Description The Great Northern Railway No. 1 Class “Stirling Single” is a class of steam locomotive designed for express passenger work. Designed by Patrick Stirling in 1870, they were characterized by a single pair of large driving wheels which let to the class having the nickname “Eight-Footer”. Originally the locomotives were designed to haul up to 26 passenger carriages (GNR 6W Stock) at an average speed of 47 mph. With the arrive of faster locomotives such as the 4-4-0s & atlantics in 1898, the class began to be displaced from the most prestigious express services. Several examples were rebuilt by H.A. Ivatt after 1898 with a dombed boiler. However, withdrawals of the 1870 series began in 1899. The last examples of the class were in use on secondary services until 1916. The first of the class, No. 1 is the only engine to be preserved and ran tours on the LNER during 1938 with a full set of ex-GNR 6W Teaks. It passed into the national collection in 1978 and after a small sint of running in preservation, it is currently on exhibit in the NRM in York. It has yet to return to steam.
