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{{Infobox black GWR steam loco

|caption = 4566 at Bridgnorthin 2014

|rating = GWR: C, BR: 4MT|axleload = GWR: Yellow

'''4566 ''' is a '''GWR Churchward 4500 class 2-6-2T '[[Whyte notation|Small Prairie]]'''', one of a class of 175 small mixed traffic locomotives mainly used on branch lines. A further 100 Collett 4575 Class small prairies were also produced with larger side tanks giving increased water capacity. They used the 'Standard 5' GWR boiler and were rated Yellow C under the [[GWR Power and Weight Classification | GWR system of power and weight classification]] and 4MT under the British Railways system. Small prairies were a common sight on the Severn Valley Branch from the 1920s; the last use there being in 1961.<ref name = "SB9">SVR Stock Book 9th Edition</ref> However, classmate 4555 and 1420 visited the branch with an SLS railtour as far as [[Alveley Sidings]] on 19 September 1965. The Three members of the 4500 Class were rated Yellow C under the [[GWR Power class and Weight Classification | GWR system a further 11 of power and weight classification]] and 4MT under the British Railways system4575 class survive in preservation. 4566 was capable of pulling 8 coaches up Highley Bank from a standing start, but was generally restricted to 6 coaches or 200 tons due to its limited water capacity. It used the 'Standard 5' GWR boiler<ref>SVR News 184</ref> This resulted in its use in peak summer season usually being on services with shorter coaching sets such as dining trains, and also in periods spent on hire to other railways.

4566 was built in Swindon in 1924 to Lot No. 226 and entered service spent most of its working life based at Newton Abbotsheds in Devon and Cornwall.<ref>[http://www.rail.co. Postuk/rail-news/2015/happy-birthday-dear-War4566/ 'Happy birthday dear 4566', the locomotive worked in the far south westrail.co.uk, including allocations to St19 June 2015] (Retrieved 3 January 2019)</ref>. Ives and Penzance sheds. 4566 was notable for being the last steam locomotive overhauled It entered service in October 1924 at Newton Abbot works, completed on 15 July 1960, being ceremonially driven out of the works by the chairman of the local urban district council (a mainline diesel driver).<ref>[https://www.facebookbrdatabase.cominfo/permalinklocoqry.php?story_fbidaction=locodata&type=1417780338248850S&id=161421647218065 Didcot 4566&loco=4566 BR Database]</ref>from where it worked regularly on the Mortonhampstead and Kingswear branches.<ref group="note">The Kingswear branch is now preserved as the Dartmouth Steam Railway Centre Facebook Page.</ref> In July 1927 it moved to Taunton from where it worked on the Minehead branch.<ref name=Warren>[[Bibliography#Other References|Warren (1988)]]p. 77.</ref><ref group="note">The Minehead branch is now preserved as the West Somerset Railway.</ref> During the early 1930s it was based at Swindon and Westbury, retrieved 15 Jul 2016before moving to Bristol Bath Road in November 1935. From there it worked services to Cheddar and Wells, to Frome via Radstock, and on the Clevedon branch from Yatton.<ref name=Warren/ref>

The engine 4566 was reallocated to Swindon in February 1938, mainly working out of the sub-sheds at Andover Junction and Chippenham (for the Colne branch). In the later years of the War, it was withdrawn from BR service again based at Plymouth Laira shed Bristol.<ref name=Warren/> Post-War, the locomotive worked in April 1962 having achieved 967the far south west,914 miles moving to Penzance in preservationNovember 1946, from where it was a common sight working crowded holiday trains on the St. Erth to St. Ives branch and passenger services on the Gwinear Road to Helston branch,as well as freight traffic to Hayle Harbour.<ref name =Warren/>  <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style= "SB9text-align:left">St Ives station panorama geograph-3987952-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg|4566 with a local service at St Ives, 23 April 1960.</gallery> 4566 was notable for being the last steam locomotive overhauled at Newton Abbot works, completed on 15 July 1960 and being ceremonially driven out of the works by the chairman of the local urban district council (a mainline diesel driver).<refname=SVR15>[http:SVR News 15<//wwwref> Two weeks later on 28 July 1960, 4566 was photographed entering Gwinear Road with a 2-coach Helston branch train.greatwestern.org.uk<ref>Photo reproduced in SVR News 46</262_4500det.htm The Great Western Archive] retrieved 27 January 2015ref> Services in the far south west area were dieselised in September 1961 and 4566 was transferred to Plymouth Laira depot,<ref name=Warren/ref> probably intended for storage as it saw little work until being officially withdrawn from BR service there in April 1962 having achieved 967,914 miles in service. It was stored for a further few months before being sold for scrap and arriving at [[Barry Scrapyard | Barry]] in August of that year.<ref name = "BarryStory">The Barry Story, Beckett & Hardingham (2010)</ref><ref name = "SB9"/><ref>[http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/262_4500det.htm The Great Western Archive] (Retrieved 27 January 2015)</ref> An original 4566 cabside numberplate resides in Helston Museum of Cornish Life [https://museumofcornishlife.co.uk/ link].

===Restoration and first boiler ticket===4566 was selected by two S.V.R. members, David Rouse and Bob Sim, as the most suitable small prairie for preservation out of several examples of the type at Barry, appearing in generally good order apart from missing footplate fittings.<ref name=SVR15/> It was only the 8th locomotive to leave Barry <ref group="note">4566 was the first GWR tank engine to leave Barry. It was preceded by five tender engines (3 GWR, one LMS and one SR) and two LMS 'Jinties'.</ref> and the first from there destined for the SVR.<ref name = "BarryStory" /> She  4566 left Barry tagged on the back of a 'Warship' hauled banana train. It arrived at Bewdley by rail, diesel hauled, on 25 August 1970, with restoration beginning there shortly afterwards.<Ref> SVR News 18</ref> Restoration By the end of 1972 the boiler had been re-tubed and passed a hydraulic test. The complete bunker unit had been sent away to a railway engineering factory and returned with new platework. The side tanks were found to be thin in places and patching was carried out.<ref>SVR News 26</ref> By the end of 1974 new boiler cladding plates had been cut and rolled at Bewdley began shortly afterwardsBridgnorth, using the existing badly rusted ones as patterns. The tanks and cab roof were refitted, and new ashpan built and fitted. Two new spectacle windows were remade and fitted in the front of the cab to replace those originally installed when built but later blanked out by BR.<ref>SVR News 34</ref>  The restoration was completed in time for the locomotive to enter service in on 5 July 1975, the inaugural trip from Bewdley to Bridgnorth being an evening special train double headed with [[46521]] to mark the 10th anniversary of the formation of the SVR.<ref name = "SB9">SVR News 36</ref> The locomotive initially proved very reliable, recording 3,310 miles in just 5 months including 1,410 miles in 22 days during August.<ref>SVR News 38</ref> Over the following winter the locomotive was fitted with steam heating.<ref>SVR News 39</ref> The following year 4566 was used in filming of Walt Disney's live action film [[Candleshoe]], <ref>SVR News 42</ref> with the locomotive also appearing in the 1977 TV movie [[Silver Blaze]]. In summer 1977 the SVR celebrated the Royal Silver Jubilee week by running two named trains, 'The Silver Jubilee' with 4566 and the GWR set, and 'The Elizabethan' with various LMS locomotives and the LMS set.<ref>SVR News 45</ref> That year the locomotive recorded 4,410 miles, the highest mileage of those used.<ref>SVR News 46</ref><gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Candleshoe_screenshot_Victoria_Bridge.jpg | 4566 crosses Victoria Bridge in a scene from 'Candleshoe'</gallery> During 1979 4566 was repainted from BR livery into GWR livery and temporarily numbered 4506 for filming the Edwardian era episodes of [[God's Wonderful Railway]].<ref>SVR News 52</ref> By late 1979 4566 had suffered a crack in the drag box and was also suffering from leaking boiler tubes,<ref>SVR News 53-54</ref>, leading to the locomotive being withdrawn for overhaul mid-way into its first 'ten year ticket'. ===Overhaul and second boiler ticket=== The next 4 years were spent in storage. Having reached the front of the overhaul queue, work began in early 1984.<ref>SVR News 72</ref> The cylinders were re-bored and new pistons manufactured. A new buffer beam was manufactured and fitted;<ref>SVR News 74</ref> as were a new bunker, new side tanks and new slide bars.<ref>SVR News 79</ref>. The overhaul was eventually completed with a return to steam in June 1986.<ref>SVR News 81</ref> The locomotive received a quick repaint into BR lined green livery, as last out-shopped from Newton Abbot works, in time for the final week of the 1986 season.<ref>SVR News 82</ref> On 26 March 1987 4566 towed [[3205]], the SVR’s first locomotive in preservation, from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster to be transferred to a low loader when 3205 left the railway. The following month 4566 failed on Easter Sunday with a blow in the firebox. Two boilersmiths spent a morning inside the firebox where a lot of hammering achieved a successful repair.<ref>SVR News 85</ref>

By late 1979In 1987, 4566 had suffered a crack appeared in the drag box and was also suffering BBC TV movie [[Miss Marple: 4:50 from leaking boiler tubesPaddington]]. It made another made another TV appearance in [[Hannay]],in an unlikely combination with four LNER coaches.<ref>SVR News 53-5486</ref>, leading From 30 April to the locomotive being withdrawn 2 May 1988 it [[SVR-based locomotives visiting other events#Steam_locomotives_timeline_1980-1989|appeared at Port Sunlight]] for overhaul mid-way into her first ten year ‘ticket’a Vintage Rail and Public Transport weekend celebrating 100 years of soap making at Levers. Top and tailing with LMS 'Jinty' No. Having reached the front of the queue, the overhaul also included 7298 it operated Wirral Transport Users Association 'Port Sunlight Centenary Trains' between Port Sunlight (where a new bunkertemporary platform was built), new side tanks Lubrizol Junction and new slide bars,Bromborough Margarine Works (Stork margarine works).<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/happyraildays/8287402032/ Flikr]</ref><ref>SVR News 79[https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/880501ps.htm 'Wirral Transport Users Association Port Sunlight Centenary Trains', Six Bells Junction]</ref> and Summer 1988 was eventually completed with a return spent on hire to steam in the Gwili Railway, where the locomotive was steamed between 30 June 1986and 30 August covering over 1,000 miles.<ref>SVR News 8194</ref><gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Miss_Marple_Screenshot_11_4566.jpg | 4566 arrives at 'Brackhampton' (Bewdley) in a scene from '4:50 from Paddington'</gallery>

In 1988, 4566 made another TV appearance in [[Hannay]]. Two years later, Sunday 13 May 1990 saw the normal summertime Table C timetable in use, requiring 5 steam locomotives. The SVR achieved a rare ‘full house’ by rostering GWR 4566 along with [[SR 34027 Taw Valley]], [[LMS Ivatt Class 2 46443|LMS 46443]], LNER 3442 The Great Marquess and [[BR Riddles 4MT 75069|BR Standard 75069]].<ref>SVR News 97</ref>

Over winter 1990-91, 4566 spent received a quick topcoat repaint and re-varnish in anticipation of a period on hire to the Kent and East Sussex Railway.<ref>SVR News 98</ref> In the summer of 1991 event this did not take place; however [[46443]] failed with a burst tube while on hire to the Llangollen Railwayand 4566 took its place for the rest of summer 1991.<ref>SVR News 101, 102</ref> This swap was evidently successfully as a repeat visit by 4566 took place the following year. The last full year of this ticket, 1995, also involved a period of hire, this time to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway. 4566 was then withdrawn for overhaul at the beginning of 1996.<ref>SVR News 102</ref>

Following another period out of service, the most recent overhaul Early 1993 was completed in late 2006 with an entry into service in early 2007, with spent receiving a [http://www.gw-svrre-tube and a new chimney for which a.org.ukpattern was created,<ref>SVR News 107</4566_overhaul.html record of ref> with the overhaul on the GW(SVR)A website]locomotive returning to service in August. In May of that year, Spring 1994 4566 was used spent a second summer on a steam-hauled revenue earning freight charter, taking a load of pipes hire to Trimpley Reservoir for Severn Trent Waterthe Gwili Railway.<ref>SVR News 110,112</ref>

The last full year of this ticket, 1995, began with a photography special day on 2 April organised by the owning 4566 Group. The locomotive then spent April to October on hire to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway.<ref>SVR News 114,115</ref> It was hoped that the 'ticket' could be extended until May 1996 to enable a final appearance at the April Spring Gala, but 4566 began this was withdrawn for overhaul having been declared a failure just before the event.<ref>SVR News 118-119</ref>. ===Overhaul and third boiler ticket ===4566 was then stored at Bewdley awaiting overhaul. In 1998 an [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries|SVRA Wolverhampton Branch raffle]] helped raise money towards the cost of new driving wheel tyres which would be required.<ref>SVR News 128,129</ref> Over the next eight years some preliminary work was carried out there by the 4566 Group.<ref>SVR News 139</ref>. In July 2004 4566's new tyres arrived<ref>SVR News 149</ref> and shortly afterwards the locomotive was moved to Bridgnorth for the overhaul proper to begin. Within weeks 4566 had been dismantled and the boiler moved to the boiler shop.<ref>SVR News 148</ref>  As part of the overhaul the 4566 Group reinstated the original Churchward style tapered buffers. These were cast using new patterns made by Gordon Woodruff at Bridgnorth. The locomotive had been re-wheeled by December 2005 and the overhaul was completed in late 2006; a test run from Bridgnorth to Bewdley taking place on 29 November.<ref>SVR News 156</ref>. Pictures of the overhaul can be seen on [http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/4566_overhaul.html GW(SVR)A website 4566 Overhaul page]. The locomotive re-entered service in early 2007 in GWR green ‘Great Western’ livery, operating a charter special for photographers on Monday 5 March 2007.<ref>SVR News 157</ref>  In May 2007, 4566 was used on a steam-hauled revenue earning freight charter, taking a load of pipes to Trimpley Reservoir for Severn Trent Water. Following the lengthy closure of the railway for repairs to the [[2007 Storm Damage]], partial reopening of services between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade was achieved on Saturday 9 February 2008, with 4566 working the first of five return trips to Hampton Loade.<ref>SVR News 160</ref> <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">4566_20100522.jpg| 4566 at Highley in May 2010</gallery> At the end of 2011 4566 was described as "''running OK but showing signs of the increasing mileage and time since last repair''".<ref>SVR News 176</ref> On examination, the left hand driving horn blocks were found to be loose due to cracks in the frame. These had to be ground out and welded up before the blocks could be refitted and the locomotive returned to traffic.<ref>SVR News 177</ref> During the Victorian Weekend event on 19-20 May 2012 which celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the opening of the SVR,<ref group="note">On 1 February 2012, the actual anniversary, the line was closed for repairs to Bewdley Tunnel</ref> 4566 hauled the Royal Train carrying ‘Queen Victoria’ from Bewdley to Bridgnorth.<ref>SVR News 177,178</ref>  In early 2014 4566 was repainted in BR black livery with the early ‘cycling lion’ 'cycling lion' crest. <ref>SVR News 185</ref> November 2016 marked 4566’s last gala appearance at the November ‘Season Finale’'Season Finale'. On 2 January 2017 4566 retired from service at the end of the boiler’s ’10boiler's '10-year ticket’ticket'.

At the end of 2019, 4566 is owned by had recorded a total of 112,000 miles in preservation on the [[4566 Group]]SVR. The reported total may include mileage on hire to other railways.<ref>SVR News 210, SVR-based Steam Locomotive Mileage 2017-2019, Duncan Ballard</ref>

==Gallery==<gallery>File:St Ives station panorama geograph-3987952-by-Ben-BrooksbankFor many years the locomotives owners, the [[4566 Group]], did not have a website or presence on social media.jpg|In 2022 a group of supporters, many of whom are also associated with the [[Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall]], formed '''The 4566 Preservation Group''' "dedicated to the care and restoration of the locomotive", to raise funds for its overhaul. A launch at the 2023 [[Spring Steam Gala]] with a local service [[List of shops|sales stand]] at St Ives[[Kidderminster]], "Our first gala stand for many years", raised £500. On 23 April 1960May 2023 it became a Charitable incorporated organisation, charity number 1203207, Company number CE032373, with 8 trustees. It has also set up a Facebook page and website.</gallery>

*[[Steam Locomotives]]<br>*[[SVR-based locomotives visiting other events]]*[[Locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service|Classes of locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service]] ==Notes==<references group="note"/>

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_4500_Class GWR 4500 Class on Wikipedia]*[http://www.4566.org.uk The 4566 Preservation Group website]*[https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088192667485 The 4566 Preservation Group Facebook page]

[[Category:Rolling stock in Bewdley Down YardSVR fundraising lotteries]] [[Category:Featured articles]]