GWR Leo Class

The Great Western Railway Leo Class 2-4-0 was a class of broad gauge steam locomotives for goods train work. This class was introduced into service between January 1841 and July 1842, and withdrawn between September 1864 and June 1874.

These locomotives were the first for the railway with coupled wheels as they were designed as goods locomotives, but they later found use on passenger trains too. All the class were altered to 2-4-0ST saddle tanks.

The locomotives were built by three different workshops, each with its own naming convention. The first three came from R and W Hawthorn and Company, who named them after strong animals. The next three were named after volcanoes by Fenton, Murray and Jackson, while the final twelve came from Rothwell and Company carrying the names of the twelve houses of the zodiac.

Locomotives

Name	Manufacturer	Serial Nº	Built	Withdrawn	Notes
Elephant	R. & W. Hawthorn & Co.	319	January 1841	December 1870
Buffalo	R. & W. Hawthorn & Co.	320	March 1841	April 1865
Dromedary	R. & W. Hawthorn & Co.	321	March 1841	December 1866
Hecla	Fenton, Murray and Jackson	35	April 1841	September 1864
Stromboli	Fenton, Murray and Jackson	36	April 1841	July 1870
Etna	Fenton, Murray and Jackson	37	June 1841	December 1870
Aries	Rothwell and Company	66	June 1841	June 1871
Taurus	Rothwell and Company	67	July 1841	December 1870
Gemini	Rothwell and Company	68	September 1841	March 1866
Cancer	Rothwell and Company	69	October 1841	June 1874
Leo	Rothwell and Company	70	October 1841	December 1870
Virgo	Rothwell and Company	71	December 1841	December 1870
Libra	Rothwell and Company	72	February 1842	June 1871
Scorpio	Rothwell and Company	73	February 1842	December 1872
Sagittarius	Rothwell and Company	74	April 1842	June 1871
Capricornus	Rothwell and Company	75	April 1842	July 1870
Aquarius	Rothwell and Company	76	June 1842	July 1870
Pisces	Rothwell and Company	77	July 1842	June 1874