GWR 806 Class

Summary

The 806 Class (20 locomotives, nos. 806–825) was Joseph Armstrong's last design of 2-4-0 mixed-traffic locomotives for the Great Western Railway, built at Swindon Works in 1873. A further 20 similar locomotives were added by Armstrong's successor William Dean in 1881-2; numbered 2201–2220, these had modern domeless boilers (see GWR 2201 Class). The class had a similar appearance to the 717 Class but had driving wheels 6 in (152 mm) larger.

GWR 806 Class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerJoseph Armstrong
BuilderGWR Swindon Works
Order numberLot 32
Serial number462–481
Build date1873
Total produced20
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte2-4-0
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver dia.6 ft 6 in (1.981 m)
Fuel typeCoal
Cylinderstwo
Career
OperatorsGWR

Use edit

Most of the Armstrong locomotives worked in the Southern Division, and carried Sir Daniel Class boilers; only Nos. 806, 807, 810 and 821 were Northern Division engines, and these were in due course fitted with Wolverhampton boilers.

The four Northern engines were stationed at Wolverhampton and worked to Chester, then into Oxford over the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton line. The other Armstrong engines worked on south Wales passenger services. The later, Dean engines were more widely distributed. In their last years they were relegated to milk and branch trains.

Withdrawal edit

The whole class was withdrawn between 1904 and 1926.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ Tabor (1956), pp. D28–D35.
  • 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.
  • Tabor, F.J. (February 1956). White, D.E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part four: Six-wheeled Tender Engines. Kenilworth: RCTS.