GWR 5700 Class

GWR 5700 Class
Ben Brooksbank · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	GWR 5700 Class
Powertype	Steam
Designer	Charles Collett
Builder	GWR Swindon Works
Builddate	1929–1950
Totalproduction	863
Locomotivenumber	5700–6399, 6600–6629
Whytetype	0-6-0PT
Driverdiameter	4 ft 0 in
Fueltype	Coal
Watercap	1,500 imp gal
Boilerpressure	165 psi
Tractiveeffort	22,515 lbf

GWR 5700 Class The GWR 5700 Class was a large class of 0-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotives introduced by the Great Western Railway under Chief Mechanical Engineer Charles Collett. Widely used for shunting, freight, and branch passenger services across regions served by the Great Western Railway, the class became emblematic of British Railways steam-era operations and influenced industrial and heritage railway fleets. The class's ubiquity linked it to many British railway institutions, depots, and preservation societies during and after nationalization.

Design and Development

Charles Collett designed the 5700 Class as a development of George Jackson Churchward's earlier pannier tank concepts, synthesizing features from the 2721, 9400, and 2021 series. The design incorporated elements proven on Swindon Works prototypes and reflected practices from Paddington motive power arrangements and Didcot Railway Centre maintenance regimes. Collett aimed for interchangeability with GWR standard parts used in Castle Class and King Class practice, optimizing for depot servicing at locations such as Old Oak Common and Penzance. The layout favored a Belpaire firebox adopted under influences from Churchward and William Stanier exchange of ideas, and conformed to weight limits on secondary routes like those serving Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central.

Construction and Production

Production began at Swindon Works in 1929 and continued through the GWR era into British Railways workshops after nationalization in 1948. A total of 863 units were produced, numbered in series that connected to GWR roster traditions seen with GWR 9400 Class numbering practices and later mirrored in BR Standard allocations. Subcontracting and works repairs involved facilities at Doncaster Works, Crewe Works, and industrial builders servicing Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust-influenced standards. The class served at major sheds including Truro, Swansea General, Exeter, and numerous Great Western Railway outstations, reflecting the GWR network’s geographic span from Penzance to Paddington.

Operational History

The 5700s operated in multiple roles: dock shunting at Barry Docks, branch passenger turns around Totnes, short freight between Bristol and Taunton, and parcels work into Paddington. During World War II many worked under War Department control or supported military movements to ports such as Liverpool and Southampton. Under British Railways the class continued suburban and rural duties, often replacing aging tank engines at depots like Reading and Birmingham Snow Hill. They featured in regional allocations tied to Western Region management and appeared on enthusiast excursions organized by groups such as the Stephensons Locomotive Society and Great Western Society.

Technical Specifications

Key features included a 0-6-0 wheel arrangement with 4 ft driving wheels, a pannier tank configuration derived from George Jackson Churchward patterns, and a Belpaire firebox offering improved combustion and maintenance compatibility with GWR boilers. Cylinders were two outside with dimensions consistent with contemporaneous GWR practice, and boilers ran at 165 psi delivering a tractive effort around 22,515 lbf—figures useful for shunting and short-haul freight analogous to requirements at Bristol Bath Road and Newton Abbot. Brake fittings and steam heating followed GWR standards facilitating passenger stock work into Paddington and suburban stock at Wolverhampton High Level. The robust frames and axlebox arrangements paralleled those used on GWR 2251 Class and GWR 8750 Class designs.

Modifications and Rebuilds

Over their careers many 5700s received boiler replacements, new superheaters, and revised cab fittings influenced by mid-20th-century practice at Swindon Works and BR Workshops. Some were rebuilt with larger bunkers and altered coal bunkers to extend range for duties to Penzance and coastal branches; others were fitted with vacuum brakes and steam heating to operate passenger services to Exeter St Davids and suburban runs into Bristol Temple Meads. Wartime requisitions by the War Department led to field modifications for military traffic, while postwar standardization under British Railways introduced parts commonality seen in BR Standard Class overhauls.

Withdrawal and Preservation

Withdrawals began in the 1950s as diesel shunters and modern traction from English Electric and Sulzer manufacturers displaced steam on depots such as Barking and Ferryhill. Final mainline withdrawals accelerated during the 1960s Beeching cuts era and the decline of branch traffic, with the last 5700-series locomotives leaving British Railways service in the late 1960s. Preservation efforts by the Great Western Society, Severn Valley Railway volunteers, Bluebell Railway trusts, and many regional groups rescued numerous examples for heritage operation. Preserved 5700s now operate at sites including Didcot Railway Centre, West Somerset Railway, North Norfolk Railway, and industrial heritage lines; several remain in active use for gala events, training, and museum display, maintained by volunteer staff and restoration teams associated with organizations like the National Railway Museum and local preservation societies.

Category:Great Western Railway locomotives