GWR Pannier 5764

GWR Pannier 5764
GWR 5764 L95 20190331.jpg
L95 (GWR 5764) in The Engine House
Built By GWR Swindon Works
Configuration 0-6-0PT
Power class GWR: C, BR(W): 4F
Axle load class GWR: Blue (Yellow from 1950)
Status Static display
Loco Number 5764
History
Built 1929
Designed By Charles Collett
Type GWR 5700
1971 Arrived on SVR in working order
1989 Re-entered service
2001 Re-entered service
2011 Withdrawn for overhaul
2019 Repainted in LT livery as L95
Technical
Length 31ft 2"
Weight 47t 10cwt
Tractive effort 22,515 lb
Pressure 200 lb/sq in

Steam Locomotives

5764 is a GWR Collett 5700 class 0-6-0PT ‘pannier tank’, one of two examples on the SVR (the other being 7714). The GWR 5700 class was the most numerous class of engine designed and built by the Great Western Railway; more than 860 were built between 1929 and 1950. Pannier tanks could be found at work all over the former GWR system and although designed primarily for shunting duties, they were regularly used on local freight and passenger workings. British Railways Western Region 'BR(W)' rated the class as 4F[1] although elsewhere the class was rated 3F.[2]

Contents

5764 in service

GWR / BR

5750-5799 were built at Swindon works 1929-1930 with vacuum brakes and steam heating. They were fitted with ATC in the following few years. 5764 entered service in 1929 at London’s Old Oak Common depot. It remained at that depot post-War, serving the GWR and BR for more than thirty years. Duties involved local freight and shunting in the West London area as well as ECS working in and out of Paddington station.

Although allocated to London throughout its working life, 5764 was photographed in the early 1960s at Longville on the Much Wenlock branch with future SVR resident Inspection Saloon 80972.[3][4] It was also photographed at Much Wenlock with a service for Wellington (Salop), thought to be in April 1960, which would have briefly crossed Severn Valley metals at Buildwas.[5] It was probably there on a running in turn after its last heavy overhaul which took place at the Wolverhampton Stafford Road works in February 1960. The locomotive returned to London following that overhaul, but was then withdrawn by BR in May 1960 having run an estimated 520,259 miles in service.

London Underground

BR sold a number of pannier tanks, including 5764, to London Transport who used them mainly to run PW and engineering trains on their Metropolitan Lines, operating from their Neasden Depot and also from Lillie Bridge, Kensington. While with London Underground, 5764 was allocated the number L95. By the end of 1963, recorded mileage had increased to 668,771.[6] LT panniers returned to Swindon from time to time, as shown in this image of 5764 (L95) with GWR 9425 and 9457 at Swindon in January 1965.

5764 in preservation

The SVRA Kidderminster Branch set up a fund in 1970 to acquire one of the last three pannier tanks still in use at London Transport. Final negotiations were handled by Sir Gerald Nabarro and Richard Dunn as the Branch Committee considered a tender backed by the Company might be looked upon more favourably. The tender proved successful, with L95 (5764) being acquired by the SVR Pannier Tank Fund of the Kidderminster Branch on 24 May 1971.[7]

On Sunday 6 June 1971, L95 was scheduled to take part in an event billed as 'Farewell to Steam on the (London) Underground' together with the other two panniers L94 (7752) and L90 (7760). In the event L94 worked the 'Last Steam Train on the Underground' from Moorgate to Neasden Depot, while L90 provided working demonstrations within the Depot. L95 was not steamed as the locomotive had been found several months earlier to have a slipped tyre which had been 'spot welded' to keep it operational.[7]

5764 was moved by road to Bridgnorth, arriving on 19 June 1971 and entering service still in LT livery the same year.[6] An indication of how quickly it entered service may be judged by the lighting of a fire in the engine whilst it was being unloaded from the low-loader.

5764 was repainted into GWR livery in 1972. During the next few years 5764 made appearances in the BBC television series Carrie's War in November 1973 and The Signalman in 1976. The early success of 5764 led the SVRA Kidderminster Branch to purchase a second pannier, 7714, in 1973.

In early 1977 a slipped tyre led to 5764 being withdrawn from service.[8] In summer 1978, SVR News announced that another pannier, 3612, had been acquired from Barry to provide new wheels for 5764 as well as a spare boiler for 5764 and 7714.[9] After re-profiling on the Noble and Lund wheel lathe, the new wheels were installed and the locomotive re-painted in time for a return to service in mid-1979. One of the first duties was for the filming of the BBC TV series God's Wonderful Railway that year.[10] In the following year she performed in Granada TV's The Good Soldier.[11]

5764 was withdrawn from service in 1982 awaiting a heavy overhaul. The locomotive was steamed again in early 1989; the first test movement in steam being an unusual sight because the tanks had not been fitted! By June of that year a full return to service had been achieved in time for an appearance in the summer steam gala.[12] During the course of the 10 year ‘ticket’ that followed, 5764 spent 1993 on hire to the South Devon Railway. 1998 saw another television appearance in the TV movie Cider With Rosie; service ended later that year.

Following a boiler exchange made possible by the 1978 acquisition of a ‘spare’,[13] 5764 entered a third period of service in summer 2001.[14] Another 10 year ‘ticket’ saw 5764 withdrawn from service in January 2011. The locomotive then moved into The Engine House on display in May 2011, but was removed to make a guest appearance as a static exhibit at the Gloucester Warwickshire Steam Railway’s Broadway station in May 2013. It was then stored in Kidderminster Carriage Shed, making subsequent appearances as a static exhibit at Worcester Racecourse in 2015 and the Step Back to the 1940s event in 2017.

On 20 June 2018 5764 was moved from storage in Kidderminster Carriage Shed to be put back on display in The Engine House. A move to Bridgnorth for a cosmetic repaint then took place on 16 November 2018.[15] 5764 moved to the Engine House in her LT guise as L95 in March 2019.[16]

The locomotive is owned by the SVR Pannier Tank Fund who also own GWR Pannier 7714.

See also

References

  1. Midlands Division (Ex WR) & Gloucester District - Locomotive Route Availability (Branch Lines)- June 1963 Retrieved 7 January 2017
  2. Classic British Steam Locomotives (ISBN 1-86147-138-6), Wikipedia etc
  3. Photo in SVR News 55
  4. SVR News 155 'New Arrivals' (Hugh McQuade)
  5. 5764 Much Wenlock 0460 MD764, Rail Photoprints, ©A. J. B. Dodd (Retrieved 31 October 2021)
  6. 6.0 6.1 SVR Stock Book 9th Edition
  7. 7.0 7.1 SVR News 177, 'Forty Years of Pannier Tank 5764', Peter Hudson
  8. SVR News 44
  9. SVR News 48
  10. SVR News 51-53
  11. The Good Soldier, Youtube (Retrieved 18 February 2017)
  12. SVR News 92-93
  13. SVR News 133
  14. SVR News 136
  15. SVR-Online Forum
  16. The Railway Magazine, January 2019, p. 8

Links

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Welcome to the Severn Valley Railway Wiki

From this week's featured article
Trimpley Reservoir can be seen to the west of the line between Bewdley and Arley. The reservoir, which is managed by Severn Trent Water, was opened in 1968 and covers 29 acres. It is open to the public and is used by the Trimpley Sailing Club, while other activities include angling, wildlife watching and walking. (Full article...)
Schematic Map of the SVRSevern Valley Railway
BridgnorthEardingtonHampton LoadeCountry Park HaltHighleyThe Engine HouseArleyVictoria BridgeNorthwood HaltWyre Forest LineBewdleyStourport BranchBewdley TunnelConnection to Network RailKidderminsterMaps#Schematic maps of the pre-closure SVRMapandlinks.png
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For 101 years between 1862 and 1963, the Severn Valley Railway formed part of the national railway network, running for 40 miles between Hartlebury and Shrewsbury. Established as a separate company, it was mainly operated by the Great Western Railway (GWRGreat Western Railway) and later by British Railways (BRBritish Rail or British Railways).

The present day Severn Valley Railway (SVRSevern Valley Railway) was established in 1965 to preserve part of the line as a heritage railway. Today it has six stations and two halts and runs for 16 miles along the Severn Valley between Bridgnorth in Shropshire and Kidderminster in Worcestershire, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route. Operations involve a mixture of steam and heritage diesel-hauled services.

This unofficial website is a project aimed to collect information and record events relating to the SVRSevern Valley Railway, both past and present.

For timetables, fare information, and news about special events, please visit the SVR Official Website. Other news and information of interest to members, shareholders and enthusiasts can be found on SVRLive.

In April 2023 the SVRSevern Valley Railway announced the launch of a Survival Fund to enable it to overcome the current financial crisis and implement longer-term plans for its future. Information and details of how to donate may be found on the SVRSevern Valley Railway's Survival Fund page.

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