GWR 2600 Class

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 2600 Class or Aberdare Class was a class of 2-6-0 steam locomotive built between 1900 and 1907. They were a freight version of the 3300 and 4120 classes, both 4-4-0 locomotives. Therefore they were adapted and became 2-6-0 engines and were used for hauling coal trains between Aberdare and Swindon.

GWR 2600 'Aberdare' Class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerWilliam Dean
Build date1900–1907
Total produced80
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-6-0
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.2 ft 8 in (0.813 m)
Driver dia.4 ft 7.5 in (1.410 m)
Boiler pressure200 psi (1.38 MPa)
Cylinders2
Cylinder size18 in × 26 in (457 mm × 660 mm)
Career
Withdrawn1934 - 1949

Numbering

The class began in 1900 with a prototype, No. 33, renumbered 2600 in 1912. The rest were numbered 2601-2680 and were built between 1901 and 1907.

British Railways

British Railways (BR) inherited nos. 2612/20/3/43/51/5/6/62/5/7/9/80 in 1948.[1] By 31 August 1948, only four were left: nos. 2620, 2651, 2655, 2667.[2]

Withdrawal
'Aberdare' No. 2636 passing Swindon 23 April 1946 a few months prior to withdrawal

They were withdrawn from 1934 onwards. 5 Aberdares (2640, 2648, 2649, 2652 & 2657) withdrawn in early 1939 were not cut up but stored as Second World War reserves. These five reentered service by January 1940. Their withdrawal began again in 1944 until the last member, number 2667, was withdrawn in October 1949. None of the Aberdare class engines were preserved.

References
  1. le Fleming, H.M. (October 1954). White, D.E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part seven: Dean's Larger Tender Engines. Kenilworth: RCTS. p. G43. ISBN 0-901115-18-5. OCLC 655235293.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. British Railways Locomotives 1948, Part 1, pp. 11, 17, Ian Allan, London, 1948
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