" that was forgotten in the locomotive clearout and scrapping of the final gauge conversion project of 1892.
What was Fire Fly’s boiler diameter?
1.219m
@@AnthonyDawsonHistory thanks
The replica would look nicer with green paint instead of varnish.
It would also be more historically accurate. the whole varnished boiler cladding comes from the GWR replica of North Star. But it's stuck in the popular mind set. Same with all the brass and fancy work. Locomotives like Lion, Planet, North Star, Firefly, Iron Duke etc would've had painted boiler cladding.
Like canals, anal retention people in charge. No vision just get now. Broad gauge, wow imagine. No beeching sticky fingers. Build with vision. Ah well. We gave all away. Anyone rem prof Eric Laithwait and his linear magnet train. Thank u for the video.
Ah yes, standardly standardized.
Is English this chaps first langgggguage?
first comment! :D
So?
@@stevebarnes2 that,s it really 🤷
@@sebastianthomsen2225Nothing, then
@@stevebarnes2 ok :) 👍
Enjoyed that as much as the Reggae (?) Band in my local. IE Not much, but still OK!