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|rating = GWR: E, BR: 8F|axleload = GWR: Blue

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 The locomotive was withdrawn from Neath depot in April 1963 having recorded a total of 1,276,713 miles in service.<ref>[http://www.2857.org.uk/2857_1-early_history.html 2857 Society web site 1]</ref>

2857 was purchased from [[Barry Scrapyard | Woodham Bros scrapyard]] 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 33,34</ref> The locomotive was moved by rail from Barry to the Severn Valley Railway in convoy with [[GWR Mogul 7325]], arriving on 13th August 1975<ref>SVR News 37 p.2. and p.14.</ref><ref>SVR Stock Book Ninth Edition</ref> (the The 2857 Preservation Society web site 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>

[[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 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 held to raise funds to help complete the restoration.<ref>SVR News 71, 74</ref>

Following these troubles, 2857 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 as 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 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 the month since first entering service. At 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 2018 .<ref>SVRLive</ref> It reappeared on 11 November for the centenary of Remembrance Day. At the end of 2019, 2857 carried had recorded a '100' headboard denoting she had reached 100total of 111,000 594 miles of service in preservationon the SVR.The reported total may include mileage on the main line and on hire to other railways<ref>SVRLiveSVR News 210, SVR-based Steam Locomotive Mileage 2017-2019, Duncan Ballard</ref>.

<gallerymode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">File:GWR 2857_Number_20110923.jpg| 2857 cab side with 'X' denoting modified power restriction (see introduction)File:GWR2857MattHyatt.jpg | 2857 with its 100 headcodeFile:2857 mainline Dave Hill 3.jpg | 2857 on the mainline during the GW 150 celebrationsFile:285720180602.jpg| 2857 climbing Eardington Bankon a [[Demonstration Goods Train]] (2018)

== See Also also ==

[[SVR-based locomotives visiting other events]]<br>[[Locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service|Classes of locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service]]