1. Home
  2. Model railroading in the UK
  3. allocation history of the GWR 8-wheel tender?

allocation history of the GWR 8-wheel tender?

I'm looking for prototype information about the solitary Collett 8-wheel tender that was built in 1930 as Lot A123. This looks quite straightforward bash for a Collett tender body and a set-and-a-third of standard GWR axleboxes/springs, and I have drawings of the thing including the information that it had 3'8" wheels instead of the usual 4'1.5".

However such a contraption HAS to be paired with the right loco! It isn't a "that sort of thing" job at all: too many smartarses around (and rightly so, it keeps us honest and trying harder). I am told that the device was attached to at least half a dozen locos over its career until scrapping in the early 60s, mostly Halls and Castles. But which ones and when? I've only got a pic of it on 5032 Usk Castle in shirtbutton GWR days. What was it running with in my period, 1960/61?

Hall and Castle bodies await, and if necessary I'll have the correct plates etched, since I can get a load of other GWR plates done at the same time for specific shed allocations.

All help appreciated,

Tony Clarke

Reply to
Tony Clarke
Loading thread data ...

I have a foto of it attached to a 4 coupled County. 3816 County of Leicester. (annotated post 1925). In previous dits on this board the sages suggested that there was more than one 8 wheeler made.

Regards

Reply to
Peter Abraham

My computer also tells me that in 1932 it was attached to Saint class

2914 Saint Augustine.
Reply to
Peter Abraham

"Peter Abraham" wrote > I have a foto of it attached to a 4 coupled County.

3816 County of

That sounds like the "other" 8-wheeler, the bogied one-off made for The Great Bear (the experimental GWR Pacific), which did indeed do the rounds after TGB was turned into a Castle (111 Viscount Churchill) in 1924. Here's a drawing:

formatting link
I'm after the later Collett rigid-frame one. Quite why the GW built it I know not, unless they were impressed by the riding characteristics of the Gresley 8-wheel tender during the 1925 loco exchanges and thought they'd try it. The capacities were the same AFAIK as the 6-wheelers and an extra set of wheels wouldn't have made so much difference to track damage.

Just a novelty to ring the changes, but as I said, it has to be the right loco for the job!

Tony Clarke

Reply to
Tony Clarke

There's a pic in J H Russell Pictorial History of GWR Engines Part 2 (page 234) of it lettered "British Railways" in fine GWR style and attached to a loco numbered 506x. This would presumably be around

1948-9, so not too helpful for your period :-)

Tim

Reply to
Tim Illingworth

I presume that in the 14 years since you posted this query that you have done the business, but if not I can state categorically that 5904 "Kelham Hall" was running with the tender in 1961. ! have a photograph of her at Hereford on 1st November 1961 which is currently on Facebook (Rail Thing - REAL Trainspotting 1945-1968 group.

Reply to
John Goss

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.