The Great Western Railway Premier Class 0-6-0 broad gauge steam locomotives for goods train work. This class was introduced into service between February 1846 and May 1847, and withdrawn between March 1866 and June 1872. These were the first locomotives built at

Swindon railway works Swindon railway works was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1843 in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. It served as the principal west England maintenance centre until closed in 1986. History In 1835 Parliament approved the construction of th ...

, albeit with boilers supplied to the company. They were larger than the existing Hercules Class but still with haycock fireboxes. Just six months after the last one left Swindon, production of the even larger Pyracmon Class had started. From about 1865, the Premier Class locomotives became part of the Fury Class, along with the Hercules Class locomotives.

Locomotives

* ''Ajax'' (1846–1871) :

Ajax Ajax may refer to: Greek mythology and tragedy * Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea * Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris * ''Ajax'' (play), by the ancient Gree ...

is the name of a Greek mythological hero. HMS ''Ajax'' formed part of Admiral Nelson's fleet at the

Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...

in 1805. The name had previously been carried on one of the unsuccessful Mather, Dixon locomotives built in 1838. * ''Argo'' (1846–1855) : The original '' Argo'' was

Jason Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Medea. He ...

's ship in Greek mythology. * ''Bellerophon'' (1846–1870) : Bellerophon is the name of a Greek mythological hero. HMS ''Bellerophon'' was one of the most famous ships at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. * ''Bergion'' (1847–1870) : This locomotive was named after Bergion, son of

Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ...

in Greek mythology. * ''Briarcus'' (1847–1870) : This locomotive was named after Briarcus, a minor character in Greek mythology. * ''Brontes'' (1847–1872) : Brontes is one of the Greek mythical monsters known as the Cyclops. His name means 'thunder'. * ''Dreadnought'' (1846–1871) : This is a common name for large British naval ships, was serving when this locomotive was built. * ''Fury'' (1846–1871) : The

furies The Erinyes ( ; sing. Erinys ; grc, Ἐρινύες, pl. of ), also known as the Furies, and the Eumenides, were female chthonic deities of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and mythology. A formulaic oath in the ''Iliad'' invokes the ...

were the female personification of vengeance in Roman mythology. * ''Jason'' (1847–1870) : This locomotive was named after Jason. a hero of Greek mythology. * ''Premier'' (1846–1869) : The name, which means ''first'', had previously been carried on one of the Mather, Dixon locomotives of 1838. * ''Telica'' (1846–1870) : The volcano Telica is in Nicaragua. * ''Vesuvius'' (1846–1870) : This locomotive was named after

Vesuvius Mount Vesuvius ( ; it, Vesuvio ; nap, 'O Vesuvio , also or ; la, Vesuvius , also , or ) is a somma- stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Campania, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is one of ...

, a famous volcano in Italy.

References

* * * {{GWR Locomotives Premier 0-6-0 locomotives Broad gauge (7 feet) railway locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1846 Scrapped locomotives