They were designed as small mixed traffic locomotives, mainly used on branch lines. The design was based on the earlier 4400 Class, but with larger driving wheels and altered wheel spacing. This gave them extra speed — capable of 60 mph (97 km/h) in service.[2] A total of 75 were built; 55 were built in four batches between 1906 and 1915 and a fifth batch of 20 locos was built in 1924, during Collett's tenure at Swindon. The first two batches were originally numbered 2161–2190 but were renumbered 4500–4529 during 1912. The first batch (2161–2180) is significant in that it was the last batch of locos built at Stafford Road Works, Wolverhampton.[3] Of this batch 2168 (as 4507) was the last Wolverhampton-built loco to remain in service with BR, not being withdrawn until 1963. The final two batches built were nos. 4530–4554 in 1913-15 and nos. 4555–4574 in 1924.
The 4575 Class was a later development with larger side tanks.
Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway and Port Talbot Railway
The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway (R&SBR) had been worked by the GWR since 1 July 1906, although it was not absorbed until 1 January 1922.[5][6][7] In April 1907, the GWR sent three new locomotives of the first batch, nos. 2165–7, to the R&SBR; these were given R&SBR numbers 31–33.[8] The Port Talbot Railway (PTR) was absorbed by the GWR on 1 January 1908, but its locomotive fleet remained separate until 1 January 1922.[9][6][10] In March 1909, R&SBR nos. 31 and 32 were transferred to the PTR, regaining their GWR numbers 2165 and 2166. These two were returned to the GWR in 1912, being renumbered 4504 and 4505 in December that year. No. 33 was not returned until January 1914, when it was renumbered 4506.[8][11]
4555 was bought in working order from British Railways by Patrick Whitehouse and fellow Talyllyn Railway member Pat Garland, so has never had to be restored. Originally working on the Dart Valley Railway, she later moved to the Dartmouth Steam Railway. She returned to steam in 2020 after having been under a major overhaul since 2014.[12] Currently on a 3-year loan to the East Somerset Railway from March 2020.
4561
This locomotive left Woodham Brothers in September 1975. It is currently undergoing an extensive overhaul on the West Somerset Railway, having been out of service since 1998.[13]
4566
4566 waiting at Kidderminster
Currently stored out of service on the Severn Valley Railway awaiting an overhaul, this locomotive left Woodham Brothers in August 1970. It returned to service in late 2006 following an overhaul and after several years painted in Great Western green, was repainted into BR unlined black with the early crest for the first time in preservation. It was withdrawn from service in January 2017 following the expiry of her boiler certificate.[14] It is on display inside the Engine House at Highley until its turn to overhaul comes again.
Allcock, N.J.; Davies, F.K.; le Fleming, H.M.; Maskelyne, J.N.; Reed, P.J.T.; Tabor, F.J. (June 1951). White, D.E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part one: Preliminary Survey. Kenilworth: RCTS. ISBN0-901115-17-7. OCLC 650412984.
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.
Davies, F.K.; Firth, J.M.; Lucking, J.H.; Thomas, R.E.; Allcock, N.J.; Sterndale, A.C.; Barrie, D.S.M.; Reed, P.J.T.; Mountford, E.R. (April 1966). White, D.E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part ten: Absorbed Engines, 1922-1947. RCTS. ISBN0-901115-20-7.
le Fleming, H.M. (February 1962). White, D.E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part nine: Standard Two-Cylinder Classes. RCTS.
MacDermot, E.T. (1931). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. II: 1863-1921. Paddington: Great Western Railway. OCLC 55853736.
Whitehurst, Brian (1973). Great Western Engines, Names, Numbers, Types and Classes (1940 to Preservation). Oxford, UK: Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN978-0-9028-8821-0. OCLC 815661.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to GWR 4500 Class.
4400 / 4500 tank classes
4566 Overhaul
January 06, 2023
4500, class, great, western, railway, 4500, class, small, prairie, class, steam, locomotives, 4569, dawlishtype, originpower, typesteamdesignergeorge, jackson, churchwardbuilderwolverhampton, works, swindon, works, order, numberwolverhampton, n3swindon, lots, . The Great Western Railway GWR 4500 Class or Small Prairie is a class of 2 6 2T steam locomotives GWR 4500 Class4569 at DawlishType and originPower typeSteamDesignerGeorge Jackson ChurchwardBuilderWolverhampton Works 20 Swindon Works 55 Order numberWolverhampton Lot N3Swindon Lots 174 191 201 226Serial numberWolverhampton 775 794Swindon 2310 2319 2496 2505 2597 2611Build date1906 1924Total produced75SpecificationsConfiguration Whyte2 6 2TGauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugeDriver dia 4 ft 7 1 2 in 1 410 m Loco weight57 long tons 58 t 64 short tons Fuel typeCoalFuel capacityOriginally 3 long tons 0 cwt 6 700 lb or 3 t From 1924 onwards 3 long tons 14 cwt 8 300 lb or 3 8 t Water cap 1 000 imp gal 4 500 l 1 200 US gal Boiler TypeStandard 5 1 Boiler pressure200 psi 1 4 MPa CylindersTwo outsideCylinder size17 in 24 in 432 mm 610 mm Performance figuresTractive effort21 250 lbf 94 5 kN CareerOperatorsGreat Western RailwayBritish RailwaysClass4500Power classGWR CBR 4MTAxle load classGWR YellowLocaleWestern RegionWithdrawnFebruary 1950 September 1964DispositionThree preserved remainder scrapped Contents 1 History 1 1 Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway and Port Talbot Railway 2 Preservation 2 1 4555 2 2 4561 2 3 4566 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditThey were designed as small mixed traffic locomotives mainly used on branch lines The design was based on the earlier 4400 Class but with larger driving wheels and altered wheel spacing This gave them extra speed capable of 60 mph 97 km h in service 2 A total of 75 were built 55 were built in four batches between 1906 and 1915 and a fifth batch of 20 locos was built in 1924 during Collett s tenure at Swindon The first two batches were originally numbered 2161 2190 but were renumbered 4500 4529 during 1912 The first batch 2161 2180 is significant in that it was the last batch of locos built at Stafford Road Works Wolverhampton 3 Of this batch 2168 as 4507 was the last Wolverhampton built loco to remain in service with BR not being withdrawn until 1963 The final two batches built were nos 4530 4554 in 1913 15 and nos 4555 4574 in 1924 Table of orders and numbers 4 Year Quantity Lot No Works Nos Locomotive numbers Notes1906 08 20 Wolverhampton N3 Wolverhampton 775 794 2161 2180 renumbered 4500 4519 in 19121909 10 10 Swindon 174 Swindon 2310 2319 2181 2190 renumbered 4520 4529 in 19121913 10 Swindon 193 Swindon 2516 2525 4530 45391914 15 15 Swindon 201 Swindon 2597 2611 4540 45541924 20 Swindon 226 4555 4574The 4575 Class was a later development with larger side tanks Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway and Port Talbot Railway Edit The Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway R amp SBR had been worked by the GWR since 1 July 1906 although it was not absorbed until 1 January 1922 5 6 7 In April 1907 the GWR sent three new locomotives of the first batch nos 2165 7 to the R amp SBR these were given R amp SBR numbers 31 33 8 The Port Talbot Railway PTR was absorbed by the GWR on 1 January 1908 but its locomotive fleet remained separate until 1 January 1922 9 6 10 In March 1909 R amp SBR nos 31 and 32 were transferred to the PTR regaining their GWR numbers 2165 and 2166 These two were returned to the GWR in 1912 being renumbered 4504 and 4505 in December that year No 33 was not returned until January 1914 when it was renumbered 4506 8 11 Preservation EditThree of the class still exist two of them survivors from Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry Vale of Glamorgan South Wales All of them have run in preservation 4555 Edit 4555 was bought in working order from British Railways by Patrick Whitehouse and fellow Talyllyn Railway member Pat Garland so has never had to be restored Originally working on the Dart Valley Railway she later moved to the Dartmouth Steam Railway She returned to steam in 2020 after having been under a major overhaul since 2014 12 Currently on a 3 year loan to the East Somerset Railway from March 2020 4561 Edit This locomotive left Woodham Brothers in September 1975 It is currently undergoing an extensive overhaul on the West Somerset Railway having been out of service since 1998 13 4566 Edit 4566 waiting at Kidderminster Currently stored out of service on the Severn Valley Railway awaiting an overhaul this locomotive left Woodham Brothers in August 1970 It returned to service in late 2006 following an overhaul and after several years painted in Great Western green was repainted into BR unlined black with the early crest for the first time in preservation It was withdrawn from service in January 2017 following the expiry of her boiler certificate 14 It is on display inside the Engine House at Highley until its turn to overhaul comes again See also EditGWR 4400 Class GWR 4575 Class List of GWR standard classes with two outside cylindersReferences Edit Champ Jim 2018 An Introduction to Great Western Locomotive Development Barnsley Pen amp Sword Transport p 319 ISBN 978 1 4738 7784 9 OCLC 1029234106 OL 26953051M le Fleming 1962 pp J46 J50 Holcroft 1957 p 44 Allcock et al 1968 pp 23 31 32 34 MacDermot 1931 p 436 a b Allcock et al 1951 p 13 Davies et al 1966 p K248 a b le Fleming 1962 p J48 MacDermot 1931 p 443 Davies et al 1966 p K242 Davies et al 1966 pp K247 K252 South Devon Railway Locomotives Gone but not forgotten GWR 2 6 2T No 4555 The Locomotives WSRA Archived from the original on 14 October 2013 SVR Meet the Loco Archived from the original on 6 January 2014 Allcock N J Davies F K le Fleming H M Maskelyne J N Reed P J T Tabor F J June 1951 White D E ed The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway part one Preliminary Survey Kenilworth RCTS ISBN 0 901115 17 7 OCLC 650412984 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 Davies F K Firth J M Lucking J H Thomas R E Allcock N J Sterndale A C Barrie D S M Reed P J T Mountford E R April 1966 White D E ed The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway part ten Absorbed Engines 1922 1947 RCTS ISBN 0 901115 20 7 le Fleming H M February 1962 White D E ed The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway part nine Standard Two Cylinder Classes RCTS Holcroft H 1957 Great Western Locomotive Practice 1837 1947 London Locomotive Publishing Company MacDermot E T 1931 History of the Great Western Railway vol II 1863 1921 Paddington Great Western Railway OCLC 55853736 Whitehurst Brian 1973 Great Western Engines Names Numbers Types and Classes 1940 to Preservation Oxford UK Oxford Publishing Company ISBN 978 0 9028 8821 0 OCLC 815661 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to GWR 4500 Class 4400 4500 tank classes 4566 Overhaul Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title GWR 4500 Class amp oldid 1101090516, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
