Iron Duke

    Iron Duke the Iron Engine

Iron Duke in the Railway Series
Iron Duke, the replica, appeared in "Thomas and the Great Railway Show". When he told Thomas his type of gauge, broad gauge, was used on the Great Western until a century ago, Thomas resolved to tell Duck later.

Iron Duke in Real Life
Iron Duke, the replica, is a broad gauge engine currently living in the National Railway Museum. The original Iron Duke whom was designed and built by Daniel Gooch in 1847, the engine could haul a large load at 96 km/h (60 mp/h). The original Iron Duke was displayed at the Great Exhibition in 1851, and by 1855 Gooch had produced twenty-one locomotives in this style.

The original Iron Duke's line runs from Swindon Works to London and Gloucester. The engine works was actually built in the town and had a station situated on the London and Bristol line in 1835 and the original Iron Duke was chosen to run this line. For many years, the Iron Duke replica was a top attraction at the National Railway Museum, running on the broad-gauge demonstration line. Sadly, the broad-gauge track was tarmaced for a special show in 2002, so since then, Iron Duke has being on display in the Great Hall at the National Railway Museum. In 2006, Iron Duke was sent to Bristol to be housed inside a shed alongside the famous iron steam ship, the SS Great Britain as part of the 200th birthday celebrations of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Livery
The original and replica Iron Dukes are painted brown with a green tender and wheels and gold lining.

Other Features
Iron Duke, the replica, has white facial eyebrows with a walrus-style moustache and has a black lamp box attached upon his forehead.

Trivia
Iron Duke is the first engine to not have siderods. He is also the second steam engine to not have a dome, the first being City of Truro.