GWR 5205 Class

Summary

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 5205 Class is a class of 2-8-0T steam locomotives.

GWR 5205 Class
5205 Class locomotive at Swindon Works fresh from repair
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerCharles Collett
BuilderGWR Swindon Works
Order numberLots 223, 225, 233, 266, 329
Build date1923–1940
Total produced100
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte2-8-0T
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver dia.4 ft 7+12 in (1,410 mm)
Loco weight82 long tons 2 cwt (83 t; 92 short tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity4 long tons (4.1 t; 4.5 short tons)
Water cap.1,800 imp gal (8,200 L; 2,200 US gal)
Boiler pressure200 psi (1,400 kPa)
Cylinderstwo outside
Cylinder size19 in × 30 in (483 mm × 762 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort33,170 lbf (147.5 kN)
Career
OperatorsGreat Western Railway,
British Railways
Power classGWR: E
BR: 8F
Numbers5205–94, 5255–64 (numbers used twice)
Axle load classGWR: Red
Withdrawn
  • 5275–94: 1934
  • 5255–64 (1st), 5265–74: 1935–36
  • 5205–54, 5255–64 (2nd): 1961–1965
Disposition40 rebuilt as 7200 Class; 3 preserved; remainder scrapped

History edit

5205 Class edit

They were designed for short-haul coal trips[1] from coal mines to ports in South Wales. They were based on the 4200 Class which had been introduced by the Great Western Railway in 1910. The 5205 series were of the same general design and 70 of the 5205 class were built, 5205-5274. They retained the straight frames of the 4200s, but had outside steam pipes and 19" diameter cylinders so were slightly more powerful than their predecessors.[1]

Twenty 5205s, 5255-5274 were converted to the 7200 Class in 1934/6.[1]

5275 Class edit

Twenty more locomotives to the same general design were built from 1930. This series had curved frames at the front with a raised section of frame over cylinders which were of the same size as the 5205 series. These were 5275 to 5294. These were all rebuilt as 7200 Class in 1934 without seeing significant use. Ten more, 5255-5264 were built in 1940, reusing numbers from 5205 class members which had also been rebuilt as 7200 Class.[1]

Table of orders and numbers[2]
Year Quantity Lot No. Locomotive numbers Notes
1923 10 223 5205–5214
1924 30 225 5215–5244
1925–26 30 233 5245–5274 5255–5274 rebuilt as 7200 class 2-8-2T locomotives
1930 20 266 5275–5294 all rebuilt as 7200 class 2-8-2T locomotives
1940 10 329 5255–5264

Preservation edit

Three examples of the 5205 class have been preserved with two of them 5224 and 5239 having run in preservation. No members of the 5275 class have been preserved in their original form, but two survive in rebuilt form in the 7200 class.

Number Year Built Withdrawn Location Status Photograph Notes
5224 1924 1963 Peak Rail In store   Left Woodham Brothers, Barry Island in October 1978. Now owned by Pete Waterman, stored at Peak Rail. Has a 5275 style front end, curved foot plate and a raised section over the cylinders. Returned in 2000 and withdrawn in 2011, she is now in store awaiting overhaul to working condition.
5227 1924 1962 Didcot Railway Centre.[3] Scrapyard condition   One of the "Barry Ten". Retains straight frames. Axleboxes being used as part of the 4709 project. The Standard No. 4 Boiler, pony truck wheel set, 2 pony truck axleboxes, 4 horn guides and 2 eccentric sheaves are being transferred to the new build Churchward County 3840 "County of Montgomery." The remainder of the locomotive has been sold to an individual who intends to restore the locomotive to working order, which includes manufacturing the parts that were removed for the new build project. It is hoped the engine will remain at Didcot.[1]
5239

Goliath

1924 1963 Dartmouth Steam Railway Operational   Left Barry Island in June 1973.[4] 5275 has front end, curved foot plate and a raised section over the cylinders. Overhauled at the East Somerset Railway from 2017 - 2019 for the Dartmouth Steam Railway. Returned to Dartmouth in March 2020.[5]

Models edit

In 2012, Hornby released models of the 5205 class in both BR black and GWR green. [6]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d le Fleming, H.M. (February 1962). White, D.E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part nine: Standard Two-Cylinder Classes. RCTS. p. J38-J42.
  2. ^ Allcock et al. (1968), pp. 34, 36, 38.
  3. ^ "Didcot Railway Centre : Centre Guide: Locomotives : 5227". Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  4. ^ "The Story of Barry Scrapyard - Saved GWR Locomotives". Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Steam locomotive 5239 "Goliath" Returns Home to Dartmouth". RailAdvent. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Model Rail Database". Model Rail Database. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  • Allcock, N. J.; Davies, F. K.; le Fleming, H. M.; Maskelyne, J. N.; Reed, P. J. T.; Tabor, F. J. (1968) [1951]. White, D. E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part one: Preliminary Survey. Kenilworth: RCTS.