English: US Army Transportation Corps Type S160 2-8-0 No.6046 at the Great Western Society Steam Gala, Didcot Railway Centre, 31 July 2021. 2,120 American-built (1942-45), J W Marsh designed Type S160’s were shipped to Europe in WWII, many to the UK before D-Day where they saw service with British railway companies, including the GWR, before going to Europe. Six were based at Didcot Shed. British engine men initially suffered something of a culture shock when first encountering them, regarding them as rather crudely built compared to the finely engineered products of British locomotive works (especially the GWR’s Swindon works), although it has to be said that they were designed so as to be built quickly and easily to austerity standards so they were not expected to have a long life. However, enginemen soon appreciated their rugged simplicity, ability to steam on the very poor quality coal then available to the railways and great haulage capabilities. Curiously, their commodious, ergonomically well laid-out and very comfortable cabs compared to the minimalist and spartan GWR cabs were thought to be unnecessarily luxurious and ‘soft’ by GWR crews who took pride in the discomforts they had to face! No.6046 was built by Baldwin and sent directly to France in 1945 to help post-war recovery. She then went to Hungry as MAV Class 411 No.411.144. On withdrawal she was bought for preservation in the UK.