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4800 to 1400 renumbering was GWR in 1946, not BR in 1948.
1450 (originally 4850) is a GWR 1400 class 0-4-2T locomotive. These locomotives, which were originally numbered in the 4800 series, were designed by C.B. Collett as a replacement for the elderly Wolverhampton '517' class, and were intended to work mainly on small branch lines. 75 were built at Swindon in three batches between 1932 and 1936, being fitted from new with auto gear for working with trailer cars and also with ATC (automatic train control) equipment. 20 other locomotives of the same class, numbered 5800-5819, were built in 1933 without auto gear and ATC, although some were retro-fitted with the latter. Following nationalisation BR rated the class 1P.
Post-1945, coal shortages led to plans being put forward to convert a number of GWR engines to oil burning. 12 of the [[GWR 2857 Heavy Goods Loco | 2800 class freight engines]] were modified and renumbered in the 4800 series. As a result the entire 4800 class was renumbered 1400 to 1474 by BRthe GWR in 1946.<ref>[http://www.railuk.info/steam/getsteamclass.php?item=1400 Rail UK Steam Loco Class Information -- GWR 1400]</ref>
Three other members of the class have survived into preservation; 1420 at the South Devon Railway, 1442 at Tiverton Museum and 4866 at the Great Western Society in Didcot.
==1450 in service==
4850 was built in 1935 to lot number 288 and first entered service at Oxford in July 1935.<ref>[http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/042_1400det.htm Great Western Archive]</ref> It was re-numbered 1450 by BR the GWR in 1948 1946 and re-allocated to Slough in April 1951. While based there it was photographed in 1955 at Bourne End working an autocoach service to Maidenhead.<ref>''Signalman’s Reflections'', Adrian Vaughan, 1990, p68</ref>. A return to Oxford in September 1959 was followed by further re-allocations to Exeter (July 1962), Taunton (November 1963) and Yeovil Town (October 1964) before a final move to Exmouth Junction in February 1965. 1450 was finally withdrawn from service by BR in May 1965,<ref>[http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=102303&loco=1450 BR Database]</ref> after a working life totalling 823,012 miles.
==1450 in preservation==
