1 84 Book of Locomotives 



The other kind of tank engines are known 

 as well and saddle tanks respectively. The 

 former are now rarely seen, but the earliest 

 "tankers " were all of this description. 

 The water was carried in well-tanks under 

 the bunker. 



They were usually quite small engines, 

 and had to visit the water column rather 

 frequently. One class on the old Bristol 

 and Exeter Railway had three well-tanks 

 disposed in different parts of the frame. 



These were probably the fastest tank 

 engines ever built, having nine-foot single 

 driving wheels. 



In later years the Great Western took over 

 this famous railway, with its equally famous 

 broad-gauge tanks. 



Then one of them ran off the line, and 

 smashed things up rather badly, so the 

 whole batch was taken in hand, and rebuilt 

 as tender engines, the driving wheels being 

 cut down a foot in the process. 



Saddle-tanks were once very popular on 

 our railways, but now they are more often 

 seen on shunting duties in private yards. 



