I think a classic is a matter or personal taste to be honest. Like the example of the HST's still in service on the network. Many people I know think these are classics as they are the last proper train still in service rather than these awful voyagers etc. A lot of ex br steam men can't stand the black 5's as they were as common as muck in there era.
Take for example the rover sd1 I love them but my grandfather who worked for rover in that era thinks they are awful cars.
Numbers etc have nothing to do with it. I had a a 1992 BMW 750 before I got my second omega a few days ago and many people think they are a classic and others think its an old banger.
The main thing is that we all love our cars otherwise we wouldn't be here. I think the rarer versions of the omega will be classics like the rare 8v select etc
Sorry but I must point out some facts on that statement.
I don't know where you have got that information from, but it is widely recognised in steam circles that Stanier's Black Five's were a highly praised engine. Among numerous statements made over the years by ex-LMS / BRM footplate crew, two of which I met, the likes of Eric Tracy, there is specifically ex-Midland Driver J.R.Carter, who states in his book Working Steam (1976) that Black 5's were "the firm favourite of locomen". In addition Brain Haresnape, in his book Stanier Locomotives (1970) states they were "one of the most successful and popular classes of locomotive ever constructed", which echoes not only the feelings of the old steam sheds allocated that class, but the feelings of the modern preservation movement who have close on 20 either rebuilt or awaiting restoration of the 842 originally constructed. Believe me they were always loved and still are, being a true classic of British railway engineering. 
There were two better rated locomotives of that size.
1) BR Type 5, like a Black 5 but better.
2) GWR Hall to my mind the best class 5 steam loco
Read the Peter Smith books
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Footplate-Over-Mendips-Peter-Smith/dp/086093022X
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mendips-Engineman-Peter-W-Smith/dp/0902888587/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1286657361&sr=1-2
But then they really loved the 9Fs, they drove the BR and LMS class 5s regularly, but have seen the sheer ability of the Halls.
But then the Black 5 is basically an LMSed Hall
They were the Standard 5's and were strongly based on the Stanier design but with 'modern' features like raised running plates for ease of maintenence, Timkin roller bearings, and had the Southern type clack valves in place of the original Stanier versions, but the boiler itself very much based on the very successful Stanier design, as developed by Ivatt. The Standard Black Five's were of course superior to the Stanier versions as 20 years had elasped between the two designs, with improvements to valves, pistons, and motion!!
The Standard 5 was developed by Ivatt, who, along with Riddles, worked under Stanier at the LMS, so brought LMS ideas to the table of the new Standard designs. Indeed they were in the main successful, but with a few less successful classes, such as the Class 6P 'Clans' and Class 8P,
Duke of Gloucester, later found in preservation to have had the ash pans wrongly constructed thus restricting the drafting!!
As for the LMS Black Five's being basically GWR Halls, that is hardly surprising given that Stanier had worked for the GWR under G.J. Churchward, being greatly influenced by GWR practice, which he took onto the LMS. This included the 'Standardisation' of parts policy that Churchward had eargerly developed, which continued to the end of BR steam! 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)
As for the 9F's they were liked, but they were unfortunately designed and built late in the twilight of BR steam. As you know no doubt they were introduced in 1954, but with the last one, 92220
Evening Star, constructed at Swindon in 1960, indeed the very last steam engine built for BR.
Love the links Martin! Thanks
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Topic: Will the Omega be a classic? (Read 7853 times)