Steam designs were continued from the Big 4 days and a new range of Standard locomotives was produced for construction in the 1950s. However there was to be one final steam fling in the Standard Age.
The Second World War virtually brought steam locomotive development to a halt in Great Britain - the watch-word became 'austerity' as engineers tried to produce simpler and cheaper designs.
The 1930s were the years of the depression and had a marked effect on Britain's railways. However the renewal of locomotives was urgent so there was considerable change in the steam locomotive fleets.
The first decade of the 20th century would see what was known as the 'Golden Age' of the Railways when locomotive size would double and the railways would reach their zenith.We follow its development.