4-6-2 Class 111 'Great Bear' GWR Profile and Models

The Great Bear, number 111, was a locomotive of the Great Western Railway. It was the first 4-6-2 (Pacific) locomotive used on a Great Britain railway, and the only one of its type built by the GWR. here are differing views as to why Churchward and the GWR should have built a Pacific locomotive in 1908 when current and future locomotive practice for the railway was centred on the 4-6-0 wheel arrangement. One suggestion is that The Great Bear was built in 1908 to satisfy demands from the directors for the largest locomotive in Britain, and much was made of the locomotive by the GWR's publicity department. In service, the performance of The Great Bear proved to be disappointing and not a significant improvement on existing classes. The excellent performance of the Star Class and the advent of the First World War brought a stop to further experimentation without significant improvement. Although not a technical success, The Great Bear was considered the company's flagship locomotive from its introduction until Churchward's retirement in 1922.

(Information provided via Wikipedia)

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