# GWR Sun Class

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Class of British steam locomotives

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Sun Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Daniel Gooch Builder various Specifications Configuration: ​ • Whyte 2-2-2 Gauge 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 6 in (1.067 m) Driver dia. 6 ft 0 in (1.829 m) Trailing dia. 3 ft 6 in (1.067 m) Wheelbase 13 ft 8 in (4.166 m) Cylinder size 14 in × 18 in (356 mm × 457 mm) dia × stroke Career Operators Great Western Railway Class Sun

The [Great Western Railway](/source/Great_Western_Railway) **Sun Class** were [2-2-2](/source/2-2-2) [broad gauge](/source/Broad_gauge) [steam locomotives](/source/Steam_locomotive) for passenger train work. This class was introduced into service between April 1840 and January 1842, and withdrawn between January 1864 and June 1879.

A smaller-wheeled version of the [Fire Fly Class](/source/GWR_Firefly_Class) for working trains on the hilly sections of line west of [Swindon](/source/Swindon_railway_station), they did not prove heavy enough for the task and were later altered to become 2-2-2T tank locomotives. Later still *Sun*, *Hesperus*, *Gazelle*, *Wolf*, and *Assagais* were given higher pressure boilers and in this form ran until 1879; the last unrebuilt locomotive having been withdrawn in 1872.

From about 1865, the Sun Class was known as the **Wolf Class**.

## Locomotives

- ***Antelope*** (1841 - 1870) - Built by [Sharp, Roberts and Company](/source/Sharp%2C_Roberts_and_Company), this locomotive was named after a fast animal, an [antelope](/source/Antelope). It worked the first train from [Teignmouth](/source/Teignmouth_railway_station) to [Newton](/source/Newton_Abbot_railway_station) on the [South Devon Railway](/source/South_Devon_Railway_Company) on 30 December 1846.

- ***Assagais*** (1841 - 1875) - Built by [Stothert and Slaughter](/source/Avonside_Engine_Company), this locomotive was named after an [African spear](/source/Assegai)

- ***Aurora*** (1840 - 1866) - Built by [R and W Hawthorn and Company](/source/Hawthorn_Leslie_and_Company) with 14 in × 18 in (356 mm × 457 mm), dia × stroke, cylinders, this locomotive was named after the goddess [Aurora](/source/Aurora_(mythology)).

- ***Comet*** (1840 - 1871) - Built by R and W Hawthorn and Company with 14 in × 18 in (356 mm × 457 mm), dia × stroke, cylinders, this locomotive was named after a fast moving heavenly body, a [comet](/source/Comet).

- ***Creese*** (1842 - 1866) - Built by Stothert and Slaughter, this locomotive was named after the [Kris](/source/Kris), a short wavy dagger.

- ***Djerid*** (1841 - 1870) - Built by Stothert and Slaughter, this locomotive was named after a throwing spear, the [djerid](/source/Djerid_(weapon)).

- ***Eclipse*** (1840 - 1864) - Built by R and W Hawthorn and Company.

- ***Gazelle*** (1841 - 1879) - Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company, this locomotive was named after the swift animal, [gazelle](/source/Gazelle).

- ***Giraffe*** (1841 - 1872) - Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company, this locomotive was named after the tall animal, [giraffe](/source/Giraffe).

- ***Hesperus*** (1841 - 1876) - Built by R and W Hawthorn and Company with 14 in × 18 in (356 mm × 457 mm), dia × stroke, and an experimental boiler, it was later rebuilt with a conventional one. It was named after [Hesperus](/source/Hesperus) a character in Roman mythology.

- ***Javelin*** (1841 - 1870) - Built by Stothert and Slaughter, this locomotive was named after a thrown weapon, a [javelin](/source/Javelin).

- ***Lance*** (1841 - 1870) - Built by Stothert and Slaughter, the name is that of a thrown weapon, a [lance](/source/Lance).

- ***Meridian*** (1840 - 1870) - Built by R and W Hawthorn and Company.

- ***Meteor*** (1840 - 1864) - Built by R and W Hawthorn and Company, this locomotive was named after a fast moving heavenly body, a [Meteor](/source/Meteor).

- ***Rocket*** (1841 - 1870) - Built by Stothert and Slaughter, this locomotive was named after a swift projectile, a [rocket](/source/Rocket).

- ***Stiletto*** (1841 - 1870) - Built by Stothert and Slaughter.

- ***Sun*** (1840 - 1873) - Built by R and W Hawthorn and Company, this locomotive was named after the [Sun](/source/Sun).

- ***Sunbeam*** (1840 - 1870) - Built by R and W Hawthorn and Company.

- ***Wolf*** (1841 - 1873) - Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company, this locomotive was named after the strong animal, [wolf](/source/Wolf).

- ***Yataghan*** (1841 - 1871) - Built by Stothert and Slaughter.

- ***Zebra*** (1841 - 1871) - Built by Sharp, Roberts and Company, this locomotive was named after the fast animal, the [zebra](/source/Zebra).

## References

- Reed, P. J. T. (February 1953). White, D. E. (ed.). *The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, Part 2: Broad Gauge*. Kenilworth: [RCTS](/source/Railway_Correspondence_and_Travel_Society). pp. B15–B16. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-901115-32-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-901115-32-0). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [650490992](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/650490992).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: ignored ISBN errors ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_ignored_ISBN_errors))

- Sheppard, Geof (2008). *Broad Gauge Locomotives*. Southampton: Noodle Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-906419-09-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-906419-09-7).

- Waters, Laurence (1999). [*The Great Western Broad Gauge*](https://archive.org/details/greatwesternbroa0000wate). Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7110-2634-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7110-2634-3) – via Archive.org.

v t e Great Western Railway locomotives Swindon broad gauge Brunel (1833–1837) Haigh Foundry Mather, Dixon Sharp, Roberts Charles Tayleur Hurricane Thunderer Gooch (1837–1864) Ariadne Banking Bogie Caesar Firefly Hercules Iron Duke Leo Metropolitan Premier Prince Pyracmon Star Sun Victoria Waverley J. Armstrong (1864–1877) Hawthorn Rover Sir Watkin Standard Goods Swindon 1076 Dean (1877–1902) Experimental locomotives (8, 14, 16) 3001 3501 3521 Wolverhampton standard gauge J. Armstrong (1854–1864) 7/8/30/110 17 111 302 G. Armstrong (1864–1897) 34 108 119 322 (tank) 517 633 645 655 850 1016 1501 1901 3571 Swindon standard gauge Gooch (1855–1864) 57 69 77/167 79 91 93 131/310 149 England/Chancellor 157 Sharps 320 322 Beyer J. Armstrong (1864–1877) 55 Queen/Sir Alexander 455 Metro Tank 56/717 927 Coal Goods 360 378 Sir Daniel 388 Standard Goods 439 Bicycle 481 806 1076 Dean (1877–1902) Experimental locomotives (1, 7, 9, 10, 13, 34, 35, 1490, 1833) Armstrong 36 69 River 157 Sharpies/Cobham 1661 1813 1854 2021 2201 2301 2361 2600 Aberdare 2602 Kruger 2721 3031 Dean Single 3201 3206 3232 3252 Duke 3300 Bulldog 3521 3600 4100 Badminton Crane tanks Churchward (1902–1921) 101 102 La France 103 President 111 The Great Bear 1361 2221 County Tank 2800 2900 Saint 3100 (later 5100) 3150 3700 City 3800 County 3901 4000 Star 4200 4300 4400 4500 4600 4700 Petrol-electric railcar Rail motors Collett (1922–1941) 12 1101 1366 2251 2884 3000 (ex-ROD 2-8-0) 3100 3200 (later 9000) Earl 4073 Castle 4575 4800 (later 1400) 4900 Hall 5101 5205 5400 5600 5700 5800 6000 King 6100 6400 6800 Grange 7200 7400 7800 Manor 8100 Diesel railcars Diesel shunters 2 Hawksworth (1941–1947) 1000 County 1500 1600 6959 Modified Hall 9400 Gas turbine-electric 18000 18100 Proposed designs 8000 Cathedral Absorbed locomotives Barry Railway A B B1 C D E F G H K J L Rhymney Railway A AP B I K L L1 M P P1 R S S1 Taff Vale Railway A C D E H K L M1 N O O1 O2 O3 O4 S T U U1 V Other Other absorbed locomotives Narrow gauge locomotives Corris Railway 3 4 Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway 822–823 Vale of Rheidol Railway 1198 7–9 By wheel arrangement 0-4-0ST 0-6-0PT 0-6-2T General Locomotive numbering and classification Oil burning steam locomotives 2-cylinder standard classes British Railways steam locomotives GWR locomotives LMS locomotives LNER locomotives Southern Railway locomotives

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [GWR Sun Class](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_Sun_Class) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_Sun_Class?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.