Difference between revisions of "GWR Pannier 1501"

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{{Infobox black steam loco
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{{Infobox GWR steam loco
 
|image      = 1501_20120909.jpg
 
|image      = 1501_20120909.jpg
 
|caption    = 1501 approaching Highley in 2012
 
|caption    = 1501 approaching Highley in 2012
 
|construc  = BR Swindon Works
 
|construc  = BR Swindon Works
 
|wheels    = 0-6-0PT
 
|wheels    = 0-6-0PT
|rating    = 4F
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|rating    = GWR: C, BR: 4F
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|axleload  = GWR: Red
 
|status    = In use
 
|status    = In use
 
|locono    = BR 1501
 
|locono    = BR 1501

Revision as of 14:38, 24 May 2019

GWRGreat Western Railway Pannier 1501
1501 20120909.jpg
1501 approaching Highley in 2012
Built By BRBritish Rail or British Railways Swindon Works
Configuration 0-6-0PT
Power class GWRGreat Western Railway: C, BRBritish Rail or British Railways: 4FThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic.
Axle load class GWRGreat Western Railway: Red
Status In use
Loco Number BRBritish Rail or British Railways 1501
History
Built 1949
Type GWRGreat Western Railway 1500
1961 Withdrawn by BRBritish Rail or British Railways
1970 Acquired by SVRSevern Valley Railway
1979 First entered service
2012 Re-entered service
Technical
Weight 58t 4cwt
Tractive effort 22,515 lb
Pressure 200 lb/sq in

Steam Locomotives

1501 is the only surviving example of a GWRGreat Western Railway 1500 class 0-6-0PT shunting engine. Although a GWRGreat Western Railway HawksworthFrederick Hawksworth, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Western Railway 1941-1948 design, 1501 was built at Swindon by the Western Region of British Railways in 1949, two years after nationalisation. The cabside of WR steam locomotives bore a letter on a coloured disc: the letter showed the power classification and the coloured disc showed the weight restriction. The 1500 Class was Red (up to 20 tons axle load) and power classification C. The class was rated as a 4FThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic. by British Railways. The class, of which only 10 were built, used the 'Standard 10' GWRGreat Western Railway boiler. Unlike the SVRSevern Valley Railway’s other panniers, 1501 has outside cylinders.

1501 in service

British Railways

1501 entered service on 31 July 1949[1] at London’s Old Oak Common, where duties included hauling long rakes of empty coaching stock in and out of Paddington Station. On 30 November 1950[1] the locomotive was reallocated to Southall for local shunting duties.

The BRBritish Rail or British Railways modernisation programme led to a swift replacement of the 1500 class by 350hp diesel shunters, and 1501 was withdrawn from service at Southall by BRBritish Rail or British Railways in January 1961[1] after a working life of just 11 years 5 months. Following withdrawal, 1501 was moved to Swindon. Two other class members, 1502 and 1509, were also moved to Swindon after withdrawal from Didcot and Newport respectively, and in February 1961 all three were sold to the National Coal Board.[2]

National Coal Board

In June 1961 all three locomotives were towed by rail via Bagnalls at Stafford to the Andrew Barclay works at Kilmarnock for repairs and a repaint into unlined maroon livery. Later in the year they returned by road to the colliery at Keresley, Coventry where, still carrying their BRBritish Rail or British Railways numbers, they worked in the NCBNational Coal Board sidings and on the two mile branch line to the Coventry to Nuneaton line at Three Spires Junction. 1969 saw the locomotives once again replaced by diesel shunters, with 1501 the last of the three in use until September of that year.[2]

1501 in preservation

All three locomotives were inspected during 1969 and reserved by members of the Warwickshire Railway Society and SVRSevern Valley Railway. After this inspection and consultation with NCBNational Coal Board staff, 1501 was selected for preservation on the SVRSevern Valley Railway and an appeal for funds appeared in the Autumn 1969 edition of SVRSevern Valley Railway News.[3] The other two were used as a source of parts for restoring 1501 and other ex-GWRGreat Western Railway locomotives lacking fittings at BarryWoodham Brothers Scrapyard, Barry, South Wales. The source of many locomotives now in preservation. following vandalism, after which the remains were sold for scrap and cut up at Cashmores, Great Bridge in October 1970.[2]

1501 was initially towed by rail from Coventry to Tyseley in July 1970 for wheel turning, before a further move behind a diesel to Bewdley on 17 October 1970. During the latter move, excessive speed caused damage to one of 1501’s axle boxes.

A lengthy restoration was undertaken, initially at Bridgnorth but mainly at Bewdley, largely through the endeavours of the 15xx Pannier Tank Fund with financial assistance from the Warwickshire Railway Society. The proceeds of an SVRA raffle in 1980 were also used to help fund the restoration.[4]

Following this restoration, 1501 was first steamed on 29 May 1997.[2] Over the next 10 years the locomotive was re-tyred but otherwise served a full ‘ticket’ before being taken out of service at the end of 2006. 1501 then became one of the first group of locomotives to be displayed in the Engine House from opening in March 2008.[5]

During 2009, plans for an overhaul of 75069 were delayed after a review of the boiler revealed that significant work would be required.[6] 1501 was seen as a potential quick turnaround,[7] and the locomotive left the Engine House in October 2009[8] to begin an overhaul. 1501 was steamed again on 15 August 2012, re-entering service in BRBritish Rail or British Railways lined black livery which, although not normally appropriate for shunting engines, was carried by 1503 and 1505 while at Old Oak Common.[9]

In service on the SVRSevern Valley Railway, 1501 has proved a powerful locomotive for its size, acquiring the nickname “the raging bull”. The locomotive is owned by the 1501 Pannier Tank Association.

Trivia

As noted above, 1501 is a member of the GWRGreat Western Railway 1500 class, also referred to as the 15xx Class. 108 0-6-0T tank engines of the 645 Class were built at the GWRGreat Western Railway’s Wolverhampton works between 1872 and 1881. The last 72 of these featured a revised design; the first of which was numbered 1501. This modified sub-class is therefore sometimes referred to as the “1501 Class”.[10]

See also

Steam Locomotives
List of preservation groups
SVR-based locomotives visiting other events

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 BRDatabase.info
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book 9th Edition
  3. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 14
  4. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 56
  5. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 161
  6. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 168
  7. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 169
  8. Wikipedia
  9. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 179
  10. 645 Class on Wikipedia

Links

GWR 1500 Class on Wikipedia
1501 on BRDatabase.Info
1501 Pannier Tank Association website