It was of the Stephenson Long Boiler design, and unlike the ubiquitous 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 side tanks and saddle tanks which served most of the industrial railways of the north-east, it was a pannier tank, (a layout common on the Great Western Railway, but rarely seen elsewhere).
The term tank engine has stemmed into popular culture due to Wilbert Awdry's famous children's character, Thomas the Tank Engine.
steam locomotive | think tank | Thomas the Tank Engine | tank | Baldwin Locomotive Works | locomotive | Shark Tank | Centurion tank | main battle tank | American Locomotive Company | Panther tank | North British Locomotive Company | diesel locomotive | Chieftain tank | Shark Tank (TV series) | Valentine tank | Tank | Space Shuttle external tank | Royal Tank Regiment | Landing Ship, Tank | German Steam Locomotive Museum | electric locomotive | British Railway Milk Tank Wagon | Al-Khalid tank | Tiger tank | The Great Locomotive Chase | Tank Man | Tank Johnson | Tank Girl | Montreal Locomotive Works |
The first locomotives designed specifically to burn turf were three 0-4-0 well tank engines, built by Andrew Barclay of Kilmarnock, Scotland, and introduced by the nationalised turf producer Bord na Móna on its 3 ft (914 mm) gauge lines at Clonsast, near Portarlington, in 1949.
The society has restored or is presently restoring a number of locomotives and wagons once used on New Zealand's national rail network, with its star attraction currently being a tank locomotive, WAB 794.
In 1921 Robert Urie, the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LSWR introduced four large 4-8-0 shunting tank locomotives of the G16 class specifically to operate the yard, and five similar H16 class of 4-6-2T to undertake the transfer freight workings from Feltham.
In 1901 the Zululand Railway Company, contracted for the construction of the Natal North Coast line from Verulam to the Tugela River, acquired one 2-6-2 side-tank locomotive as construction engine from Baldwin Locomotive Works.
Along with other high performance steam engines like the "H02 1001" and a coal dust-fired Prussian G 12 (DRG BR 58), loco no. 96 019 was to be seen at the world trade conference in Berlin-Tempelhof in 1930, where she was Germany's and Europe's heaviest Mallet tank locomotive.
LSWR G16 class, a 1921 British 4-8-0T wheel steam tank locomotive model
Goods trains started working to the terminus on 1 May 1857, but the main line companies were reluctant to operate a passenger service, and the N&SWJR itself acquired a Sharp, Stewart 0-4-0 saddle tank locomotive.
The steam tram motor is basically a small enclosed saddle tank locomotive steam motor with four driving wheels in an 0-4-0 arrangement.
A recent railtour operated by Vintage Trains proved the viability of operating 5 coach trains on the steep incline between Lightmoor and Buildwas with an ex-GWR 9400 Class pannier tank locomotive.