The GWR 1400 Class is a class of 0-4-2T tank engine steam locomotives designed by the Great Western Railway and built by Swindon Works for branch line passenger work. It was originally classified as the 4800 Class when they were first introduced in August 1932, and renumbered in 1946.
Although credited to Charles Collett, the design dated back to 1868 with the introduction of the George Armstrong 517 class. The class were rebranded as the 1400 class, as the GWR converted twelve of its 2800 Class of Consolidations to burn oil, reassigning the 4800 class to that series of experimental locomotives.
In later British Rail days, some of the class were painted in fully lined out passenger green livery.
Overview[]
Train brake: Vacuum brake
Train heating: Steam brake
Builders: Great Western Railway, Swindon Works
- 4800-4809 (1400-1409) Lot No. 279 - 1932
- 4810-4829 (1409-1429) Lot No. 279 - 1933
- 4830-4839 (1430-1439) Lot No. 288 - 1934
- 4840-4859 (1440-1459) Lot No. 288 - 1935
- 4860-4874 (1460-1474) Lot No. 287 - 1936
Withdrawal[]
Withdrawals commenced in the mid-1950s. Line closures and the increase use of diesel multiple units quickly took their toll.
The first withdrawals of the class were made in February 1956 with Nos. 1404, 1425 and 1460. The last two locomotives to be withdrawn were Nos. 1442 and 1450 in May 1965.
Preservation[]
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.
Loco numbers in bold mean their current number.
- No. 1420 is currently undergoing an overhaul at the South Devon Railway.
- No. 1442 is on static display at the Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life.
- No. 1450 is currently located at the Severn Valley Railway.
- No. 1466 is currently undergoing an overhaul at the Didcot Railway Centre.
1442 spent its last years working between Tiverton and Tiverton Junction and became known as Tivvy Bumper. It was purchased by Lord Amory in 1965 for display at Tiverton. 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[]
- Nos. 1401, 1456, and 1462 of the class were used in the comedy film, "The Titfield Thunderbolt". Stock footage from the movie featuring No. 1401 was reused in the 1966 Hammer horror film "The Reptile".
- No. 1450 appeared in The Goodies episode, "Daylight Robbery of the Orient Express".
- Oliver, a character from "The Railway Series" books and its television adaptation "Thomas & Friends", is a member of this class.