100 A1 Lloyds

This post (29th January 2011) is dedicated to a special locomotive of the Great Western Railway (GWR). The 'Castle' class 4-6-0 locomotive No.100 A1 Lloyds was rebuilt from a G. J. Churchward 'Star' class locomotive, No.4009 Shooting Star in 1925, during the tenure of Charles Collett as the GWR's Chief Mechanical Engineer. She retained the number and name until 1936 when, at a naming ceremony at Paddington, she became 100 A1 Lloyds. She was known as an oil burner in the late 1940's before being withdrawn from service in 1950. 

The Falcon 300-piece series Steamtrains  included a set of four jigsaws reproducing the paintings of George Heiron. One of them was Castle Class - GWR showing No.100 A1 Lloyds leaving Bristol Temple Meads Station with a Paddington bound express. This jigsaw is shown in the accompanying picture. The other three jigsaws in this particular set are County Class - GWR, Clan Class LMS, and Claughton Class - LMS. 

If you wish to know more about this oddly numbered and named 'Castle' just Google 'locomotive 100 A1 Lloyds' and many references will appear.