Atlantic

A complete history paying homage to this most elegant of steam locomotives

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The Atlantic locomotive is often described as the 'Queen' of locomotives and the image of it steaming full-blast for Chicago, Edinburgh or Paris represents a bygone age. Created in an era of great technical development at the beginning of the twentieth century, it quickly became the most prestigious and popular of the new engines, generating plenty of steam and horsepower. 60 per cent of the Atlantics ran in the USA but the UK's 310 engines included a wide range of sub-species. Atlantics quickly achieved legendary status and adorned posters, playing cards and postage stamps, dominated grand exhibitions such as the 1904 St Loius world fair, and by the 1930s Atlantics took 100mph in their stride and were among the fastest machines on earth.