GWR 3700 Class

3700 Class or City Class
Nº 3433, City of Bath
Power type Steam
Designer George Jackson Churchward
Builder GWR Swindon Works
Build date 1902–1909
Total produced 20
Configuration 4-4-0
UIC classification 2'B
Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading wheel
diameter		 3 ft 2 in (0.965 m)
Driver diameter 6 ft 8 1⁄2 in (2.045 m)
Locomotive weight 55 long tons 6 cwt (123,900 lb/56.2 t)
Locomotive & tender
combined weight		 92 long tons 1 cwt (206,200 lb/93.5 t)
Fuel type Coal
Cylinders Two, inside
Cylinder size 18 × 26 in (457 × 660 mm)
Top speed 100 mph (160 km/h)
Tractive effort 17,800 lbf (79.2 kN)
Locomotive brakes Steam
Train brakes Vacuum
Career GWR
Class 3700
Power class GWR: A
Number in class 20
Number See article
Official name City Class
Axle load class GWR: Blue

The Great Western Railway 3700 Class, or City Class, locomotives were a series of twenty 4-4-0 steam locomotives, designed for hauling express passenger trains.

Contents

Construction

Ten of the twenty locomotives were rebuilt from William Dean Atbara Class engines, the first (number 3405) being converted in September 1902 and the rest following in 1907–1909. The other ten were built new during 1903 at the GWR's Swindon locomotive works. The whole class was gradually replaced and all but one scrapped in the period 1927–1931.[1]

City of Truro

The most famous locomotive in the class, 3440 City of Truro (later renumbered 3717), is reputedly the first steam locomotive to travel in excess of 100mph, in 1904.[notes 1] It was the 2000th locomotive to be built at Swindon, leaving the works in April 1903.[2]

Preservation

Historically significant because of its famed 1904 run, "City of Truro" was a prime candidate for preservation, wheareas the rest of the class were scrapped. It is owned by the National Railway Museum, York. It was last restored to full working order in 2004 and, as of 2009, is frequently loaned for operation on UK main lines and heritage railways.

List of Locomotives

This class were subject to the 1912 renumbering of GWR 4-4-0 locomotives, which saw the Bulldog class gathered together in the series 3300-3455, and other types renumbered out of that series. The City Class took numbers 3700-3719, previously used by Bulldog locomotives.

Numbers Name
First Second (1912) First Second
3400 3700 Durban
3401 3701 Gibraltar
3402 3702 Halifax
3403 3703 Hobart
3404 3704 Lyttelton
3405 3705 Mauritius
3406 3706 Melbourne
3407 3707 Malta
3408 3708 Ophir Killarney
3409 3709 Quebec
3433 3710 City of Bath
3434 3711 City of Birmingham
3435 3712 City of Bristol
3436 3713 City of Chester
3437 3714 City of Gloucester
3438 3715 City of Hereford
3439 3716 City of London
3440 3717 City of Truro
3441 3718 City of Winchester
3442 3719 City of Worcester City of Exeter

References

Notes
  1. ^ A US record was twice claimed, although not officially timed, for the inaugural run of the Empire State Express in 1893. A speed of 102 mph, then 112 on the next day, timed as 35 and 32 seconds across a mile, was claimed.
  1. ^ Casserley 1966, p. 50
  2. ^ Fox 1993, p. 9
Bibliography
  • Casserley, H.C. (1966). Locomotives at the Grouping - No. 4 - Great Western Railway. Ian Allan Limited. 
  • Fox, Peter (1993). Preserved Locomotives of British Railways. Platform 5 Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-872524-54-0.