GWR 1400 Class

The GWR 1400 Class is a class of steam locomotive designed by the Great Western Railway for branch line passenger work. It was originally classified as the 4800 Class when introduced in 1932, and renumbered in 1946.

GWR 4800 class (later 1400 class)
1445 freshly painted at Swindon Works in 1950
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerCharles Collett
BuilderGreat Western Railway, Swindon Works
Order numberLots 279, 287, 288
Build date1932–1936
Total produced75
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte0-4-2T
 • UICB1 nt
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver dia.5 ft 2 in (1.575 m)
Trailing dia.3 ft 8 in (1.118 m)
Wheelbase15 ft 6 in (4.72 m)
Length29 ft 11 in (9.12 m)
Width8 ft 7 in (2.616 m)
Height12 ft 6 1⁄4 in (3.816 m)
Axle load13 long tons 18 cwt (31,100 lb or 14.1 t)
(15.6 short tons) full
Adhesive weight27 long tons 8 cwt (61,400 lb or 27.8 t)
(30.7 short tons) full
Loco weight41 long tons 6 cwt (92,500 lb or 42 t)
(46.3 short tons) full
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity2 long tons 13 cwt (5,900 lb or 2.7 t)
(3.0 short tons)
Water cap800 imp gal (3,600 l; 960 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		12.8 sq ft (1.19 m2)
Boiler pressure165 psi (1.14 MPa)
Heating surface:
 • Tubes		869.8 sq ft (80.81 m2)
 • Firebox83.2 sq ft (7.73 m2)
SuperheaterNone
CylindersTwo, inside
Cylinder size16 in × 24 in (406 mm × 610 mm)
Valve gearStephenson
Valve typeSlide valves
Train heatingSteam
Train brakesVacuum
Performance figures
Tractive effort13,900 lbf (62 kN)
Career
Operators
Class4800, later 1400
Power classGWR: Unclassified,
BR: 1P
Numbers4800–4874, later 1400–1474
Axle load classGWR: Unclassified
LocaleWestern Region branch lines
Withdrawn1956–1965
Preserved1420, 1442, 1450, 1466
DispositionFour preserved, remainder scrapped

Although credited to Charles Collett, the design dated back to 1868 with the introduction of the George Armstrong 517 class.

Precursors

Like the 48xx/14xx, the 517 Class was a lightweight loco for branchline work; it was built at Wolverhampton Works between 1868 and 1885.

In this period evolutionary changes included:

  • 517-570 – with 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m) wheelbase, inside bearings to trailing wheels, and saddle tanks built 1868-1869.
  • 571-576 – with 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m) wheelbase, outside bearings and side tanks built 1869-1870
  • 826-836, 838-849, 1154–1165, 202-05, 215-222, 1421–1432, 1433–1444, 1465-1482 – all with 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m) wheelbase with side tanks built 1873-1883
  • 1483-1488 – with 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m) wheelbase and side tanks built 1884-1885

Later gradual changes included: Belpaire fireboxes, boilers rated at 165 psi (1.14 MPa) as opposed to 150 psi (1.0 MPa), full cabs, extended bunkers and the progressive conversion of short wheelbase locos to 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m) or 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m). From 1924 onwards, several were converted to run with an autocoach, and in this configuration were the direct ancestors of the 48xx class.

In this form, the updated 517s were but a small step away from the 48xx. The wheelbase was still 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m), the boiler still rated at only 165 psi (1.14 MPa), and the wheels 5 ft 2 in (1,575 mm) and 3 ft 8 in (1,118 mm). New was the Collett-style cab and bunker and the boiler nominally to a new design. A three bar crosshead was added to the motion. This was a 1924 innovation introduced with the GWR 5600 Class and also seen in the 1930s-built 5400, 6400 and 7400 classes of pannier tanks.

Into service
1409 with an autotrain.

The 4800 Class was designed as a more modern version of the 517 Class, which were by then beginning to show their relative age. The first locomotive, No 4800, was built by Swindon Works and entered service in 1932, with a further seventy-four engines of this type following up to 1936. During this period, Swindon also built twenty 5800 Class engines, which were broadly similar but which were not fitted with autotrain equipment or the Swindon top feed as later fitted to a number of 4800 class engines.

The 4800 Class locomotives retained their original numbers until the GWR decided to experimentally convert twelve 2800 Class 2-8-0s for oil-firing. It was decided that the converted engines would be reclassified as the 4800 Class and so the 75 tank locomotives already carrying this designation were reclassified as the 1400 Class with running numbers 1400-1474. The engines did not revert to their original classification after the experiment ended in 1948. They could reach a maximum speed of 80 mph which was much faster than the diesel railcars designed to replace them could reach.[1]

The 1400 Class was designed to work with the GWR design of autocoach, a specialist coach designed for push-pull working and which could also be used with engines of other classes such as the 517s, the GWR 5400 Class, the GWR 6400 Class and the older GWR 2021 Class. This lack of auto gear was the cause of earlier scrapping of the 5800 Class as there was no work for them. The last, no. 5815, was withdrawn from Swindon shed in April 1961.[2]

The auto-fitted locos fared little better; scrapping commenced in 1956 and all were withdrawn by early 1965. Nos. 1442 and 1450 were withdrawn from Exmouth Junction shed in May 1965.[3] By the early 1960s several had been in store (parked in an out-of-the-way siding with a tarpaulin over the chimney) for some time, being occasionally steamed to replace failed diesels.

Preservation
"Tivvy Bumper" locomotive 1442 in its original resting-place on Blundell's Road, Tiverton, photographed in 1968

Four examples have been preserved, all late withdrawals from service in the 1963-1965 period. All went direct to preservation from British Railways in relatively good condition. The current location of the preserved examples is as follows:

Known affectionately as The Tivvy Bumper, 1442 hauled the last train to Tiverton in October 1965.[5] All preserved examples apart from 1442 are fitted with auto train equipment and 1450 has also operated on the mainline in preservation, but due to its size was restricted in the amount of work it could do and was also restricted on mileage as the 1400s only have a max water capacity of 800 imp gal (3,600 l; 960 US gal). During the 1990s it worked a number of Dawlish Donkey trips from Exeter St Davids to Newton Abbot.

In fiction

Models
  • Hornby Railways manufacture a model of the 14xx in OO gauge.
  • Dapol manufactured a model of the 14xx for British N gauge in 2004 but has since ended production of this model.
  • DJmodels produced models of the 14xx, 58xx and 48xx class locomotives in 00 gauge in 2018.[8][9]
  • Dapol released a version of the 14xx in O gauge in early 2020.[10]

References
  1. Speller, John. "Collett Locomotives". John Speller's Web Pages. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. Rowledge (1986), p. 135.
  3. Rowledge (1986), p. 123.
  4. "1450 bows out as sister engines overhauls make good headway". The Railway Magazine. No. 1438. January 2021. p. 60.
  5. "The Authers Gallery". Tiverton Museum. Archived from the original on 13 August 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  6. "Film: Where There's A Will". Reel Streets. Archived from the original on 31 July 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  7. "The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953) - Trivia". IMDB.
  8. Mylett, David (15 June 2016). "Hattons Exclusive 14xx 2nd EPs arrive". Hattons Model Railways.
  9. Mylett, David (24 June 2016). "2nd Batch of colour samples for 14xx". Hattons Model Railways.
  10. "Welcome to Tower Models Website". Tower Models. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  • Rowledge, J.W.P. (1986). GWR Locomotive Allocations: First and Last Sheds 1922-1967. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-8820-7.
  • Whitehurst, Brian (1973). Great Western Engines, Names, Numbers, Types and Classes (1940 to Preservation). Oxford, UK: Oxford Publishing Company. pp. 17–18, 97, 102, 166. ISBN 978-0-9028-8821-0. OCLC 815661.
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