GWR Pannier Tanks: 5700/8750 British Railways

On the 1st January 1948 British Railways came into being, taking over the assets of the existing "Big Four" railways companies - GWR, LMS, LNER and Southern.
Among the thousands of locomotives in their control were all of the Great Western Railways 5700 and 8750 classes and these continued in regular service performing the same duties as they had under the GWR. In fact they were so useful that from 1948-50 another 41 engines were completed and added to their numbers.

First up is the 5700 variant, fresh out of the paint shop in freight black and carrying the familiar "cycling lion" logo used from 1950-56.

8750 with the same livery.

Just as under the GWR some engines were built without vacuum brakes and steam heating, fitted with 3 link couplings and were only used for unfitted freight and shunting duties.

In 1956 this logo was changed to the "ferret with dartboard" and they carried this until withdrawal.

A small number of engines which worked as Paddington station pilots were also turned out in Lined Black livery and this has also been popular in preservation.

Over the years these engines, primarily used for freight duties, received little in the way of cosmetic care (a far cry from the times of their daily polishing with the GWR) and took on the worn look that is so popular with railway modellers (and us, it's a lot of fun to texture!).

And of course the matching cabs.

Withdrawal begin with limited numbers in 1956 however almost 600 were still in service in 1962 and over 150 were still in use at the beginning of 1965.

The 5700 and 8750's were actually the last steam locomotives used on the BR Western region and No. 9641 was working goods trains and shunting at Croes Newydd until November 1966.

However even the end of steam was not enough to kill off all of these workhorses as 16 were sold on.. and we will take a look at those next week in our final update.