GWR 4500 Class

GWR 4500 Class

Preserved 4566 at Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway

Type and origin Power type Steam Designer George Jackson Churchward Builder Wolverhampton Works (20) Swindon Works (55) Serial number Wolverhampton 775–794 Swindon: 2310–19, 2496–2505, 2597–2611 Build date 1906–1924 Total produced 75

Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-6-2T Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 4 ft 7 1⁄2 in (1.410 m) Loco weight 57 long tons (58 t; 64 short tons) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure 200 psi (1.4 MPa) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 17 in × 24 in (432 mm × 610 mm)

Performance figures Tractive effort 21,250 lbf (94.5 kN)

Career Operators Great Western Railway Western Region of British Railways Class 4500 Power class GWR: C BR: 4MT Axle load class GWR: Yellow Withdrawn February 1950 – September 1964 Disposition Three preserved, remainder scrapped

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 4500 Class or Small Prairie is a class of 2-6-2T steam locomotives.

They were designed as small mixed traffic branch 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. 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. Of this batch 2168 (as 4507) was the last Wolverhampton-built loco to remain in service with BR, not being withdrawn until 1963.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.

Three 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 but none are presently operational.

4555 was bought in working order from British Railways so has never had to be restored. The loco is currently named 'Warrior' and has since 2014 been undergoing overhaul on the Dartmouth Steam Railway which includes construction of a new boiler which is being built at Tyseley Loco Works, she last worked in 2007.

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.