GWR 2900 Class

Great Western Railway 2900 Saint class

2933 Bibury Court
Type and origin
Power type Steam
Designer George Jackson Churchward
Builder GWR Swindon Works
Specifications
Configuration 4-6-0
Leading wheel
diameter		 3 ft 2 in (0.965 m)
Driver diameter 6 ft 8 1⁄2 in (2.045 m)
Wheelbase loco: 27 ft 1 in (8.26 m)
loco & tender: 53 ft 4 3⁄4 in (16.28 m)
Length 63 ft 0 1⁄4 in (19.21 m)
Width 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m)
Height 13 ft 3 1⁄2 in (4.051 m)
Axle load 18 long tons (18 t)
Locomotive weight 68.30 long tons (69.40 t)
Tender weight 43.15 long tons (43.84 t)
Fuel capacity 5 long tons (5.1 t)
Water capacity 4,000 imp gal (18,000 l; 4,800 US gal)
Boiler GWR Standard No. 1
Boiler pressure 200 psi (1.38 MPa)
Firegrate area 27.22 sq ft (2.529 m2)
Heating surface:
– Tubes and flues		 1,485.96 sq ft (138.050 m2)
– Firebox 154.94 sq ft (14.394 m2)
Superheater area 307.52 sq ft (28.570 m2)
Cylinders Two, outside
Cylinder size 18 in × 30 in (457 mm × 762 mm)
Valve gear Stephenson
Valve type 10 inches (250 mm) piston valves
Performance figures
Tractive effort 20,530 lbf (91.32 kN)
Career
Operator(s) Great Western Railway
Class 2900 or Saint
Power class GWR: C
BR: 4P
Number in class 76
Axle load class Red
Retired 1931–1953
Disposition All scrapped, but one Hall being back-dated to 2900 specification

The Great Western Railway 2900 or Saint Class were a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotives for passenger train work. Number 2925 Saint Martin was later rebuilt as the prototype Hall Class locomotive, and renumbered 4900.

Prototypes

Three prototype two-cylinder 4-6-0 locomotives were constructed by the GWR in 1902 and 1903. The first, no. 100, was completed in March 1902.[1] It had a domeless parallel boiler, raised Belpaire firebox, 19 in (48.3 cm) diameter outside cylinders with 30 in (76.2 cm) piston stroke, and boiler pressure of 200 psi (1.38 MPa).[2] The piston valves were driven by rocking levers actuated by the expansion link of Stephenson valve gear- this particular design was only used on no. 100.[3] The parallel boiler was later replaced with a half-cone boiler, and then the first superheated half-cone boiler in 1910. G J Churchward had studied American boiler design, but he was also influenced by continental practice in efficient motion design. From the Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques (SACM) a De Glehn 4-4-2 compound engine was ordered for comparative trials on the GWR.[4]

Number 98, the second prototype locomotive, was built with a half-cone boiler and a re-designed valve gear layout and cylinders. Valve diameters were increased from 6 1⁄2 inches (170 mm) to 10 inches (250 mm).[4]

Locomotive no. 171, the third prototype, was built as a 4-6-0 but was soon converted to 4-4-2 for the De Glehn trials. Boiler pressure was increased to 225 psi (1.55 MPa).[4]

Even whilst 171 was undergoing trials nineteen locomotives were ordered to be built to a similar design, of which thirteen were built as 4-4-2s and six as 4-6-0s.[4]

Production

Year Lot No. Works No. Quantity GWR Numbers Notes
1902
132
1928
1
100 Renumbered 2900
1903
138
1990
1
98 Renumbered 2998
1903
154
2024
1
171 Ran as 4-4-2 from 1904/10 to 1907/07. Renumbered 2971
1905
154
2106
1
172 Built as 4-4-2. Rebuilt as 4-6-0. Renumbered 2972
1905
154
2107–2112
6
173–178 Renumbered 2973–2978
1905
154
2113–2114
2
179–180 Rebuilt as 4-6-0. Renumbered 2979–2980
1905
158
2128–2137
10
181–190 Rebuilt as 4-6-0. Renumbered 2981–2990
1906
164
2199–2208
10
2901–2910
1907
170
2259–2278
20
2911–2930
1911
185
2426–2435
10
2931–2940
1912
189
2476–2485
10
2941–2950
1913
192
2506–2510
5
2951–2955

Preservation

Because no Saints survived into preservation, the Great Western Society at Didcot is currently reverting 4942 Maindy Hall to be 2999 - Lady of Legend.

List of locomotives

No. Name Built Withdrawn Notes
2900 William Dean February 1902 June 1932 Originally unnamed. Carried name Dean from June to November 1902
2901 Lady Superior May 1906 April 1933 Named October 1906
2902 Lady of the Lake May 1906 August 1949 Named April 1907
2903 Lady of Lyons May 1906 November 1949 Named April 1907
2904 Lady Godiva May 1906 October 1932 Named April 1907
2905 Lady Macbeth May 1906 April 1948 Named April 1907
2906 Lady of Lynn May 1906 August 1952 Named May 1907
2907 Lady Disdain May 1906 July 1933 Named April 1907
2908 Lady of Quality May 1906 December 1950 Named May 1907
2909 Lady of Provence May 1906 November 1931 Named May 1907
2910 Lady of Shalott May 1906 October 1931 Named May 1907
2911 Saint Agatha August 1907 March 1935
2912 Saint Ambrose August 1907 February 1951
2913 Saint Andrew August 1907 May 1948
2914 Saint Augustine August 1907 January 1946
2915 Saint Bartholomew August 1907 October 1950
2916 Saint Benedict August 1907 July 1948
2917 Saint Bernard August 1907 October 1934
2918 Saint Catherine August 1907 February 1935
2919 Saint Cuthbert September 1907 February 1932 Originally named Saint Cecelia; renamed October 1907
2920 Saint David September 1907 October 1953 The Last Saint to be withdrawn from service
2921 Saint Dunstan September 1907 December 1946
2922 Saint Gabriel September 1907 January 1945
2923 Saint George September 1907 October 1934
2924 Saint Helena September 1907 March 1950
2925 Saint Martin September 1907 December 1924 Rebuilt to prototype Hall class
2926 Saint Nicholas September 1907 September 1951
2927 Saint Patrick September 1907 December 1951
2928 Saint Sebastian September 1907 August 1948
2929 Saint Stephen September 1907 December 1949
2930 Saint Vincent September 1907 November 1949
2931 Arlington Court October 1911 February 1951
2932 Ashton Court October 1911 June 1951
2933 Bibury Court November 1911 January 1953
2934 Butleigh Court November 1911 June 1952
2935 Caynham Court November 1911 December 1948
2936 Cefntilla Court November 1911 April 1951
2937 Clevedon Court December 1911 June 1953
2938 Corsham Court December 1911 August 1952
2939 Croome Court December 1911 December 1950
2940 Dorney Court December 1911 January 1952
2941 Easton Court May 1912 December 1949
2942 Fawley Court May 1912 December 1949
2943 Hampton Court May 1912 January 1951
2944 Highnam Court May 1912 November 1951
2945 Hillingdon Court June 1912 June 1953
2946 Langford Court June 1912 November 1949
2947 Madresfield Court June 1912 April 1951
2948 Stackpole Court June 1912 November 1951
2949 Stanford Court May 1912 January 1952
2950 Taplow Court May 1912 September 1952
2951 Tawstock Court March 1913 June 1952
2952 Twineham Court March 1913 September 1951
2953 Titley Court March 1913 February 1952
2954 Tockenham Court March 1913 July 1952
2955 Tortworth Court April 1913 May 1950
2971 Albion December 1903 February 1946 Built as No. 171. Named Albion February 1904. Rebuilt to 4-4-2, October 1904. Renamed The Pirate March 1907. Rebuilt back to 4-6-0, July 1907 and renamed Albion. Renumbered 2971, 1913.
2972 The Abbot February 1905 March 1935 Built as 4-4-2 No. 172 Quicksilver, named after a stagecoach operating between London and Devonport.[5] Renamed March 1907. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, April 1912.
2973 Robins Bolitho March 1905 July 1933 Built as No. 173
2974 Lord Barrymore March 1905 August 1933 Built as No. 174 Barrymore. Renamed, May 1905
2975 Lord Palmer March 1905 November 1944 Built as unnamed No. 175. Named Viscount Churchill, 1907. Renamed Sir Ernest Palmer, February 1924. Renamed Lord Palmer, in October 1933.
2976 Winterstoke April 1905 January 1934 Built as unnamed No. 176. Named, April 1907.
2977 Robertson April 1905 February 1935 Built as unnamed No. 177. Named, April 1907.
2978 Charles J. Hambro April 1905 August 1946 Built as No. 178 Kirkland, named after racehorse owned by Sir Frank Bibby.[6] Renamed, May 1935.
2979 Quentin Durward April 1905 January 1951 Built as 4-4-2 No. 179 Magnet. Renamed, March 1907. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, August 1912.
2980 Coeur de Lion May 1905 May 1948 Built as unnamed 4-4-2 No. 180. Named in March 1907 after subject of the novel Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott.[7] Rebuilt as 4-6-0, January 1913.
2981 Ivanhoe June 1905 March 1951 Built as unnamed 4-4-2 No. 181. Named in 1907. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, July 1912.
2982 Lalla Rookh June 1905 June 1946 Built as unnamed 4-4-2 No. 182. Named in 1906. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, November 1912.
2983 Redgauntlet July 1905 March 1946 Built as 4-4-2 No. 183 Red Gauntlet. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, April 1912. Renamed Redgauntlet, June 1915.
2984 Guy Mannering July 1905 May 1933 Built as 4-4-2 No. 184 Churchill. Renamed Viscount Churchill in 1906. Renamed Guy Mannering, 1907. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, August 1912.
2985 Peveril of the Peak July 1905 August 1931 Built as unnamed 4-4-2 No. 185. Named Winterstoke, February 1906. Renamed Peveril of the Peak, April 1907. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, May 1912. Withdrawn August 1931.
2986 Robin Hood July 1905 November 1932 Built as unnamed 4-4-2 No. 186. Named in April 1906. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, May 1912.
2987 Bride of Lammermoor August 1905 October 1949 Built as unnamed 4-4-2 No. 187. Named Robertson after a GWR Director,[8] November 1905. Renamed 'Bride of Lammermoor, April 1907. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, June 1912.
2988 Rob Roy August 1905 May 1948 Built as unnamed 4-4-2 No. 188. Named, 1907. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, May 1912.
2989 Talisman September 1905 September 1948 Built as unnamed 4-4-2 No. 189. Named, 1906. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, October 1912.
2990 Waverley September 1905 January 1939 Built as unnamed 4-4-2 No. 190. Named, 1906. Rebuilt as 4-6-0, November 1912.
2998 Ernest Cunard March 1903 June 1933 Built as unnamed No. 98. Named Persimmon, 1906. Renamed Vanguard, March 1907. Renamed Ernest Cunard, December 1907. Renumbered 2998 in 1913.
2999 Lady of Legend — — Modern conversion from previous 4900 class, 4942 Maindy Hall

Gallery

No. 2920 'Saint David'; from the third production series, built 1907, at Cardiff General Station 1953
2934 'Butleigh Court' at Swindon Locomotive Depot 1950
2935 'Caynham Court' as rebuilt in 1931 with rotary-cam poppet valves, at Swindon 1946

References

  1. ↑ Nock 1983, p. 11
  2. ↑ Nock 1983, p. 12
  3. ↑ Nock 1983, p. 21
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Great Western Society – GW 2900 Class overview (Accessed 26 April 2009)
  5. ↑ Davies, Ken (April 1993). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part fourteen: Names and their Origins - Railmotor Services - War Service - The Complete Preservation Story. Lincoln: RCTS. p. P141. ISBN 0-901115-75-4.
  6. ↑ Davies 1993, p. P129
  7. ↑ Davies 1993, p. P113
  8. ↑ Davies 1993, p. P143
  • Allan, Ian (March 1944). The ABC of Great Western Locomotives. Ian Allan.
  • Bradley, Rodger (1988). GWR Two Cylinder 4–6–0s and 2–6–0s. Newton Abbot, Devon: David and Charles Publishing plc.
  • Nock, O. S. (1983). Great Western 'Saint' Class 4–6–0. Cambridge: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-632-7.
  • "Lady of Legend details". Great Western Society website. Retrieved 10 June 2008.
  • "2900 'Saint' Class". Great Western Archive. Retrieved 25 September 2008.

External links

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