## Description
### Steam Store Description
In the late 1890s the Great Western Railway were seeking new locomotives as
part of their post-broad gauge conversion modernization. The newly appointed
Chief Mechanical Engineer of the GWR, George Jackson Churchward, sought out
designs for modern steam locomotives that could serve the Western network far
into the future. His first success came from the 2-cylinder prototype known as
the Saint Class which, from 1902, would go on to serve as the standard
2-cylinder design for the foreseeable future. This gave Churchward the desire
to experiment with 4-cylinder locomotives, which could help make a fleet of
even more powerful locomotives. Churchward convinced the GWR to acquire a
small handful of four-cylinder French steam locomotives for comparison.
The first four-cylinder prototype appeared in April 1906 as No. 40 and with
the Class being named the ‘Star’, No. 40 was named North Star. No. 40, much
like the Saint prototypes built by Churchward before, featured a 4-4-2 wheel
arrangement with the standard 4-6-0 being only a simple conversion away.
Various aspects of the design were influenced by the French locomotives and
the wheel arrangement was eventually converted into the classic 4-6-0 by
November of the same year. This was decided after reports concluded that the
4-4-2 design would suffer during low adhesion or with heavier loads. A clear
indication that the Class had set the standard four-cylinder design was the
prototype itself, which would eventually be rebuilt into a Castle Class
locomotive in 1929.
Following the success of the prototype, several series of Star Class
locomotives would be built between 1907 and 1923. Each series was given a
different overall name despite them being part of the same class; for example,
after the first batch of 10 locomotives, known as the Star series were
produced, the second batch were classed the Knight series and this trend
continued through each batch of locomotives. Each batch saw various
differences between them, however underneath the standard Star Class remained.
The final Star Class, 4072 Tresco Abbey, was built in February 1923. After
this Class had ended its production run its successor, the 4073 Castle Class,
continued on the numbers as a more powerful express passenger locomotive which
originated from the Star Class. In fact, as many as 15 Castle Class
locomotives came to be thanks to Star Class conversions (including Tresco
Abbey).
During its prime, the Star Class fleet operated mainly as an express passenger
locomotive, hauling the longer distance journeys at higher speeds than had
been seen before. They literally were the ‘Stars’ of the Great Western from
London to Bristol and beyond. That was however until improvements were made
upon its design and the more powerful Castle Class – and also eventually the
even more powerful King Class – began to take charge of the top link expresses
out to the West. Many of the Star Class locomotives were displaced to
secondary operations while the new Castle and Kings reigned supreme, however
the most reliable of the Stars did last in service well into the 1950s.
Eventually, the end was approaching for the Star Class, those that hadn’t been
scrapped by the mid-1950s were rebuilt into the Castle Class and the final two
that were still in service were withdrawn by British Railways in 1956 and
1957. Out of all the Star Class locomotives, only one has been preserved and
it is done so in a static state; 4003 Lode Star can be found today as the sole
survivor of the Class under the protection of the National Railway Museum, a
non-working exhibit that treasures the legacy behind some of the most iconic
GWR locomotives in history.
The Star Class for Train Simulator features 19 examples of the locomotive from
both the original Star Series and the following Knight Series:
• 4000 – North Star
• 4001 – Dog Star
• 4002 – Evening Star
• 4003 – Lode Star
• 4004 – Morning Star
• 4005 – Polar Star
• 4006 – Red Star
• 4007 – Rising Star
• 4008 – Royal Star
• 4009 – Shooting Star
• 4010 – Western Star
• 4011 – Knight of the Garter
• 4012 – Knight of the Thistle
• 4013 – Knight of St. Patrick
• 4014 – Knight of the Bath
• 4015 – Knight of St. John
• 4017 – Knight of Liege
• 4019 – Knight Templar
• 4020 – Knight Commander
The GWR Star Class locos feature alongside the Collett 4000 Gallon Tender in
both Clean and Dirty GWR liveries. Complex features such as steam heating and
steam injectors are included alongside Driver Assist to help you get straight
into the action. Composite, Brake Third and Third Collett “Sunshine” coaches
in the GWR Shirtbutton livery will also be included along with one TS Academy
Tutorial and four Career scenarios for the Riviera Line in the Fifties route
(available as part of TS2016).
## Scenarios
The GWR Star Class Loco Add-on includes four career scenario for the Riviera
Line in the Fifties route:
* A Knight for a winter’s night
* A morning Star in the morning
* An evening star in the evening
* Royalty goes to Kingswear
More scenarios are available on Steam Workshop online and in-game. Train
Simulator’s Steam Workshop scenarios are free and easy to download, adding
many more hours of gameplay. With scenarios being added daily, why don’t you
check it out now!
Click here for Steam Workshop scenarios.
## Key Features
* GWR 4000 Class (Star) in Great Western Railways Clean & Dirty Liveries
* Composite, Brake Third and Third Collett “Sunshine” coaches in the GWR Shirtbutton Livery
* Accurate Simulation and Sounds
* TS2016 Driver Assist Functionality
* TS Academy Tutorial Scenario
* Four challenging career scenarios for the Riviera Line in the Fifties route
* Quick Drive compatible
* Download size: 163.2mb
TS: GWR Star Class