Arguably one of the most graceful locomotives ever to have run on rails this class of 4-2-2 express engine designed by Johnson and built at the Midland Railway’s works at Derby were further enhanced by the wonderful Crimson Lake livery.

The single driver enjoyed a brief period of popularity in the 1890s due to the then recent development of the steam sander which helped adhesion on starting from rest but growing train weights led designers to revert to coupled wheel-sets, but lacking the friction of coupling rods the single had a superior free running capability which made for economy on coal.

Painted for a client in acrylics on board 20″x30″ about 8 years ago, today I’d use oils to exploit the colour of the loco and fade off the distance more and perhaps soften the smoke.