Steam locomotive, named Lode Star, Great Western Railway

Steam locomotive, Great Western Railway, 4-6-0 No 4003 "Lode Star", designed by G.J. Churchward, built at Swindon in 1907, withdrawn in 1951.

This locomotive was one of the first batch of 4 cylinder 4-6-0 locomotives of the Star class designed by George Jackson Churchward, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Western Railway from 1902 to 1922.

Lode Star was built at Swindon Works and put into service in February 1907. The engines of the class were free-running and successful, and most were allocated to the London and Plymouth areas to work the heavy West of England expresses.

The engine is shown in the condition it was released for service in in October 1932. Lode Star was fitted with audible-signalling apparatus in 1908, and lost the brass beading during the First World War. Bogie brake gear was removed after 1923, and the spring-equalising gear after 1930 when more flexible springs were adopted. A speed recorder was added in 1937 and the locomotive was finally withdrawn from service in July 1951.