GWR 5800 Class

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 5800 Class was a class of twenty 0-4-2T steam tank locomotives. They were built by the GWRs Swindon Works in 1933 and were used for light branch line work. They were similar to the GWR 1400 Class, but lacked the equipment for working autotrains. The last survivor of the class, number 5815, was with withdrawn in 1961. No members of the class were preserved.

GWR 5800 class
No. 5815 stored at Swindon after withdrawal 1963
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Charles Collett Builder Great Western Railway (GWR), Swindon Works Order number Lot 279 (part)^[1] Build date 1933 Total produced 20
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-4-2T  • UIC B1 n2t Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 5 ft 2 in (1.575 m) Trailing dia. 3 ft 8 in (1.118 m) Wheelbase 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m) Length 29 ft 11 in (9.12 m) Width 8 ft 7 in (2.616 m) Height 12 ft 6+1⁄4 in (3.816 m) Axle load 13 long tons 18 cwt (31,100 lb or 14.1 t) (15.6 short tons) full Adhesive weight 27 long tons 8 cwt (61,400 lb or 27.8 t) (30.7 short tons) full Loco weight 41 long tons 6 cwt (92,500 lb or 42 t) (46.3 short tons) full Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 2 long tons 13 cwt (5,900 lb or 2.7 t) (3.0 short tons) Water cap. 800 imp gal (3,600 L; 960 US gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 12.8 sq ft (1.19 m^2) Boiler GWR 4800^[2] Boiler pressure 165 psi (1.14 MPa) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 83.2 sq ft (7.73 m^2)  • Tubes 869.8 sq ft (80.81 m^2) Superheater None Cylinders Two, inside Cylinder size 16 in × 24 in (406 mm × 610 mm) Valve gear Stephenson Valve type Slide valves Train heating Steam Train brakes Vacuum
Performance figures Tractive effort 13,900 lbf (62 kN)
Career Operators Great Western Railway British Railways Class 5800 Power class GWR: Unclassified, BR: 1P Numbers 5800–5819 Axle load class GWR: Unclassified Locale Western Region branch lines Withdrawn 1957–1961 Disposition All scrapped

Model form

A 5-inch gauge replica of No. 5801 has been built. It works at the Butterley Park Miniature Railway, part of the Swanwick Junction complex.

Dapol have announced O gauge versions to be released in 2018.

References

1. Allcock et al. (1968), p. 36.
2. Champ (2018), p. 319.

Sources

• 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.
• Haresnape, Brian (1978). Collett & Hawksworth locomotives : a pictorial history. London: I. Allan. ISBN 0711008698.
• Champ, Jim (2018). An Introduction to Great Western Locomotive Development. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Transport. ISBN 978-1-4738-7784-9. OCLC 1029234106. OL 26953051M.
• Whitehurst, Brian (1973). Great Western engines, names, numbers, types, classes: 1940 to preservation. Oxford: Oxford Pub. Co. ISBN 0902888218.