#0921

Highland Railway Ben Class

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Dübs and Company· from 1898· two classes of 20+6 British 4-4-0 locomotives

1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Dübs and Co. Glasgow 3685, Highland Railway (HR) 1 "Ben-Y-Gloe" (Ans 05373-0429): ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Bildarchiv / Fotograf: Unbekannt / Ans_05373-0429 / Public Domain Mark· CC0

what is it?

The Highland Railway Ben Class were small 4-4-0 passenger steam locomotives. There were actually two separate 'Ben' classes, usually referred to as the 'Small Bens' and the 'Large Bens'.

who runs it

Highland Railway London, Midland and Scottish Railway British Rail Scottish Region of British Railways

base stats

weight 46.7 tin working order
built 26made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 128 years ago, in 1898.
Weighs about as much as 8 African elephants (~6 t each).
Served for 52 years (1898–1950).

steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.

spec sheet

built: 1898–1909
in service from: 1898
retired: 1950
status: retired
number built: 26
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: Dübs and Company, Highland Railway, North British Locomotive Company
designer: Peter Drummond
operators: Highland Railway, London, Midland and Scottish Railway, British Rail, Scottish Region of British Railways
top speed: —
power: —
wheel arrangement: 4-4-0
weight: 46.7 t

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q5759047, Wikipedia: Highland Railway Ben Class (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.