Giant

**Michael**, better known as **"Giant"** thanks to his size, is a BR Standard 4 tank that is owned by the Moorland Steam Railway. He is the one of two examples of the BR Standards that operate on the line (Mike being a static locomotive for display purposes only, due to his size and Zac always kept operational).

## Bio

Michael was built at Brighton Works in 1956 as a part of the British Railways standardised designs introduced in 1951. His class was based on the Fairburn tanks dating from World War Two and first saw service in the outer London suburbs, despite the fact he could work further. He was transferred to Scotland to assist older tank locomotives on their mixed workings outside of the cities. One of Michael's greatest feats during his time in Scotland was operating with ex-LNER 0-6-0s on fish trains from Malling on the West Highland Extension. During this time, he gained the nickname "Giant" because of him being a large tank engine.

In 1959, Giant was transferred to Wales to haul commuter trains on ex-Great Western branchlines with Standard 3s and BR-built Ivatt 2 2-6-0s, but mostly operated empty stock workings towards Paddington or Swindon.

## Livery

Until 2005, Giant was painted in BR Lined Black with Early Emblems.

From 2006 onwards, Giant is painted in BR Lined Brunswick Green with Late Crests.

## Basis or real locomotive

Giant is based off the real locomotive. It was one of 155 BR Standard 4 class 2-6-4Ts introduced in 1951 and based upon the older Fairburn 4MT 2-6-4T of 1945. Like their LMS ancestors, the BR Standard 4 tanks were used on suburban duties and could be mostly found in the London, Midland, Western and Southern Regions of British Railways. Withdrawals of the class began in July 1962 because of the introduction of diesel multiple units on their services with the last retiring from service in July 1967. 15 have been preserved.

No. 80140 was built at Brighton Works in 1956 and worked its entire life in the Southern Region. It was withdrawn from service in 1967 and scrapped at Birds of Risca, Newport, later that year.

## Trivia

Giant's models are renumbered Bachmann models.

Giant's name came from the fact he was a large tank engine, despite being around the same size as Kate.

* Giant's design was in fact based off Kate's design.

Giant has a running gag when he's normally appearing, which is accompanied by 1950s rock 'n roll music, which the others, including Zac (a fellow "rock n' roll generation" locomotive), hate.

* The song 'Rock Around the Clock' is normally used as Giant's theme.

Giant has the same pattern buffers as Gordon (NWR) and the LMS Pacifics.

Giant's design was the basis for Stanley's class.

Giant's BR Brunswick Green livery came from NYMR-based classmate No. 80135. It earned its infamy for being the only member to be painted in this livery (albeit not in service years) and its appearances in the British television crime drama 'Heartbeat'.

Despite being built in Brighton and working in the Scottish Region, Giant has a strong Cockney accent despite never working near London.

After the 1990s, Giant gained the nickname "weeb engine" after his hobby of watching anime after that period of time. The nickname was created by Zac while he was awaiting his next overhaul and has been common when anything Japanese is brought up.

* The nickname is further used in 2016 during the school girl kidnapping fiasco.