GWR 4073 Class
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Castle class locomotives were a group of 4-6-0 steam locomotives of the Great Western Railway. They were originally designed by the railway's Chief Mechanical Engineer, Charles Collett, for working the company's express passenger trains.
Contents |
[edit] History
A development of the earlier Star Class, one hundred and seventy-one(171) were built, over a 25 year span from August 1923 to August 1950. They were numbered 4073–4099; 5000–5099; 7000–7037.
Although most were built new, sixteen locos were rebuilt from older locomotives—fifteen Star Class locomotives; and the Great Western Railway's sole 4-6-2 locomotive, number 111 The Great Bear.
The Castle class was noted for superb performance on the Cheltenham Flyer during the 1930s: on June 6 1932, pulled by 5006 Tregenna Castle, the train covered 77 miles (124 km) from Swindon to Paddington at an average speed of 81.68 miles per hour (131.45 km/h). This world record for steam traction was widely regarded as an astonishing feat.
In 1926, number 5000 Launceston Castle was loaned to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway where it ran trials between London to Carlisle. It was rumoured that LMS tried to persuade GWR to build a batch of Castles for use on the West Coast Main Line.
Withdrawal started in the 1950s; the last to be withdrawn was Clun Castle at the end of 1965.
Eight survive in preservation as either working examples or static exhibits, including 4073 Caerphilly Castle, 4079 Pendennis Castle, 5029 Nunney Castle, 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe (Banbury Castle), 5051 Earl Bathurst (Drysllwyn Castle), 5080 Defiant (Ogmore Castle), 7027 Thornbury Castle, and 7029 Clun Castle.
[edit] Specifications
Cylinders: 4; 16 in (406 mm) diameter, 26 in (660 mm) stroke
Valve gear: inside cylinders – Walschaert's; outside cylinders – derived from inside cylinders via rocking bars.
Valves: piston valves
Boiler pressure: 225 lbf/in² (1.55 MPa)
Driving wheel diameter: 6 ft 8.5 in (2.04 m)
Tractive Effort: 31,625 lbf (140.675 kN)
Engine weight: 79 tons 17 cwt (81.1 Mg)
Tender weight: 46 tons 14 cwt (47.44 Mg)
[edit] List of locomotives
| Numbers | Names | Dates | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Second | (Re)Built | With-drawn | ||
| 111 | Viscount Churchill | - | 1924 | 1953 | Rebuilt from 111 The Great Bear |
| 4000 | North Star | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4000 |
| 4009 / 100 | Shooting Star | A1 Lloyds | ? | 1950 | Rebuilt from Star Class 4009 |
| 4016 | Knight of the Golden Fleece | The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4016. Nameplate & crest on display at Somerset County Museum, Taunton |
| 4032 | Queen Alexandra | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4032 |
| 4037 | Queen Philippa | The South Wales Borderers | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4037 |
| 4073 | Caerphilly Castle | - | 1923 | ? | Preserved at Swindon Steam Railway Museum |
| 4074 | Caldicot Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4075 | Cardiff Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4076 | Carmarthen Castle | - | February 1924 | February 1963 | |
| 4077 | Chepstow Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4078 | Pembroke Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4079 | Pendennis Castle | - | ? | ? | Preserved at Didcot Railway Centre; under restoration |
| 4080 | Powderham Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4081 | Warwick Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4082 | Windsor Castle | ? | ? | Swapped name & number with 7013 Bristol Castle in 1952 | |
| 4083 | Abbotsbury Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4084 | Aberystwyth Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4085 | Berkeley Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4086 | Builth Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4087 | Cardigan Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4088 | Dartmouth Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4089 | Donnington Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4090 | Dorchester Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4091 | Dudley Castle | - | ? | 1959 | First ‘new-built’ Castle to be withdrawn |
| 4092 | Dunraven Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4093 | Dunster Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4094 | Dynevor Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4095 | Harlech Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4096 | Highclere Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4097 | Kenilworth Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4098 | Kidwelly Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 4099 | Kilgerran Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5000 | Launceston Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5001 | Llandovery Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5002 | Ludlow Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5003 | Lulworth Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5004 | Llanstephan Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5005 | Manorbier Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5006 | Tregenna Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5007 | Rougemont Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5008 | Raglan Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5009 | Shrewsbury Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5010 | Restormel Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5011 | Tintagel Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5012 | Berry Pomeroy Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5013 | Abergavenny Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5014 | Goodrich Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5015 | Kingswear Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5016 | Montgomery Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5017 | St. Donat's Castle | The Gloucestershire Regiment 28th 61st | ? | ? | Renamed 1954 |
| 5018 | St Mawes Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5019 | Treago Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5020 | Trematon Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5021 | Whittington Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5022 | Wigmore Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5023 | Brecon Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5024 | Carew Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5025 | Chirk Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5026 | Criccieth Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5027 | Farleigh Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5028 | Llantilio Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5029 | Nunney Castle | - | May 1934 | December 1963 | Preserved - Rescued from Barry in May 1976. Seen pulling "The Elgar Explorer" at Ascot Under Wychwood in December 2001[citation needed]. Presently is at Tyseley for an intermediate overhaul (December 2005)[citation needed]. Recent (28/12/05) information indicates that it now belongs to Jeremy Hosking[citation needed]. |
| 5030 | Shirburn Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5031 | Totnes Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5032 | Usk Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5033 | Broughton Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5034 | Corfe Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5035 | Coity Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5036 | Lyonshall Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5037 | Monmouth Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5038 | Morlais Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5039 | Rhuddlan Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5040 | Stokesay Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5041 | Tiverton Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5042 | Winchester Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5043 | Banbury Castle | Earl of Mount Edgcumbe | March 1936 | June 1964 | Preserved |
| 5044 | Beverston Castle | Earl of Dunraven | ? | ? | |
| 5045 | Bridgwater Castle | Earl of Dudley | ? | ? | |
| 5046 | Clifford Castle | Earl Cawdor | ? | ? | |
| 5047 | Compton Castle | Earl of Dartmouth | ? | ? | |
| 5048 | Cranbrook Castle | Earl of Devon | ? | ? | |
| 5049 | Denbigh Castle | Earl of Plymouth | ? | ? | |
| 5050 | Devizes Castle | Earl of St Germans | ? | ? | |
| 5051 | Drysllwyn Castle | Earl Bathurst | May 1936 | May 1963 | Preserved. Carries either name, alternately. It is kept at Didcot Railway Centre.See it with steam up in March 2007, [1] |
| 5052 | Eastnor Castle | Earl of Radnor | ? | ? | |
| 5053 | Bishop's Castle | Earl Cairns | ? | ? | |
| 5054 | Lamphey Castle | Earl of Ducie | ? | ? | |
| 5055 | Lydford Castle | Earl of Eldon | ? | ? | |
| 5056 | Ogmore Castle | Earl of Powis | ? | ? | |
| 5057 | Penrice Castle | Earl Waldegrave | ? | ? | |
| 5058 | Newport Castle | Earl of Clancarty | ? | ? | |
| 5059 | Powis Castle | Earl St Aldwyn | ? | ? | |
| 5060 | Sarum Castle | Earl of Berkeley | ? | ? | |
| 5061 | Sudeley Castle | Earl of Birkenhead | ? | ? | |
| 5062 | Tenby Castle | Earl of Shaftesbury | ? | ? | |
| 5063 | Thornbury Castle | Earl Baldwin | ? | ? | |
| 5064 | Tretower Castle | Bishop's Castle | ? | ? | |
| 5065 | Upton Castle | Newport Castle | ? | ? | |
| 5066 | Wardour Castle | Sir Felix Pole | ? | ? | |
| 5067 | St Fagans Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5068 | Beverston Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5069 | Isambard Kingdom Brunel | - | ? | ? | |
| 5070 | Sir Daniel Gooch | - | ? | ? | |
| 5071 | Clifford Castle | Spitfire | ? | ? | |
| 5072 | Compton Castle | Hurricane | ? | ? | |
| 5073 | Cranbrook Castle | Blenheim | ? | ? | |
| 5074 | Denbigh Castle | Hampden | ? | ? | |
| 5075 | Devizes Castle | Wellington | ? | ? | |
| 5076 | Drysllwyn Castle | Gladiator | ? | ? | |
| 5077 | Eastnor Castle | Fairey Battle | ? | ? | |
| 5078 | Lamphey Castle | Beaufort | ? | ? | |
| 5079 | Lydford Castle | Lysander | ? | ? | |
| 5080 | Ogmore Castle | Defiant | May 1939 | April 1963 | Preserved |
| 5081 | Penrice Castle | Lockheed Hudson | ? | ? | |
| 5082 | Powis Castle | Swordfish | ? | ? | |
| 5083 | Bath Abbey | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4063 |
| 5084 | Reading Abbey | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4064 |
| 5085 | Evesham Abbey | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4065 |
| 5086 | Viscount Horne | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4066 |
| 5087 | Tintern Abbey | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4067 |
| 5088 | Llantony Abbey | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4068 |
| 5089 | Westminster Abbey | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4069 |
| 5090 | Neath Abbey | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4070 |
| 5091 | Cleve Abbey | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4071 |
| 5092 | Tresco Abbey | - | ? | ? | Rebuilt from Star Class 4072 |
| 5093 | Upton Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5094 | Tretower Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5095 | Barbury Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5096 | Bridgwater Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5097 | Sarum Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5098 | Clifford Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 5099 | Compton Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7000 | Viscount Portal | - | ? | ? | |
| 7001 | Denbigh Castle | Sir James Milne | ? | ? | |
| 7002 | Devizes Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7003 | Elmley Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7004 | Eastnor Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7005 | Lamphey Castle | Sir Edward Elgar | ? | ? | |
| 7006 | Lydford Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7007 | Ogmore Castle | Great Western | ? | ? | |
| 7008 | Swansea Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7009 | Althelney Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7010 | Avondale Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7011 | Banbury Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7012 | Barry Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7013 | Bristol Castle | ? | ? | Swapped name & number with 4082 Windsor Castle in 1952 | |
| 7014 | Caerhays Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7015 | Carn Brea Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7016 | Chester Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7017 | G. J. Churchward | - | ? | ? | Only Castle class name with full stops |
| 7018 | Drysllwyn Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7019 | Fowey Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7020 | Gloucester Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7021 | Haverfordwest Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7022 | Hereford Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7023 | Penrice Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7024 | Powis Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7025 | Sudeley Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7026 | Tenby Castle | - | ? | ? | |
| 7027 | Thornbury Castle | - | ? | ? | Preserved |
| 7028 | Cadbury Castle | - | 1950 | ? | |
| 7029 | Clun Castle | - | 1950 | December 1965 | Last Castle to be withdrawn. Preserved |
| 7030 | Cranbrook Castle | - | 1950 | ? | |
| 7031 | Cromwell's Castle | - | 1950 | ? | |
| 7032 | Denbigh Castle | - | 1950 | ? | |
| 7033 | Hartlebury Castle | - | 1950 | ? | |
| 7034 | Ince Castle | - | 1950 | ? | |
| 7035 | Ogmore Castle | - | 1950 | ? | |
| 7036 | Taunton Castle | - | 1950 | ? | |
| 7037 | Swindon | - | 1950 | ? | |
[edit] References
Collett & Hawksworth Locomotives—A Pictorial History, Brian Haresnape, Ian Allen Ltd, 1978, ISBN 0-7110-0869-8
[edit] External links
| Preserved GWR Castle Class locomotives |
|---|
|
4073 Caerphilly Castle | 4079 Pendennis Castle | 5029 Nunney Castle | 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe |
| Broad gauge locomotives | |
| Brunel: | Haigh Foundry - Mather, Dixon - Sharp, Roberts - Charles Tayleur - Hurricane - Thunderer |
| Gooch: | Ariadne - Banking - Bogie - Caesar - Firefly - Hercules - Iron Duke - Leo - Metropolitan - Premier - Prince - Pyracmon - Star - Sun - Victoria - Waverley |
| J. Armstrong: | Hawthorn - Rover - Sir Watkin - Standard Goods - Swindon - 1076 Class |
| Dean: | 3001 Class - 3501 Class - 3541 Class - Experimental locomotives |
| Standard gauge locomotives | |
| Dean: | Dean Goods - Aberdare - Dean Single - Duke - Bulldog - 3600 - Badminton |
| Churchward: | The Great Bear - 1361 - County Tank - 2800 - Saint - 3100 - City - County - Star - 4200 - 4300 - 4400 - 4500 - 4700 |
| Collett: | 1366 - 1400 - 2251 - 2884 - ex-ROD 2-8-0 - Earl - Castle - 4575 - Hall - 5101 - 5205 - 5400 - 5600 - 5700 - 5800 - King - 6100 - 6400 - Grange - 7200 - 7400 - Manor |
| Hawksworth: | County - 1500 - 1600 - Modified Hall - 9400 |
| Locomotives of: | BR (steam) • LMS • LNER • Southern |
![[1]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:DSCF0974.JPG){kind=link}