Great Western Railway broad-gauge Rover class 4-2-2 Emperor. But where and when was it taken, and by whom? (Photograph: Ian Crowder collection)  

The picture shows Gooch-designed Great Western Railway broad-gauge 4-2-2 'Rover' class express locomotive 'Emperor'.  This was a development of the Gooch Iron Duke class of 4-2-2s introduced in 1846 which had capably established the Great Western's reputation for speed.  Although their haulage capacity was quite limited, they regularly touched speeds of up to 80mph provided their load was light. 

In 1870 three Iron Duke locomotives were extensively rebuilt to create more powerful 4-2-2s which became known as the Rover class.  However, it would perhaps be more accurate to say that the engines used parts of the originals as they included new boilers and frames and they took the names of their predecessors, Great Britain, Prometheus and Estaffete.  Further members of the class were new builds, entering service between 1871 and 1888, taking the names of withdrawn Iron Duke class locomotives.

The last of the Iron Duke class, Lord of the Isles, was withdrawn in 1884 and earmarked for preservation but was broken up by Churchward in 1906 on the grounds of space, although its driving wheels survive at STEAM in Swindon.

In all, 24 Rover class locomotives were built.  The one pictured, Emperor, was completed at Swindon in 1880 and withdrawn in 1892 on conversion of the Great Western to 'standard' gauge.  Note that there is no number on the locomotive - at the time, the Great Western simply identified their engines with names.

The picture is part of Ian Crowder's collection.  He says: "This picture was one of a few plate-size glass negatives amongst a dusty box full of mainly LSWR railway documents passed on many years ago by the owner of a second-hand bookshop in Winchester.  The owner was retiring and closing his shop and knowing my interest in railways, simply passed the items on that he had taken in from a customer but never really examined - I don't think he realised the negatives were there and they hadn't been well treated, a couple of them were broken.  The negatives show a few Great Western broad gauge and standard gauge locomotives and a larger number of LSWR (London & South Western Railway) images, and one GER (Great Eastern Railway) locomotive.  There were also three poor conventional film negatives showing Lynton & Barnstaple narrow-gauge locomotives.

"I have no idea who took the pictures or when and many of them, like this one, give little clue as to where they were taken either.

"As always, if you can offer any information about the picture, I'd be delighted to hear from you!" 

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