Single-Driver Locomotive 43 



2-2-2. The additional wheels were neces- 

 sary because the boiler had been lengthened 

 to secure more power. 



For fifty years the 2-2-2 was the favourite 

 express type on many of the British rail- 

 ways, and many very famous types were 

 evolved. The " North Star ", built for the 

 Great Western's opening of the broad gauge, 

 was typical of many of the six-wheeled 

 single-drivers. She was one of the best of 

 the early locomotives ; easily the best of the 

 strange collection which opened the remark- 

 able broad-gauge line, which was the par- 

 ticular child of Brunei. The " North Star " 

 was preserved at Swindon until about 

 twenty years ago, then some vandal broke 

 her up as so much scrap. In the railway 

 centenary celebrations the Great Western 

 went to the trouble of getting the original 

 drawings, and having an exact replica made 

 of the engine which was so ruthlessly 

 scrapped. 



The original " North Star " had seven- 

 foot driving wheels, operated by cylinders 

 having a diameter of 16 inches and a similar 



