Railway Train Steam Locomotive Birthday Card featuring a Souther Railway / B.R N Class engine at Padstow, Cornwall from a painting by John Austin GRA
Sturdy medium sized engines with a superb reputation for reliability and pulling power, the N Class, designed by Richard Maunsell and later improved by Urie were built from 1917-34 with a mixture of GWR and Midland Railway concepts, along with a few Maunsell innovations. The class had a life to the end of steam in Britain and would often carry out duties on lines too light for the heavier 4-6-0 or Pacific locomotives.
John Austin's picture shows an N class towards the end of steam traversing Padstow railway bridge an a rather idyllic line.
