City of Truro crosses the Dart at Buckfastleigh, South Devon Railway. Photo © Ron Lingley
The GWR “City” 4-4-0 class is a masterpiece by the great George Jackson Churchward, the reigning genius at Swindon after Dean and before Collett. City of Truro broke the 100mph speed barrier for steam railways in 1904, the year after he was introduced.
For this historical reason, no. 3440 was withdrawn and preserved as early as 1931, and has been alternately running or on static display at locations such as the National Railway Museum in York and Swindon Railway Museum. City of Truro was steamed for the 100th anniversary of his record breaking run, part of the Railfest event at the National Railway Museum in May-June 2004.
City of Truro in steam at the National Railway Museum in York, August 2010
Photo: © Martin Clutterbuck (2010)
City of Truro guested in “Duck and the Diesel Engine” (1958).
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| The Rev Awdry's model of City of Truro, taking pride of place on the mantelpiece of the “Awdry Study” at Tywyn in Wales. Photo © Martin Clutterbuck 2006 |
Modeler's Corner
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Dapol produces an unmotorized plastic kit of City of Truro: The company says (16/04/2004): “to coincide with the restoration of the real locomotive, [we] have repaired the tool for our 'City of Truro' kit and the product is now available from stock.” Find and order it here. Also check eBay, etc for older Airfix and Kitmaster versions of this kit. |
Right: A very handsome model of the Dapol kit on scale wheels and motorized chassis. This went on eBay for a sum way out of the average price range! |
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| Bachmann’s special edition model of City of Truro exclusively available at the NRM in York. | |
Collector's Corner
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Left: Classic ERTL model of ‘City of Truro” |
Jinty and Pug<---- |
---->Diesel |