GWR 2800 Class

The class was designed by George Jackson Churchward for heavy freight work. They were the first 2-8-0 locomotive class in Great Britain.{{cite magazine |title=The GWR '28XX' |first=Evan |last=Green-Hughes |magazine=Hornby Magazine |pages=70–73 |issue=40 |date=October 2010 |location=Hersham |publisher=Ian Allan Publishing |issn=1753-2469 |oclc=226087101}}

The prototype, originally numbered 97 but later renumbered 2800, appeared in 1903. Construction of the production series commenced in 1905 and continued until 1919. No. 97 was originally outshopped in lined black livery and undertook two years of trials before the type went into production. Initial results suggested that only the front end needed further development and where the boiler of No. 97 was parallel for the first four segments, the production series had the familiar taper boiler.{{sfn|Beck|1992|pp=28-29}} Initially the boiler pressure of the 2-8-0 was set at {{convert|200|lbf/in2|MPa|abbr=on}} with {{convert|18|in|mm|0|adj=on}} diameter cylinders. Tractive effort started out at {{convert|29775|lbf|kN|abbr=on}} but was increased substantially in the production engines by enlarging the cylinder diameter to {{convert|18+1/2|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} and raising the steam pressure to {{convert|225|lbf/in2|MPa|abbr=on}}. The {{convert|8+1/2|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} piston valves were enlarged to {{convert|10|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}.{{Fact|date=May 2025}}

The most visible difference between No. 97 (the prototype locomotive) and the first of the 1905 production batch was the higher pitch of the boiler ({{convert|8|ft|2|in|m|2|abbr=on|disp=or}} opposed to {{convert|7|ft|8+1/2|in|m|2|abbr=on|disp=or}}). At first the prototype was given a {{convert|4000|impgal|adj=on}} tender but almost without exception the 2800s were harnessed to the {{convert|3500|impgal|adj=on}} variety throughout their working lives. Superheating was incorporated into the class from 1909 with No. 2808 the first to be retro-fitted. Other modifications centred on improving the weight distribution, altering smokebox lengths and fitting larger diameter chimneys.{{Fact|date=May 2025}}

The 84 2800s were the GWR's principal long haul freight engines throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The only serious problem met with in traffic was with the sealing of the internal steam pipes and beginning in 1934 most of the class had them replaced with outside pipes. This change, along with a side-window cab, were the only notable changes made for the later construction, when a further 83 locomotives were built in just 3 years from 1938, as the 2884 class.{{sfn|Beck|1992|pp=28-29}}

File:Newport High Street station geograph-2516537-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg in 1963]]

The 2800 class was particularly used for hauling heavy trains of coal from the South Wales coalfields to the large conurbations served by the GWR, and large numbers of the class were allocated to sheds in South Wales. However, the class was the primary heavy freight locomotive on the GWR, and therefore saw use across the railway network. Due to the variety of freight flows, it was found that individual locomotives could spend extended periods away from their home shed, and a container was added to the left hand valence which carried details of boiler washout dates to ensure that this necessary activity was carried out in a timely manner.{{sfn|Beck|1992|pp=28-29}} There was no differentiation in duties between the original 2800 class of 1905 and the modified 2884 design of the 1930s.

{{Main|GWR oil burning steam locomotives}}

The 2800 class, as constructed, burnt coal as its means of creating and maintaining the fire necessary to heat the water in its boiler. Between 1945 and 1947, coal shortages caused GWR to experiment with oil fired locomotives, as such, 12 of the 2800 class were converted. They were renumbered to the 4800 series, which necessitated re-numbering the entire 4800 class autotanks into the 1400 series. The experiment, encouraged by the Government, was abandoned in 1948 once the extra maintenance costs, and the cost of burning oil instead of coal were realised.{{sfn|Griffiths|1987|p=47}}

• On 6 January 1932, locomotive No. 2808 was hauling a freight train when it collided with a milk train, being hauled by GWR 2900 Class 4-6-0 No. 2949 Stanford Court, at Didcot East Junction. The locomotive was extensively damaged along with seventeen wagons. Ten more wagons were destroyed. The milk train had overrun signals.{{cite web |url=http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_Didcot1932.pdf |title=Great Western Railway |first=E. P. |last=Anderson |publisher=Board of Trade |date=26 February 1932| via=Railways Archive}}
• On 15 January 1936, locomotive No. 2802 was hauling a freight train that became divided at {{rws|Shrivenham}}, Oxfordshire. An express passenger train, hauled by GWR 6000 Class 4-6-0 No. 6007 King William III collided with the rear portion of the freight due to errors by the guard and signalman. Two people were killed.{{cite book |last=Hall |first=Stanley |title=The Railway Detectives |year=1990 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=London |isbn=0-7110-1929-0 |page=101}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2024}}

Six 2800 Class locomotives survive, these being 2807, 2818, 2857, 2859, 2873, 2874, along with nine 2884 class locomotives. One additional survivor was used to provide parts for other projects. Only two members of the class have so far operated in preservation, these being 2807 and 2857. One of the class, No. 2857, briefly operated on the main line in 1985.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

File:GWR No. 2857 at Arley Railway Station - geograph.org.uk - 5883578.jpg

Purchased from Woodham Brothers in May 1974 by the 2857 Society for £5,775, 2857 was later moved by rail to the Severn Valley Railway in August 1975 and steamed for the first time in September 1979 after overhaul.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}} As of 2018, the engine is the second oldest of the class to run in preservation, becoming 100 years old in May 2018.

In 1985, during the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Great Western Railway, it took a selection of the Severn Valley Railway's goods wagons to Newport for a Railfreight spectacular event.{{citation needed|date=March 2025|reason=Unreliable source removed}} The outward route took the engine via Worcester & Hereford with the return route being via {{rws|Severn Tunnel Junction}}, Chepstow & Gloucester. The locomotive appeared in the 2020 film Enola Holmes.{{cite news |last1=Holden |first1=Michael |date=30 September 2020 |title=Steam locomotive 2857 and the Severn Valley Railway stars in new Netflix film – Enola Holmes |url=https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2020/09/steam-locomotive-2857-and-the-severn-valley-railway-stars-in-new-netflix-film-enola-holmes.html |access-date=13 October 2020 |publisher=Rail Advent}}{{cite web |last1=Kinghorn |first1=Barry |date=2 October 2020 |title=Enola Holmes was partly filmed at SVR |url=https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/18765499.enola-holmes-partly-filmed-svr/ |access-date=2 October 2020 |website=Worcester News}}{{cite news |last1=Farrington |first1=Dayna |date=1 October 2020 |title=Severn Valley Railway stars in Netflix film Enola Holmes |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/entertainment/wyre-forest-entertainment/2020/10/01/severn-valley-railway-stars-in-netflix-film-enola-holmes/ |access-date=13 October 2020 |agency=Express & Star}}

2861, built in 1918, was one of the "Barry Ten". It was broken up for parts at the Llangollen Railway in 2014, and the frames were scrapped. The cylinder and saddle block, along with several other components, are being used in the construction of a new GWR 4700 Class, No. 4709.{{cite web| url=http://www.4709.org.uk/pages/Archive%20News.html| url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403022621/http://www.4709.org.uk/pages/Archive%20News.html |archive-date=3 April 2015 |title=Archive News of the 47XX Rebuild |date=January 2012 |website=Great Western Society 47XX Project |publisher=Didcot Railway Centre}} 2861's boiler was also planned to be used to recreate a Star Class replica.{{Cite web |archive-date=15 August 2022 |title=Breathing new life into Thornbury Castle — 4709 – The Ultimate British 2–8–0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815173554/https://www.4709.org.uk/4709blog/breathing-new-life-into-thornbury-castle |access-date=27 March 2025 |website=web.archive.org |url=https://www.4709.org.uk/4709blog/breathing-new-life-into-thornbury-castle}}

Hornby Railways manufacture a model of the 28xx in OO gauge.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}} Dapol have announced their own OO model, including a website-exclusive model of the preserved 2874. Dapol will make financial contributions to the 2874 Trust based on the sales of the exclusive model.{{cite web |url=https://www.dapol.co.uk/blogs/news/new-oo-gauge-28xx-2884-2-8-0-locomotive-announced |title=New OO Gauge 28xx / 2884 2-8-0 Locomotive Announced}}

• List of GWR standard classes with two outside cylinders

{{Reflist}}

• {{RCTS-LocosGWR-1|year=1968}}
• {{cite magazine| last = Beck| first = Keith M.| date = August 1992| title = Churchward Class 2800 2-8-0 No. 2866| magazine = Steam World| issue = 62|location = Peterborough| publisher = EMAP Apex Publications}}
• Classic British Steam locomotives{{full citation needed|date=October 2020}}
• {{cite book |last1=Griffiths |first1=Denis |title=Locomotive engineers of the GWR |date=1987 |publisher=Stephens |location=Wellingborough |isbn=0-85059-819-2 |url=https://archive.org/details/locomotiveengine0000grif_j8x3 |url-access=registration }}
• {{Whitehurst GW Engines from 1940|pages=27–28, 103, 130}}

{{commons category|GWR 2800 Class}}

• [http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_280_2800.htm 2800 class]

{{GWR Locomotives}}

2800

Category:2-8-0 locomotives

Category:1′D h2 locomotives

Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1903

Category:Freight locomotives

Category:Standard-gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain