GWR 5600 class 6634
GWRGreat Western Railway 5600 class 6634 | |
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6634 at BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. Scrapyard in 1968 | |
Built By | GWRGreat Western Railway Swindon Works |
Configuration | 0-6-2T |
Power class | GWRGreat Western Railway: D, BRBritish Rail or British Railways: 5MTThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic. |
Axle load class | GWRGreat Western Railway: Red |
Status | Unrestored |
Loco Number | 6634 |
History | |
Built | 1928 |
Designed By | Charles CollettCharles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941 |
Type | GWRGreat Western Railway 5600 |
2009 | Arrived on SVRSevern Valley Railway |
2017 | Left SVRSevern Valley Railway for Peak Rail |
Technical | |
Weight | 69t 7cwt |
Tractive effort | 25,800 lb |
Pressure | 200 lb/sq in |
The GWRGreat Western Railway 5600 Class is a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive designed by CollettCharles Benjamin Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1922-1941 and built between 1924 and 1928. They were based on the Rhymney Railway 1904 M class and 1909 R class locomotives. In 1923 the GWRGreat Western Railway absorbed a variety of locomotives from pre-Grouping Welsh railway companies, many of 0-6-2T configuration, and built two hundred locomotives of the 5600 class to replace part of that fleet. Numbered in the 5600 and 6600 series, most were built at Swindon, however 6650-6699 were built by ArmstrongJoseph Armstrong, Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Superintendent of the Great Western Railway 1864-1877 Whitworth in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The last of the class remained in service until the end of BRBritish Rail or British Railways(WR) steam in 1965. The class was not used on the Severn Valley Branch in service due to its 'Red' axle weight classification, although one was allowed to work a coal train to Alveley Colliery by mistake. The class was however used on trains for Stourport Power Station.[1]
Nine of the class have survived into preservation, of which 5619 has also appeared on the SVRSevern Valley Railway.
6634 in service
6634 was built at Swindon in August 1928 to lot number 252, and withdrawn from Pontypool Road shed in April 1964.[2] It was sent to Barry Scrapyard in August of that year.
6634 in preservation
6634 left BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. in June 1981, the 131st locomotive to do so, initially to the East Somerset Railway.[3][4] It is owned by The Waterman Railway Heritage Trust.
On 19 August 2009 the ‘rolling chassis’ arrived on the SVRSevern Valley Railway for restoration from ex-Barry condition to be completed. SVRSevern Valley Railway News announced that the SVRSevern Valley Railway had reached an agreement with the owners to complete the overhaul of the ‘bottom end’ while Crewe completed the repair of the boiler. The SVRSevern Valley Railway would then bring the locomotive into use with it being run on the SVRSevern Valley Railway for ‘a period deemed fair by both parties’. The deal appeared favourable to the SVRSevern Valley Railway as it would not involve the boiler shop or require space in the works on the jacks. Work was subsequently carried out by the SVRSevern Valley Railway for a period after its arrival.
In 2010 it was reported boiler repairs were going well at LNWRLondon & North Western Railway Crewe, but by 2011 plans had changed and they were instead intending to use the boiler of 'Large PrairieLocomotive with a 2-6-2 wheel configuration' 4115, one of the “Barry Ten”. In Summer 2012 the boiler tubeplate was stolen from Crewe Heritage Centre with serious disruption to progress.[5] By 2014 the SVRSevern Valley Railway reported that there was no progress or commitment on the boiler and the SVRSevern Valley Railway was seeking legal advice concerning the continued lack of progress in order to resolve this long running problem.[6][7]
Peak Rail’s Press Release 12 May 2015 announced: “Dr Pete Waterman OBE DL is delighted to announce that he has reached an agreement with Peak Rail to base his Waterman Railway Heritage Trust assets at its Rowsley site”.[8] Two of its locomotives were moved, but 6634 remained at the SVRSevern Valley Railway.
The locomotive was transported by road from Bridgnorth to Peak Rail on 10 November 2017.[9] The 2017 SVR(H) accounts included a £65k settlement from the Waterman Railway Heritage Trust[10].
See also
Former Residents
The Waterman Railway Heritage Trust
Classes of locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service
References
- ↑ Booth, A., 'CEGB, Stourport Power Station', Railways in Worcestershire (Retrieved 20 November 2020)
- ↑ BRDatabase
- ↑ Railuk.info Barry Scrapyard Search Results
- ↑ Duggan, J., 'GWR 56XX Class steam locomotives – Class Information', Rail Advent, 30 October 2018 (Retrieved 16 August 2020)
- ↑ SVRLive Steam Loco Situation - Summer 2012
- ↑ SVRLive News update 19 February 2014
- ↑ SVRLive News update 4 July 2014
- ↑ Peak Rail Facebook 12 May 2015
- ↑ SVRA Forum, accessed 10 November 2017
- ↑ Minutes of the SVRSevern Valley Railway(H) AGM held on 16 June 2018, Para. 4
Links
GWR 5600 Class on Wikipedia
GWR 5600 Class on Great Western Archive
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