Trustworthy, administrator
6,661
edits
Changes
m
Link added
==GWR Collett 5700 class==
The 5700 class was the most numerous class of engine designed and built by the Great Western Railway. More than 860 were constructed between 1929 and 1950, of which 250 were built by outside contractors rather than at Swindon. Pannier tanks could be found at work all over the former GWR system and although designed primarily for shunting duties (which they carried out at [[Kidderminster mainline station#Goods yard|Kidderminster Goods Yard]] and elsewhere), they were regularly used on local freight and passenger workings in which capacity they served on the Severn Valley Branch until closure. Fittingly, on Sunday 8 September 1963 the final 6.58pm Bridgnorth to Birmingham Snow Hill train, normally a diesel railcar service, was hauled by ex-GWR pannier tanks 9624 and 4665 carrying a 'Special Last Train' headboard.
British Railways Western Region 'BR(W)' rated the class as 4F,<ref>[http://www.michaelclemensrailways.co.uk/?atk=559 Midlands Division (Ex WR) & Gloucester District - Locomotive Route Availability (Branch Lines)- June 1963] Retrieved 7 January 2017</ref> although elsewhere the class was rated 3F.<ref>Classic British Steam Locomotives (ISBN 1-86147-138-6), Wikipedia etc</ref>
==7714 in service==
Lot 263, the batch from 7700-7724, were built in 1930 under contract by Kerr Stuart & Co. of Stoke with vacuum brakes and steam heating, and fitted with riveted tanks and polished brass safety valve covers. The visible rivets on the water tanks are a sign of its non-Swindon origin. The batch was one of several partly funded by interest-free Government loans intended to relieve unemployment during the 'Great Depression'.<ref>le Fleming, H.M., 'The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, Part 5: Six-coupled Tank Engines', Oxford: RCTS (April 1958), ISBN 0-901115-35-5</ref> 7714 was built at a reported cost of £3,160 as works no 4449 of 1930 and entered service at Tyseley in April of year. GWR ATC was added a few years after delivery.
Apart from a brief transfer to Leamington in late 1931, it remained at Tyseley until moving to Birkenhead in November 1937. It then remained at Birkenhead, apart from a month at Oxley Wolverhampton in spring 1947, until December 1958, when a final move to Wrexham Croes Newydd took place. It was withdrawn by BR in January 1959, having run an estimated 520,259 miles in service.<ref name =StockBook">SVR Stock Book 9th edition</ref>
</gallery>
As with other ex-NCB locomotives it was in a very worn condition. After the boiler was lifted from the frames at [[BridgnorthLoco Works]], both were transported to [[BewdleyDown Yard]] "in a number of wagons" in late 1974. A lengthy restoration then followed, although little work took place until late 1977 while the Fund concentrated its efforts on paying off loans.<ref>SVR News 46, ''The Saga of the Pannier Tanks'', John Hill</ref> In 1979 an [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries|SVRA raffle]] was held to raise funds for the restoration.<ref>SVR News 52</ref> In spring 1985 another [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries|SVRA raffle]] was held to raise funds for contract work on the motion and the boiler. A total of around £5,600 nett was raised in this raffle.<ref>SVR News 75, 77</ref> In Spring 1989 “The Final Frontier” [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries| raffle organised by the SVRA Kidderminster Branch]] was held to raise money for the boiler, realising just over £6,000 after expenses.<ref>SVR News 91, 93</ref>
The locomotive was first steamed in July 1992<ref>SVR News 105</ref>. It was outshopped in BR Black livery and after wintering in [[Carriage Repair Works#Kidderminster_Carriage_Repair_Works|Kidderminster Carriage Works ]] paint shop, emerged on the first weekend as the only steam locomotive working on a shortened railway due to engineering works taking place at the north end of the line. Unfortunately on its first trip it ran a hot coupling rod bush; the offending items were taken to Bridgnorth by road to be re-metalled.<ref>SVR News 106</ref>
Since arrival 7714 had always faced north, however when [[Steam Locomotives hired by the SVR|classmate 5775]] arrived on hire from the Worth Valley in June 1993 the low loader was used to turn 7714 to face south, enabling it to take part in triple-headed trains with 5764 and 5775 during that year's [[Autumn Steam Gala]].<ref>SVR News 118</ref><ref>SVR News 115, ''North and South before the Turntable'', Quentin Haigh</ref>. It saw regular use, especially on winter services, and also saw service at the South Devon Railway in 1995 and the East Somerset Railway in 1996.<ref name =StockBook" />.
