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GWR Large Prairie 4150

392 bytes added, 18:19, 30 April 2021
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|power = 24,300 lb
|pressure = 200 lb/sq in}}
'''4150 ''' is a GWR 5101 class 2-6-2T locomotive, commonly referred to as a 'Large Prairie'. It is the only SVR-based locomotive not to have steamed in preservation. Large prairie tanks were a common sight on the GWR, with more than 300 built between 1903 and 1949 to the same basic design. The locomotives were designed to haul semi-fast and suburban passenger services to tight schedules, and were also used on medium distance freight services. A number of the class were allocated to [[Kidderminster]] and [[Shrewsbury]] sheds and were regularly used on the Severn Valley Railway in its declining years. Classmate 4175 was involved in the [[Level crossing at Hill Farm, Northwood Lane#Accidents in the BR Era|fatal accident at Northwood Lane level crossing]] in August 1964.
The 5101 Class was an updated version by CB Collett of Churchward's 1903 3100/5100 Class. Fellow class member [[GWR Large Prairie 5164]] is an early 1930 example, while 4150 is a later post-War example. The 41xx number arose from the GWR practice, where more than 100 locomotives of one class were built, of maintaining the second number in the series and re-using older sequences of numbers where necessary. The prevalence of the Large Prairie also resulted in examples numbered 61xx, 31xx and 81xx.<ref>[http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_262.htm Great Western Archive]</ref>
=== Gallery ===
<gallerymode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">
File:4150 Swindon 1962.jpg|4150 in Swindon works in 1962
File:4150 1.jpg| Newton Abbot shed, June 1958
Restoration at Parkend proved impossible, and in 1977 the Fund’s shareholders voted to move 4150 to the SVR, with the locomotive arriving at [[Bewdley]] on 19 January 1978. Restoration commenced following arrival in [[Bewdley Down Yard|Bewdley Yard]], but by the mid-80s fund raising and restoration progress had slowed considerably. In 2007 the Fund formed a new committee, and with renewed enthusiasm began a concerted effort to complete the restoration which had by then been in progress for more than 30 years. By 2014 a new bunker had been completed except for riveting and welding, and construction of new tanks was in progress.
By 2016 riveting of the side tanks and bunker was complete, leaving the baffles and other hidden parts to be welded in place after the major assemblies had been lifted on to the frames, to minimise the risk of distortion. It At the time it was then intended that the locomotive would be moved to [[Bridgnorth Loco Works]] for continuation of the overhaul in early 2017.<ref>[http://www.svrlive.com/copy-of-news-160916-2-55577 SVR Live - 4150 - Prairie Tank, Ex GWR]</ref><ref>[http://www.4150.org.uk/news/4150_sept16.html The 4150 Fund - September 2016 Restoration Update]</ref> In March 2017 the boiler was removed and the newly fabricated tanks and bunker, plus the cab roof, were lifted onto the frames. Although the boiler was moved to Bridgnorth in June 2018, in the event it was decided that the rest of the locomotive would remained at Bewdley while work on the bunker, cab fittings, cab floor, and valve and cylinder cladding was completed.<ref>Shareholder update email, 28 July 2018</ref> On 30 March 2021, 4150 and the Fund's stores van [[GWR/BR 92080 Fruit D Van|Fruit D 92080]] were shunted out of Bewdley yard in preparation for a move to Bridgnorth,<ref>[http://www.4150.org.uk/news/4150_mar21.html 4150 Fund March 2021 Update]</ref> more than 43 years after the locomotive arrived there. The chassis moved to [[Bridgnorth Loco Works]] on 30 April 2021.
===The boiler===
A record net total of almost £16,000 from the autumn 2007 [[Severn Valley Railway Association]] raffle proceeds were allocated to 4150 in 2008, which was ring-fenced for spending on the boiler.<ref>[http://www.4150.org.uk/4150_new-beginning.html 4150 Fund website] (Retrieved 20 January 2018)</ref>A further raffle in 2018 raised in excess of £24,500 before expenses.<ref>SVR News 202</ref><ref>[http://www.4150.org.uk/PDFs/The4150Fund-2019-Web-Newsletter.pdf 4150 Fund 2019 newsletter] (retrieved 23 February 2019)</ref>
By November 2016 the Fund had received confirmation that 4150 had a slot in the Bridgnorth Boiler Shop in the last quarter of 2017.<ref>4150 Fund Newsletter 2017, January 2017</ref> The Fund intended it to go to Bridgnorth in November 2017 for overhaul and in March 2017 it was lifted onto [[GWR 40554 Chaired Sleeper Wagon|wagon 40554]] for preparation work to begin.<ref>[http://www.svr.co.uk/pdf/Special%20Events/SVR%20Peep%20Behind%20the%20Scenes%202017.pdf Peep Behind The Scenes leaflet July 2017]</ref> Workload at in the boilershop meant that instead it was decided that boilershop staff would provide assistance to the owning group to accelerate the boiler overhaul at Bewdley.<ref>SVR News 200, Winter 2017</ref>
By January 2018 the boiler and firebox cladding had been completed and then dismantled. The boiler had passed an ultrasonic test on the thickness of the plates and passed a non-destructive test for cracks. Work had commenced on drilling out firebox steel stays and grinding off rivet heads holding the foundation ring before the boiler headed north.<ref>Howard A, 4150 Fund Facebook, 20 January 2018</ref><ref>[http://www.4150.org.uk/news/4150_jan18.html The 4150 Fund - Restoration update January 2018]</ref>
The boiler was moved from Bewdley to Bridgnorth on 18 June 2018. {{As of|2021}} it is in the boiler shop where work is approaching completion: the loco itself will not go to Bridgnorth until later in 2021 as it awaits [[42968]] to come off the jacks.<ref>Shareholder update at AGM, 23 February 2019</ref><ref>[http://www.4150.org.uk/news/4150_aug20.html 4150 Fund, Restoration update August 2020]</ref> The rest of the locomotive will stay at Bewdley while remaining work on the bunker, cab fittings, cab floor, and valve and cylinder cladding is completed.<ref>Shareholder update email, 28 July 2018</ref>
=== Gallery ===
<gallerymode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">
File:4150bunker1.jpg|The bunker under construction (Nov 2015)
File:4150bunker2.jpg|Riveting of the bunker (Nov 2015)
==References==
<references/>
*SVR News<br>*Severn Valley Railway Stock Book, seventh edition.<br>*4150 Fund web site
==Links==
{{SteamNavbox}}
[[Category:Rolling stock in Bewdley Down Yard]]
[[Category:SVR fundraising lotteries]]
[[Category:Locomotives at Bridgnorth]]
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