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British Railways Steam Locomotive 92220 EVENING STAR

BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 heavy freight engine

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[Author and photographer © Dr Phil Brown PhD plus help from AI these days, page updated May13th 2026]

See 92214 in the 'working guise' of 92220 EVENING STAR (e.g. one example below).

The rest of images are the real 92220 EVENING STAR photographed in the National Railway Museum in York. *

Class 800 bi-mode multiple units

 

The real 9F 2-10-0 steam locomotive 92220 EVENING STAR on the turntable of York NRM

 

Some of the link motion and connecting rods of steam locomotive 92220 EVENING STAR

Some of the link motion and connecting rods of 92220

 

Inside the cab of 9F 2-10-0 92220 EVENING STAR

Inside the cab of 9F 2-10-0 92220 EVENING STAR

 

The link motion of 9F 2-10-0 92220 EVENING STAR

The link motion of 9F 2-10-0 92220 EVENING STAR

 

Looks good, but really its 92214 !!!

 

Profile of the cylinder and link motion of 92220 EVENING STAR

BR Standard 2-10-0 Class 9F 92220 EVENING STAR, a heavy freight locomotive built at Swindon Works in 1960 in York NRM, the last steam locomotive to be built by British Railways.

 

Technical detail specifications of locomotive 92220: Boiler pressure of 92220:250  lbf/sq.in. superheated, Weight of 92220: loco 86.7 tons; tender 52.5 tons, Wheel diameter of 92220: 3' 0'' and 6' 0", Valve gear of 92220: Walschaerts, piston valves, Cylinders (diameter x stroke) of 92220: 20" x 28" (O), Tractive effort of 92220: 39670 lbf., BR Power classification of 92220: Class 9F, Route availability RA ?

 

 

92220 in York NRM

 

70000 BRITANNIA (1951) next to 92220 EVENING STAR

 

 

 

The valve gear, cylinder and driving wheels link motion of 92220 EVENING STAR

 

The drivers cab and name plate of 92220 EVENING STAR

See 92214 in the 'working guise' of 92220 EVENING STAR

See also 92219

A history of BR standard 9F 2-10-0 92220 EVENING STAR

BR Standard Class 9F No. 92220 Evening Star is one of the most symbolically important locomotives in British railway history — the last steam locomotive ever built by British Railways, completed at Swindon in March 1960, and the only 9F to carry a name in BR service.
It was conceived as a commemorative locomotive marking the end of the steam‑building era and was preserved from the moment it was constructed.

Below is a full, structured, historically grounded account synthesised from authoritative sources.

⭐ Why Evening Star Matters

  • Last steam locomotive built by British Railways (March 1960).

  • 999th BR Standard built — the final machine in the entire Standardisation programme.

  • Only 9F to be named in BR service, and the only one painted in BR lined Brunswick green, normally reserved for express passenger engines.

  • Preserved from new, uniquely among BR Standards.

Construction and Design of steam locomotive 92220 Evening Star (1959–1960)

  • Builder: Swindon Works

  • Completed: March 1960

  • Cost: £33,500 (contemporary figure)

  • Designer: R.A. Riddles

  • Class: BR Standard 9F (heavy freight)

  • Configuration: 2‑10‑0

  • Tender: BR1G type

Although the 9F class was designed for heavy freight, Evening Star was deliberately finished to a ceremonial standard:

  • Lined BR passenger green livery

  • Copper‑capped double chimney

  • Chrome‑finished fittings

  • Special commemorative plate mounted on the smoke deflectors, marking it as the last BR steam locomotive.

Naming and Commemoration of steam locomotive 92220 Evening Star

Evening Star was the only 9F to receive a name in BR service.
The name was chosen through a Western Region staff competition in 1959–60, with three winners independently suggesting Evening Star.

A commemorative plaque reads:

“The last steam locomotive for British Railways. Named at Swindon on March 18, 1960…”

The name also echoes early GWR tradition — one of the first GWR locomotives was Morning Star.

Operational Career of steam locomotive 92220 Evening Star (1960–1965)

Evening Star entered service on the Western Region, working heavy freight, mineral trains, and occasional passenger turns.
Despite being a brand‑new locomotive, it had a very short working life, being withdrawn in March 1965 — just five years after construction — due to the rapid elimination of steam under BR’s modernisation programme.

Preservation of steam locomotive 92220 Evening Star (1965–present)

Immediate Preservation

92220 was earmarked for preservation from the moment it was built, the only BR steam locomotive to receive this honour.

National Collection

  • Officially claimed for the National Collection in 1975.

  • Currently displayed at the National Railway Museum, York, in lined BR green.

Technical Specifications of steam locomotive 92220 Evening Star (Authoritative Summary)

Feature Specification
Wheel arrangement 2‑10‑0
Driving wheel diameter 5 ft 0 in
Boiler pressure 250 psi
Cylinders 2 outside, 20 × 28 in
Tractive effort 39,667 lbf
Loco weight ~86 tons
Tender BR1G (9 tons coal, 4,725 gal water)

These figures represent the peak of BR’s freight steam design — powerful, free‑steaming, and capable of hauling extremely heavy trains at sustained speed.

Summary Timeline of steam locomotive 92220 Evening Star

Year Event
1959–60 Built at Swindon Works
18 March 1960 Official naming ceremony
1960–65 Western Region freight service
March 1965 Withdrawn from service
1975 Formally added to National Collection
Present On static display at NRM York
Examples of images of British Railways 9F 2-10-0 heavy freight locomotives running on British Railways in the 1950s and 1960s. 92220 EVENING STAR would have looked like this once!, but smarter looking now and well groomed and kept !

Preserved LocomotivesHOMEPAGE for all of Phil and Molly's PicsMy Archive Steam Photos from the 1960s

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Good trainspotting 'TRAINSPOTS' Good trainspotting and photographic locations  Barnetby Station, North Lincolnshire  *  Carlisle Station  *  Clapham Junction Station, London  *  Colton Junction, south of York  *  Crewe Station  *  Doncaster Station, South Yorkshire  * Hellifield station - Carlisle to Settle line * Lancaster station  * Newcastle Station  *  Northallerton Station  *  Nuneaton Station  *  Sheffield Station  *  Stratford Station, East London * Warrington Bank Quay station * Wigan North Western - WCML *  York Station

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IMAGES OF PRESERVED STEAM LOCOMOTIVES