Metropolitan Railway steam locomotives

Before the line opened in 1861 trials were made with the experimental "hot brick" locomotive nicknamed Fowler's Ghost.

This was unsuccessful and the first public trains were hauled by broad gauge GWR Metropolitan Class condensing 2-4-0 tank locomotives designed by Daniel Gooch.

Their design is frequently attributed to the Met's Engineer John Fowler, but the locomotive was a development of one Beyers had built for the Spanish Tudela to Bilbao Railway, Fowler only specifying the driving wheel diameter, axle weight and the ability to navigate sharp curves.

To reduce smoke underground, at first coke was burnt, changed in 1869 to smokeless Welsh coal.

[5] Originally the locomotives were painted bright olive green lined in black and yellow, chimneys were copper capped with the locomotive number in brass figures at the front and domes were polished brass.

However, it was soon found that the Class A and B locomotives could manage trains without difficulty and the 0-6-0Ts were sold to the Taff Vale Railway in 1873 and 1875.

[19] In 1933 the Metropolitan Railway was absorbed into the newly created London Passenger Transport Board and on 1 November 1937 the later G, H and K Class steam locomotives were transferred to the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) who took over all freight workings and became responsible for hauling passenger trains with steam locomotives north of Rickmansworth.

From the early 1940s these were replaced by ex Great Central Railway locomotives, now classified LNER Class A5.