[[File:813AtCranmore.jpg|200px|thumb|right|813 visiting the East Somerset Railway]]
The GWR 813 Saddle Tank is an 0-6-0 saddle tank locomotive is built in 1901 by Hudswell Clarke and owned by [[The GWR 813 Preservation Fund | The GWR 813 Preservation Fund]]. It is presently under restoration.== 813 in main line service ==The loco was originally built for the Port Talbot Railway & Docks Company, one of nine 0-6-0 saddle tanks owned by that company. She was built by Hudswell Clarke of Leeds, works number 555, and entered service with the PTR in 1901 as number 26. In 1908 the GWR agreed to operate the PTR's trains and maintain their locos. As the PTR was still legally independent their locos were not fully absorbed into the GWR stock list, but with the GWR responsible for maintenance number 26 started to receive GWR standard parts to replace those originally fitted by Hudswell Clarke. The GWR took over the PTR completely in 1922, and shortly afterwards 26 went to Swindon for overhaul, returning in 1924 as number 813. With the GWR keen to phase out non-standard locos from its fleet, 813 was withdrawn and put up for sale in 1933. == 813 in industrial service ==After 9 months on the GWR sales list, 813 was sold to Robert Stephenson & Company, who sold her on to Backworth Collieries. Backworth renumbered her as number 12 and she survived to be passed to the NCB with the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947. In 1950, she received a new boiler from her original manufacturers Hudswell Clarke, and was renumbered as NCB 11. A new firebox followed in 1962, only five years before the NCB withdrew her from service. == 813 in preservation ==The loco arrived on the SVR on the 25th November 1967. Following cosmetic restoration she appeared as a static exhibit at Rail 150 in 1975, and briefly returned to steam in 1976. However it was quickly found that further restoration work was required. The loco was able to steam again in 1984, and visited Didcot as part of the GW150 celebrations, but again suffered from mechanical problems and was taken out of service. The loco was stored out of use until 1996, before undergoing a thorough overhaul and rebuilding at Bridgnorth. She successfully returned to steam in summer 2000. Despite her small size, she was pressed straight into service on the SVR due to a temporary loco shortage. After returning to steam 813 visited a large number of other railways around the UK before being withdrawn in 2009 for her next major overhaul, which is currently in progress. == References ==[http://www.gwr813.org/Loco_813.htm Loco history page on GWR 813 Preservation Fund website] == See also ==[[Steam Locomotives]]
