GWR 3000 Class

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 3000 Class was a class of 2-8-0 steam locomotive consisting of the ex-Railway Operating Division ROD 2-8-0. These were built by North British Locomotive Co. between 1917 and 1918. No examples have been preserved.

This article is about the ex-ROD 2-8-0s, for the Dean Single colloquially known as the 3000 class see GWR 3031 Class

GWR 3000 Class
GWR No. 3043 at Seer Green 1950
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Build date1917-1918 (built for the ROD) 1919-1925 (purchased)
Total produced100
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-8-0
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.3 ft 6 in (1.067 m)
Driver dia.4 ft 8 in (1.422 m)
Length61 ft 9 in (18.82 m)
Width8 ft 9+1⁄2 in (2.680 m)
Height13 ft 5+1⁄4 in (4.096 m)
Axle load17 long tons 2 cwt (38,300 lb or 17.4 t)
(17.4 t; 19.2 short tons) full
Adhesive weight66 long tons 8 cwt (148,700 lb or 67.5 t)
(67.5 t; 74.4 short tons) full
Loco weight73 long tons 11 cwt (164,800 lb or 74.7 t)
(74.7 t; 82.4 short tons) full
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.4,000 imp gal (18,000 L; 4,800 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		26.07 sq ft (2.422 m2)
Boiler pressure185 lbf/in2 (1.28 MPa)
Heating surface:
 • Tubes		1,591.38 sq ft (147.844 m2)
 • Firebox153.19 sq ft (14.232 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • Type6-element
 • Heating area6-element: 225.12 sq ft (20.914 m2)
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size21 in × 26 in (533 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort32,197 lbf (143.22 kN)
Career
OperatorsGWR » BR
Numbers3000-3099, 6000-6003
Withdrawn1929-1958
DispositionAll Scrapped

Initial loans and purchase

The GWR borrowed several ROD 2-8-0s during the First World War but these were returned to the government after the end of the war. In 1919, GWR bought 20 virtually new RODs, and numbered them 3000–19. A further 84 were hired in July 1919, and were numbered 3020-99 and 6000–3, but these were returned in October 1922. In 1925, the GWR bought 80 engines (including some previously hired) and numbered them 3020–99.

Overhaul and sorting

In 1926/7 the GWR sorted the eighty RODs bought in 1925 which had been given nos. 3020–99 into two batches, which involved considerable renumbering. The worst fifty were touched up and returned to traffic with steel fireboxes and painted the original R.O.D. black and renumbered 3050–99;[1] they were run until they failed, when they were withdrawn – after July 1930, only one remained, being withdrawn the following year.[2] The best thirty were thoroughly overhauled, fitted with copper fireboxes and painted G.W. standard green,[1] they also acquired Swindon fittings, including top feed and brass safety valve casing, and were renumbered 3020–49. Nos. 3000–19 (bought 1919) were also overhauled similarly to the new nos. 3020–49 between 1927 and 1929, but were not further renumbered.[2] The leading dimensions of the GWR 3000 Class were the same as the GCR Class 8K except that the GWR increased the boiler pressure to 185 psi (1,280 kPa) which increased the tractive effort from 31,327 lbf (139,350 N) to 32,197 lbf (143,220 N).

World War II

The GWR borrowed 30 Class O4 from the LNER in November 1940, of which two were returned the following April; ten were returned in July–August 1942 and the rest in January–February 1943. On the GWR, they retained their LNER numbers, which were scattered between 5391 and 6639.[3] Three of these had been hired by the GWR between 1919 and 1922:

Locomotives hired by and subsequently loaned to the GWR[4][5]
ROD numberFirst hireGWR numberReturned to RODLNER numberLoaned to GWRReturned to LNER
1685December 19193075October 19226321November 1940January 1943
1608December 19193082October 19226365November 1940January 1943
1827March 19203095October 19226258November 1940July 1942

British Railways
No. 3040 at Oxford Locomotive Depot 22 February 1953

Forty-six of the RODs entered British Railways service in 1948. Five locomotives (numbers 3011, 3015, 3024, 3036 and 3041) were still in service in 1957[6] and of these, nos. 3036/41 were withdrawn in March 1958, the others in October the same year.[7] None of the GWR RODs has survived to preservation.

Modelling

In November 2011, Bachmann released a OO gauge ready to run model of the 3000 class. This complements kits in various gauges.

References
  1. Davies et al. 1966, p. K269.
  2. Davies et al. 1966, p. K270.
  3. Boddy et al. 1983, p. 62.
  4. Davies et al. 1966, p. K273.
  5. Boddy et al. 1983, pp. 62, 81–3, 194–5.
  6. ABC of British Railways Locomotives (winter 1957/8 ed.). Ian Allan. pp. 20, 28.
  7. Davies et al. 1966, pp. K271, K274.
  • Boddy, M.G.; Brown, W.A.; Neve, E.; Yeadon, W.B. (November 1983). Fry, E.V. (ed.). Locomotives of the L.N.E.R., part 6B: Tender Engines - Classes O1 to P2. Kenilworth: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-54-1.
  • Davies, F.K.; Firth, J.M.; Lucking, J.H.; Thomas, R.E.; Allcock, N.J.; Sterndale, A.C.; Barrie, D.S.M.; Reed, P.J.T.; Mountford, E.R. (April 1966). White, D.E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part ten: Absorbed Engines, 1922-1947. RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-20-7.
  • Whitehurst, Brian (1973). Great Western engines, names, numbers, types, classes: 1940 to preservation. Oxford: Oxford Pub. Co. ISBN 0902888218.
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