The 14XX Class were introduced in 1932 (originally numbered in the 48XX series) 75 were built fitted with 'push-pull' apparatus and a further 20 numbered 5800 to 5819 were built without push-pull control. They were a development of the old 517 Class 0-4-2 tanks built in the 1870's. The push-pull or auto train apparatus enabled the 14XX to work the specially constructed auto coaches (known as trailers) which the Great Western so much favoured for its branch line and some suburban services. The engine could work its train in either direction without the need to run round at stations with the driver using the front cab of the carriage. The South Devon Railway has three Auto-coaches and runs its 14XX locomotive No 1420 with two of these carriages Nos 225 & 228 at times throughout the year. Please see the to find out if there's an Auto working this month.
Three other 14XX locomotives are preserved - 1442 at Tiverton Museum, 1450 is in private ownership and 1466 is kept at the Great Western Society depot at Didcot.
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1369 Photo
The 1366 Class were built for dock shunting to replace ageing Cornwall Mineral Railway locomotives. They kept many of the features of the older locomotives including the Allan straight link valve gear. The seven engines of the 1366 Class (numbered 1366 - 1371) spent most of their careers either at Weymouth where they worked the Quay branch for many years and at Swindon where they were used for shunting the extensive works facilities. In 1962, with replacement at Weymouth Docks by diesels imminent three were transferred to the Wenfordbridge china clay branch in Cornwall. 1369 was one of those so deployed and remained in service there until 1964 when the diesels once again ousted them from their duties. 1369 was saved for preservation and was taken to the South Devon Railway. After many years out of service the engine returned to steam in 1996 after an overhaul costing £40,000. Since then it has travelled to several other railways on charter work. It is a little small for general day to day work on the South Devon Railway but comes into its own on open days and at quieter times of the year. Click here for a history of 1369
4920 Dumbleton Hall Photo
Dumbleton Hall was built in 1929, one of the ubiquitous 'Hall' class locomotives that eventually numbered 259 plus a further 71 'Modified Halls'. The lineage of the 'Hall' Class goes right back to the prototype of the Saint Class 4-6-0's from which all the Great Western's series of 4-6-0's were developed. The 'Hall' Class were essentially mixed traffic engines and were equally at home on express passenger services and freight. 4920 ended its BR days at Oxford in 1965 when steam was finally replaced on BR Western Region. Its career for the GWR and BR (Western Region) was the longest of any of its sister engines. Its salvation came when it was rescued for preservation from the famous scrap yard at Barry in 1974. Ownership of the engine was vested in a Company called Dumbleton Hall Locomotive Limited This Company achieved Charitable Status and in 1991 took over the running of the South Devon Railway. The Company changed its name to South Devon Railway Trust at that time and now owns many of the assets used to run the line. Meanwhile Dumbleton Hall has became a roving ambassador for the South Devon Railway because it is too heavy to operate on the Ashburton Branch. Currently it resides in the workshops at Buckfastleigh awaited a general overhaul and boiler lift. Work is likely to commence on it when Nursery Pool Bridge has been strengthened so it can run when not hired out.
Their are several more preserved 'Hall' Class engines at locations around the country, the most notable recently being 5972 "Olton Hall" which featured as "Hogwarts Castle" in the film "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (Sourcer's Stone in the USA). 4936 "Kinlet Hall" is on the main line (with parts on loan from the SDR's 3803). Two members of the 'Modified Hall' Class are operational - 6960 Raveningham Hall at the Gloucester and Warwick Railway, and 6990 Witherslack Hall on the Great Central Railway. Several more of both types are under repair.
5526
One of 100 2-6-2 tanks of the 4575 Class introduced by the GWR in 1927. They are slightly enlarged versions of the 4500 Class. The main visual difference between the two types was the larger sloping side tanks which enabled the engines to carry more water giving them a wider range between water stops at the cost of slightly reduced route availability. The 4500 and 4575 classes were favourites for branch line work over most of the G.W. territory. Devon and Cornwall were no exceptions and virtually all the branch lines in the two counties saw engines of one or other of the two types right up until the end of steam, or in many cases, until the closure of the lines in question. The Branch line from Totnes was no exception. Here the 4500 Class were used for the freight traffic. When the line became a private line and speed was limited to 20m.p.h. the larger 4575 Class were permitted. In the early days of preservation engine 4555 was a regular performer on the line and later it was joined by 4588 of the 4575 Class. These two engines are now to be found on the Paignton and Dartmouth Railway. At Buckfastleigh 4575 Class 2-6-2 tank No.5526 is undergoing restoration. This engine, built in 1929, was rescued from Barry Scrap yard as were several others of the two versions. In addition to the two at Paignton 4561 is at work on the West Somerset Railway and visited Buckfastleigh during 1997. 4566 works on the Severn Valley Railway. 5572 is at Didcot (G.W. Society) and 5541 on the Dean Forest Railway. Several more are under repair at other sites around the country. Now in preservation, the working examples are proving themselves just as useful as their original owners found them. Click here for 5526 limited pages.
5786
The Great Western Railway made much use of its pannier tank designs for shunting, light freight and passenger work. By far the most numerous type was the 57XX Class, of which 5786 is an example. Eventually they numbered 863 and were to be found in almost all corners of the GWR system. They were introduced in 1929 and construction continued at various times until 1949. Slightly smaller versions appeared as the 54XX, 64XX & 74XX classes used for branch passenger and freight; the 16XX were the last in the long line of pannier tanks and were used on light branch line duties. Examples of all these panniers soldiered on almost until the end of steam and many are preserved at various sites around the country. 5786 was one of several sold to London Transport and survived working engineers trains around the LT system until the mid-70's. Several more found there way into preservation this way plus some from National Coal Board sites and a few more via the scrap yard at Barry. 5786 was bought by the Worcester Locomotive Society and spent many years at Hereford before that site closed and the Society moved its base to the South Devon Railway. The engine has recently undergone a major overhaul at Buckfastleigh and is proving to be a very capable engine.
3803 Photo (Frames only)
In 1903 Churchward introduced the first of his heavy freight 2-8-0's. The first loco, originally numbered 97, later became No.2800. More were built over the coming years until eventually the class numbered 164, including the Collett designed variants (2885 Class). 3803 was one of these later engines and was put in traffic in 1942. The engines, in line with the Great Western scheme of standardisation, used many components common to the larger 4-6-0 types not least of which was the Standard No 1 boiler as used on Stars, Saints, Halls Granges & Modified Halls. These 2-8-0's were highly successful and many lasted right until the end of steam on BR Western Region. 3803's claim to fame was that it took part in the 1948 locomotive exchanges when it was used on the Eastern Region in comparative trials with various LNER designs. It was purchased for preservation in 1984. Although rather large for the South Devon Railway's branch line image it is light enough to be able to work the line. It is expected that it will eventually work as a hire engine with spells at Buckfastleigh between assignments and see use on special occasions. Limited restoration work has been carried out at Birmingham Railway Museum but the engine is to return to Buckfastleigh during 1999 for work to continue.
No 2818 was officially preserved and is displayed in the National Railway Museum in York. 2857 has been restored on the Severn Valley Railway and 3822 at Didcot (GWS). Several more are under restoration at sites around the country. Apart from 2818 all examples owe their salvation to having been bought for preservation from the scrap yard at Barry.
68011, WD 132, Glendower Photo 68011
Over 80 of these ex-War Department 0-6-0 saddle tanks have been preserved. Many private railways have made extensive use of them on their services over the years. Whilst not the most attractive of engines or indeed the most ideal engine for working a branch line they are rugged and reliable. The South Devon Railway has seen five different examples of these locomotives at work on the line during the past few years. Errol Lonsdale is currently operational whilst Sapper and Glendower are currently undergoing overhaul. All the engines were originally built for the WD/Ministry of Defence. At the end of the war a batch were sold to the LNER where they were classified J94 and were used for shunting work. Some remained with the Army for all their pre preservation working life but many more were sold to the National Coal Board and sold for preservation from there. Errol Lonsdale remained a WD locomotive until sold to the K&ESR in 1964. Glendower was bought from the Coal Board in South Wales in 1973. Sapper became the last steam engine in industrial service in the UK being taken out of use at Bold Colliery in 1984. It went to the Chatterley Whitfield Mining Museum and then to the SDR in 1994. Errol Lonsdale has run over 24,500 miles in SDR service and has been given a BR livery and runs as 68011, a number carried by one of its long demised fellows.
3205 Photo Built Swindon 1946. 3205 is one of 120 locomotives of the 2251 Class designed by Collett for use on lightly laid lines in Wales and to replace ageing locomotives from various constituent Companies that were absorbed into the GWR at the 1922 grouping. They were in fact the last design of 0-6-0 tender engines to enter service in the UK. They had fairly large driving wheels at 5'2" diameter and the same boiler that was used on the 9400 Class Pannier tanks.
The 2251 Class also found employment on other lighter duties on the Western Region and 3205 eventually found itself on Somerset & Dorset metals after that section was taken over from the Southern Region. When 3205 was withdrawn from service in 1965 it was bought for preservation by the '2251 Fund' to become the only member of its class to survive. In the first instance it was moved to Buckfastleigh for restoration but went on to the Severn Valley Railway in 1967. It was used there for several years before moving on to the West Somerset Railway for another few years. In 1998 it moved to its present base on the South Devon Railway where it has had to receive attention to a broken crank axle sustained in traffic on the West Somerset Railway just a week before its planned move to Buckfastleigh. (NB Cross reference to picture 3205-oops in gallery) This repair has cost in the region of £14,000 and was the first GWR "Built up axle" to be made in preservation.
© South Devon Railway Trust 2003
