British Railways Standard Class 9F Evening Star

Evening Star is a preserved 9F class locomotive, it was the last engine to be built by British Railways before the end of steam
==History==
Built at Swindon Railway Works in 1960 the Evening Star was used in the western region of British Railways. In 1965 Evening Star was withdrawn after a working only five years but was subsequently preserved at the National Railway Mueseum.
After a brief period displayed at the Locomotion museum at Shildon, County Durham, the engine returned to its birthplace Swindon Railway Works on 3 September 2008. Evening Star is exhibited for two years at the Swindon Steam railway Mueseum , during which period the GWR locomotive King George V will take its place in York.
==Naming and Ceremony==
Evening Star was chosen following a competition run in 1959-60 by the BR Western Region Staff Magazine. There were three competition winners, Driver T.M. Phillips (Aberystwyth), Boilermaker J.S. Sathi (Old Oak Common) and F.L. Pugh (Paddington), who had all suggested Evening Star.
The naming ceremony took place on the morning of 18 March 1960 in the former Great Western Railway works at Swindon where it was built. A great speech was given by R.F.Hanks in which he began by saying, "There had to be a last steam locomotive, and it is a tremendous thing that that last steam locomotive should be built here in these great works at Swindon." After acknowledging the great craftsmanship, he went on to say:
"I am sure it has been truly said that no other product of man's mind has ever exercised such a compelling hold upon the public's imagination as the steam locomotive. No other machine in its day has been a more faithful friend to mankind nor has contributed more to the growth of industry in this the land of its birth and indeed throughout the whole world... Those who have lived in the steam age of railways will carry the most nostalgic memories right to the end."
The loco was then named by K.W.C. Grand of the British Transport Commission, by the unveiling of the nameplate, lettered in the Great Western style. "Ladies & Gentlemen, I now unveil this locomotive (curtains draw back) "and christen it the Evening Star."
A commemorative plate was affixed below the nameplate on the Smoke deflectors. The engine's name plate were both carved by pattern maker Fred Marsh. The engine's name plate were both carved by pattern maker Fred Marsh the commemorative plate reads;
No. 92220 built at Swindon
March 1960 The last steam locomotive for British Railways Named at Swindon on March 18 1960 by K.W.C. Grand, Esq. Member of the British Transport Commission
==Gallery==
Category:YNRM Locomotives
Category:BR Locomotives
Category:9F Class Locomotives
Category:Preserved Locomotives