Page 2 - Introduction

This Website is a mainly pictorial list of Locomotives which were owned and operated by British Railways between 1948 and present day. BR was created by the British Government by the Nationalisation of the former Great western Railway, Southern Railway, London, Midland & Scottish Railway and the London & North Eastern Railway (often referred to as The Big Four) and came in to effect on 1st January 1948. Also included in this list are Locomotives which were previously owned by GWR, SR, LMSR & LNER but were sold out of service to other industrial concerns (mainly Collieries - later to be come part of Nationalised Coal Industry - NCB).

The new British Railways continued to build locomotives designed by the Big Four but also designed and built a new series of locomotives (Standard Classes) based largely on former LMSR designs. These locomotives were built between 1951 and 1960 at Brighton, Crewe, Derby,

Doncaster, Horwich and Swindon. BR decided to discontinue the use of steam locomotives in 1955, to be replaced by both Diesel & Electric motive power in due course. Steam power continued to be used until August 1968 but, although most locomotives were scrapped, a large number (over 400) were preserved either by BR or purchased by individuals, groups or other private concerns, many for further use on the growing number of Heritage Railways established in the UK.