GWR 2800 Class

Infobox Locomotive
powertype=Steam
name = GWR 2800 Class


caption = 2818 at National Railway Museum, York
with the Mallard in the background
designer = Churchward
builder = GWR
builddate = 1903
totalproduction =
whytetype = 2-8-0
gauge = 4' 8½"
leadingsize =
driversize = 4' 7½"
length =
weight = 75 tons 10 cwt
fueltype = coal
fuelc

waterc

cylindercount = two outside
cylindersize = 18½" x 30"
firearea =
boilerpressure = 225 psi
tractiveeffort = 35,380 lbf
railroadclass= 8F|

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 2800 Class is a class of steam locomotive designed by G.J. Churchward for heavy freight work. They were the first 2-8-0 class in Great Britain.

The prototype, originally numbered 97 but later renumbered 2800, appeared in 1903. Construction of the production series commenced in 1905 and continued until 1919. The 2884 Class which appeared in 1938-1942 was developed from the 2800 class and is sometimes classified with it.

Prototype

No.97 undertook two years of trials before going into production. Initial results suggested that only the front end needed further development. Initially the boiler pressure of the 2-8-0 was set at 200lb/psi with 18in diameter cylinders. Tractive effort started out at 29,775lb but was increased substantially in the production engines by enlarging the cylinder diameter to 18 1/2 inches and raising the steam pressure to 225lb/psi. The 8 1/2 piston valves were enlarged to 10in.

Production

The most visible difference between No.97 and the first of the 1905 production batch was the higher pitch of the boiler (8ft 2ins opposed to 7ft 8 1/2in). At first the prototype was given a 4,000 gallon tender but almost without exception the 2800s were harnessed to the 3,500 gallon variety throughout their working lives. Superheating was incorporated into the class from 1909 with No.2808 the first to be retro-fitted. Other modifications centred on improving the weight distribution, altering smokebox lengths and fitting larger diameter chimneys. The 84 2800s built by Churchward remained the GWR's principal long haul freight engines throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The only serious problem met with in traffic was with the sealing of the internal steam pipes. Beginning in 1934 most of the class had them replaced with the outside kind.

Oil firing

Between 1945 and 1947, coal shortages caused GWR to experiment with oil fired 28xx locomotives and 20 of the 2800 class were converted. They renumbered these locomotives as the 4800 Class, stripping the number from the autotanks, which in turn were reclassified as 1400 Class. The experiment encouraged by the government was abandoned in 1948 once the extra maintenance costs were calculated and the bill had arrived for the imported oil.

Trials

The year 1948 also saw one of the 2800 class, No.3803, emerge remarkably successfully from trials against more modern engines including the LMS 8F and the WD Austerity 2-8-0 and WD Austerity 2-10-0. It took the appearance in 1954 of the British Railways BR standard class 9F 2-10-0 to displace the 2800s from their main role of mineral haulage. Nevertheless there was still work for them right up to the end of steam on the Western region in 1965. Six decades of service testify to the fundamental excellence of Churchward's original conception.

Preservation

Seven 2800 class survive, these being 2807, 2818, 2857, 2859, 2861, 2873, 2874, along with nine 2884 class.
*No. 2807 Is being restored on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
*No. 2818 Is at the National Railway Museum
*No. 2857 Is under going an overhaul on the Severn Valley Railway
*No. 2859 Is on the Llangollen Railway
*No. 2861 Is on the Vale of Glamorgan Railway
*No. 2873 Is unrestored on the South Devon Railway
*No. 2874 is awaiting restoration on the West Somerset Railway

External links

* http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_280_2800.htm
* [http://www.GWR2807.co.uk Cotswold Steam Preservation Ltd. - Owners of No. 2807]
* [http://www.2857.org.uk/ The 2857 Society]
* [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/roysrailpage/frame/2818b.html 2818 Under restoration for the N.R.M. in 1966]
* [http://members.lycos.co.uk/llgwrgroup/2859.htm Llangollen Railway GWR Locomotive Group website]
* [http://www.pontypool-and-blaenavon.co.uk/pages/locos-steam.html Steam locomotives at Blaenavon]

References

*Classic British Steam locomotives