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[[File:{{Infobox GWR steam loco|image = 2857_20110923.jpg |thumb|300px|right| caption = 2857 approaching Highley]][[File|construc = GWR Swindon Works|wheels = 2-8-0|rating = GWR: E, BR:8F|axleload = GWR : Blue|status = In Service|locono = 2857.jpg |designed = George Jackson Churchward|thumblocotype = '''GWR 2800'''|300pxbuilt = 1918|rightyears1 = 1974| events1 = Purchased by 2857 climbing Eardington Bank]]Society|years2 = 1975|events2 = Arrived on SVR|years3 = 1979|events3 = First steamed in preservation|years4 = 1985|events4 = Entered regular service on SVR|years5 = 1994|events5 = Withdrawn for overhaul|years6 = 2011|events6 = Reentered service|length = 63ft 2&frac14;"|weight = 75t 10cwt|power = 35,380 lb|pressure = 225 lb/sq in}} 2857 is a GWR Churchward 2800 Class locomotive, designed for heavy freight work . The [[GWR Power and classified Weight Classification]] were class E and axle load Blue respectively. During World War II some classes of locomotives were permitted to haul loads heavier than those specified in the working books for their power classification, distinguished by the white letter "X" painted above 2857's number plate.<ref>[https://www.svrwiki.com/GWR_Power_and_Weight_Classification Wikipedia]</ref> Post-war the class was rated 8F by BR.

2857 was built in 1918 at the GWR’s Swindon Works and delivered new to Salisbury GWR depotin May of that year.<ref>[http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry. php?action=locodata&type=S&id=2857&loco=2857 BR Database]</ref> During a working life of 45 years it was based in many depots around the GWR (and later British Railways Western Region), including a brief spell at nearby Stourbridge shedin the early 1950s. The locomotive was withdrawn from Neath depot in April 1963 having recorded a total of 1,276,713 miles in service. It <ref>[http://www.2857.org.uk/2857_1-early_history.html 2857 Society web site 1]</ref>  2857 is fitted to a paired with GWR 3500 gallon tenderno 2355.

2857 was purchased from [[Barry Scrapyard | Woodham Bros scrapyard]] in on 20th May 1974 by [[The 2857 Society|The 2857 Society]]for a cost of £5,250 plus £525 VAT; fund raising for the purchase was helped by a [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries|raffle organised by the SVRA Kidderminster branch]] which raised £1,950 nett.<ref>SVR News 33, and 34</ref> The locomotive was moved by rail from Barry to the Severn Valley Railway in convoy with Collett [[GWR Mogul 7325]], arriving on 20th 13th August 1975<ref>SVR News 37 p.2. and p.14.</ref><ref>SVR Stock Book Ninth Edition</ref> (The 2857 Society website states 20 August).<ref>[http://www.2857.org.uk/2857_2-preservation.html 2857 Society web site 2]</ref> They were respectively the 69th and 70th locomotives to leave Barry.<ref>The Barry Story, Beckett & Hardingham (2010)</ref>

The ===Restoration and first steaming===Restoration began at Bewdley in January 1976 and was carried out in the open air. A major setback was the discovery of a cracked cylinder casting. Although attempts at welding this failed, the locomotive was first steamed in preservation on 9th September 1979, minus cladding. A replacement cylinder block was acquired, and having been found during the demolition of the Briton Ferry Steelworks in South Wales. The locomotive was steamed intermittently through 1980, but without entering regularly in service. It finally entered service in August 1985Mileage recorded during the period was as follows:{| class="wikitable"! <b>Year</b> !! style="text-align:right;" | <b>Mileage</b> |-| 1979 || style="text-align:right;" | 20|-| 1980 || style="text-align:right;" | 195|-| <b>Total</b> || style="text-align:right;" | 215|}===Continued restoration and first full boiler ticket===[[File:2857 mainline Dave Hill 1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|2857 passes Clun Castle near Newport]]At the end of 1980 the SVR announced that preserved boilers on the railway needed to be brought up to 1980’s BR standards. The owning group therefore resumed the restoration, with the boiler being overhauled by the SVR as a contract job and worked until withdrawn for overhaul in December 1994 (1992 the opportunity being taken to fit the replacement cylinder block among many other tasks. In spring 1984 a [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries|raffle organised by the SVRA Wolverhampton Branch]] was spent on loan held to raise funds to help complete the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway)restoration.<ref>SVR News 71, 74</ref>

As 2857 was steamed again on 18th August 1985 and after a week of running in was able to make her only appearance on the main line hauling a demonstration freight train as part of the GW 150 celebrations of that year (as a heavy freight locomotive, 2857 was not considered suitable for main line passenger railtours, but made one appearance on the main line in 1985rail tours): 

Filming took place in October 2000 2857 worked for an episode of the 2001 TV series “[[List of film and TV productions filmed next 10 years until withdrawn for overhaul in December 1994, 1992 being spent on loan to the Severn Valley Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway#TV Documentary | Off the Rails.<ref>[http://www.2857.org.uk/2857_2-preservation.html 2857 Society web site 3]]” featuring Vince Henderson. </ref> The restoration of 2857 Mileage recorded during the period was one of the items featured, although the commentary referred to the locomotive as a pannier tank!follows:

{| class="wikitable"! <b>Year</b> !! style="text-align:right;" | <b>Mileage</b> |-| 1985 || style="text-align:right;" | 449|-| 1986 || style="text-align:right;" | 2,563|-| 1987 || style="text-align:right;" | 2,913|-| 1988 || style="text-align:right;" | 5,892|-| 1989 || style="text-align:right;" | 5,519|-| 1990 || style="text-align:right;" | 4,788|-| 1991 || style="text-align:right;" | 4,683|-| 1992 || style="text-align:right;" | 3,428|-| 1993 || style="text-align:right;" | 5,308|-| 1994 || style="text-align:right;" | 5,648|-| <b>Total</b> || style="text-align:right;" | 41,191|-| <b>Cumulative</b> || style="text-align:right;" | 41,406|-|} ===Overhaul and second boiler ticket===After expiry of the boiler ticket in February 1995, the owing group began a heavy general overhaul.<ref>[http://www.2857.org.uk/2857_4-service.html 2857 Society web site 4]</ref> Filming took place in October 2000 for an episode of the 2001 TV series “[[List of film and TV productions filmed on the Severn Valley Railway#TV Documentary | Off the Rails]]” featuring Vince Henderson. The overhaul of 2857 was one of the items featured, although the commentary referred to the locomotive as a pannier tank! 2857 re-entered service after overhaul in July 2011, although initially the return to service was anything but trouble free. In December of that year water was discovered in both pistons, resulting in a period out of service for repairs. By April 2012 the decision had been taken to take 2857 out of service for a second time, this time for a boiler lift to cure some leaking stays. A third period out of service was needed in August 2012 following a major valve failure. Finally in December 2012 a crack was found in one of the main steam pipes between the regulator and the superheater header. Sourcing a replacement steam pipe was not easy, but 2857 finally resumed service in early March 2013.<ref>[http://www.2857.org.uk/2857_news.html 2857 Society web site 5]</ref>

In 2014Following these troubles, 2857 recorded became a reliable performer, recording the highest annual mileage of any steam locomotive on the SVR in each of the years 2013 to 2015. Mileage since 2010 is recorded on the [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 2010-2019#Locomotives used | 2010-2019 Timeline page]]. However it became apparent in 2016 that yearas the locomotive approached its 100th anniversary, significant work would soon be required including relining the cylinders, replacing valves and pistons and attending to a bent piston rod. The locomotive was therefore withdrawn for an intermediate overhaul in September 2017, with a complete boiler re-tube being carried out at the only steam loco same time.<ref>SVR News 201</ref> The locomotive returned to service on 16 May 2018<ref>[https://twitter.com/svrofficialsite/status/996798365215219713 SVR Social Media]</ref>, 100 years to travel over 10the month since first entering service. On 18 September 2018 the locomotive passed 100,000 miles in preservation, carrying both a headboard "Still gong strong, 100,000 miles " and a "100" headcode.<ref>[https://twitter.com/svrofficialsite/status/1042674319820775426 SVR social media]</ref> The 100 headcode remained in use during the [[Autumn Steam Gala]] which began on 24 September.<ref>SVRLive</ref> It reappeared on 11 November for the centenary of Remembrance Day. At the end of 2019, 2857 had recorded a total of 111,594 miles in preservation on the railwaySVR.The reported total may include mileage on the main line and on hire to other railways<ref> Severn Valley Railway SVR News 189 210, SVR-based Steam Locomotive Mileage 2017-2019, Duncan Ballard</ref>. ==Gallery==<gallery>File:GWR 2857.jpg| 2857 climbing Eardington BankFile:2857_Number_20110923.jpg| 2857 cab side with 'X' denoting modified power restriction (Spring 2015see introduction), p21File:GWR2857MattHyatt.jpg | 2857 with its 100 headcodeFile:2857 mainline Dave Hill 3.jpg | 2857 on the mainline during the GW 150 celebrations</refgallery> == See Also also ==[[Steam Locomotives|List of Steam Locomotives]]<br>[[SVR-based locomotives visiting other events]]

[http://www.2857.org.uk The 2857 Society]<br>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_2800_Class GWR 2800 class on Wikipedia]