GWR 4500 Class

GWR 4500 Class

Preserved 4566 at Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway
Type and origin
Power type Steam
Designer George Jackson Churchward
Builder
  • Wolverhampton Works (20)
  • Swindon Works (55)
Serial number
  • Wolverhampton 775–794
  • Swindon: 2310–19, 2496–2505, 2597–2611
Build date 1906–1924
Total produced 75
Specifications
Configuration 2-6-2T
Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver diameter 4 ft 7 1⁄2 in (1 m)
Loco weight 57 long tons (58 t; 64 short tons)
Fuel type Coal
Boiler pressure 200 psi (1.4 MPa)
Cylinders Two, outside
Cylinder size 17 in × 24 in (432 mm × 610 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort 21,250 lbf (94.5 kN)
Career
Operators
Class 4500
Power class
  • GWR: C
  • BR: 4MT
Axle load class GWR: Yellow
Withdrawn February 1950 – September 1964
Disposition Three preserved, remainder scrapped

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 4500 Class or Small Prairie is a class of 2-6-2T steam locomotives.

History

They were designed as small mixed traffic branch locomotives, mainly used on branch lines. The design was based on the earlier 4400 Class, but with larger driving wheels and altered wheel spacing. This gave them extra speed — capable of 60 mph (97 km/h) in service.[1] A total of 75 were built; 55 were built in four batches between 1906 and 1915 and a fifth batch of 20 locos was built in 1924, during Collett's tenure at Swindon. The first two batches were originally numbered 2161–2190 but were renumbered 4500–4529 during 1912. The first batch (2161–2180) is significant in that it was the last batch of locos built at Stafford Road Works, Wolverhampton.[2] Of this batch 2168 (as 4507) was the last Wolverhampton-built loco to remain in service with BR, not being withdrawn until 1963. The final two batches built were nos. 4530-4554 in 1913-15 and nos. 4555-4574 in 1924.

The 4575 Class was a later development with larger side tanks.

Preservation

Three of the class still exist, two of them survivors from Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. All of them have run in preservation.

4555

4555 was bought in working order from British Railways so has never had to be restored. The loco is currently named 'Warrior' and is undergoing overhaul on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, having last worked in 2007. [3]

4561

This locomotive left Woodham Brothers in September 1975. It is currently undergoing an extensive overhaul on the West Somerset Railway, having been out of service since 1998.[4]

4566

Currently in service on the Severn Valley Railway, this locomotive left Woodham Brothers in August 1970. It has been in service since late 2006 following an overhaul. Following several years painted in Great Western Green, it has now been painted in BR Unlined Black with the Early Crest for the first time in preservation.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ le Fleming 1962, pp. J46–J50.
  2. ↑ Holcroft 1957, p. 44.
  3. ↑ "South Devon Railway | Locomotives | Gone but not forgotten | GWR 2-6-2T No 4555".
  4. ↑ "The Locomotives - WSRA".
  5. ↑ "SVR - Meet the Loco".

External links

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