GWR 4700 Class

At the end of the First World War, the running department of the GWR identified the need for a larger version of the successful GWR 4300 Class 2-6-0 incorporating the Swindon No. 1 boiler. They envisaged a smaller version of the successful Saint class 4-6-0 with {{convert|5|ft|8|in|m|3|abbr=on}} driving wheels - the intermediate of Churchward's three standard wheel sizes, for express goods trains. However, Churchward preferred a 2-8-0 design for this purpose.{{RCTS-LocosGWR-8 |edition=2nd |pages=H29 }}

The prototype of the new class was built at Swindon Works in May 1919 (Lot 214) and was the last design by Churchward. It was numbered 4700. According to the RCTS monograph, the design was not successful as built because the No. 1 boiler proved to be inadequate for such a large engine.{{cite book| last=Le Fleming| first=H.M.| title=The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part nine: Standard two-cylinder Classes| publisher=RCTS| date=1962| location=Kenilworth| pages=J24-5| isbn=0901115371}} In May 1921, it was therefore rebuilt with a newly designed and larger Swindon No. 7 boiler. However, according to Cook it was built with a Standard No. 1 boiler as the intended design of the larger Standard No. 7 boiler, which was not yet ready.{{cite book |first=K.J. |last=Cook |title=Swindon Steam |publisher=Ian Allan |year=1974 }}{{page needed|date=November 2020}}

Eight further locomotives with the larger No. 7 boilers and detail differences were ordered by Churchward in 1921 (Lot 221), but these only appeared after his retirement. These were numbered 4701 to 4708. Although they were mechanically successful locomotives, their large size severely restricted their route availability and so no more examples were built. Churchward's successor Charles Collett later rebuilt a Saint Class with {{convert|6|ft|0|in|3|abbr=on}} wheels to form the Hall Class which was a far more versatile mixed traffic locomotive.{{harvnb|Le Fleming|1962|p=J25}} Later, Collett would produce the Grange Class which was exactly as the traffic department had originally envisaged: a 4-6-0 with Standard No. 1 boiler and 5 ft 8 in driving wheels.

The class was originally fitted with {{convert|3500|impgal}} tenders but during 1933/4 these were replaced by {{convert|4000|impgal}} tenders.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

{{No sources section|date=August 2024}}

The class were primarily used on fast overnight freight services on the London, Exeter and Plymouth, London-Bristol and London, Birmingham and Wolverhampton routes.

From 1957 onwards, several members of the class were often used on heavy Saturday relief passenger services to the West of England during the summer months, where they gained the Brunswick Green livery, beforehand either being Lined or Unlined black.

Despite their limited use, the Night Owls were exceptional mixed traffic locomotives who proved their worth on the heavier express freight and passenger services.

• On 12 November 1958, locomotive No. 4707 was hauling a freight train when it overran signals and was derailed at Highworth Junction, Swindon, Wiltshire. A newspaper train, hauled by GWR 4073 Class 4-6-0 No. 5009 Shrewsbury Castle, collided with the wreckage.{{cite book |last=Trevena |first=Arthur |title=Trains in Trouble |volume= 1 |year=1980 |publisher=Atlantic Books |location=Redruth |isbn=0-906899-01-X |page=47 }}

File:Swindon Works RCTS Rail Tour geograph-2930072-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg

Withdrawal of the class began in June 1962 with No. 4702, while the last were removed from service in May 1964.{{cite web|url=http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/280_4700det.htm|title= '4700' class details: 4700 - 4708 |last= |first= |date= |website=greatwestern.org.uk |publisher= |access-date=20 September 2024 |quote=}}{{Better source needed|date=September 2024}} As a result of their limited usefulness, the mileages achieved by the class were not exceptional, with No. 4705 recording the greatest at {{convert|1,656,564|mi}}.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

No members of the class were preserved. However, the Great Western Society 4709 Group made the decision to create the next locomotive in the sequence, GWR 4709. Supported via a GWS sub-group; the plan was to build it using a mixture of new parts and others recycled from former Barry scrapyard locomotives:

• GWR 5101 class 2-6-2T 4115 - six of the eight driving wheels and the frame extension.{{cite web| url=http://www.5199.co.uk/Class/class.html| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305140735/http://www.5199.co.uk/Class/class.html| archive-date=March 5, 2012| title=5199 Project| website=The 5199 Project| year=2011| access-date=2011-07-25}}
• GWR 2800 class 2-8-0 2861 - the cylinder block.
• GWR 5205 class 2-8-0T 5227 - the axleboxes, horns and other various components.
• GWR 4073 Class 4-6-0 7027 Thornbury Castle - the boiler.{{Cite web |title=4709 Group buys Thornbury Castle — 4709 – The Ultimate British 2–8–0 |url=https://www.4709.org.uk/4709blog/4709-group-buys-thornbury-castle |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=4709 – The Ultimate British 2–8–0 |date=13 August 2022 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=4709 Group purchases Great Central Railway-based steam locomotive 7027 Thornbury Castle |url=https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/08/4709-group-purchases-great-central-railway-based-steam-locomotive-7027-thornbury-castle.html/ |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=RailAdvent |date=11 August 2022 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=7027 THORNBURY CASTLE {{!}} Didcot Railway Centre |url=https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/519/7027-thonbury-castle |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk}}

The plates for the new frames were cut and machined in 2012.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

In order to fit within the more restrictive modern loading gauge, so that it could operate on the main line, the project has changed the plan to use the 2800 cylinder, and has instead had new cylinders designed and cast.{{cite web| url=https://www.4709.org.uk/4709blog/4709s-first-cylinder-cast-satisfactorily-at-boro-foundry| title=4709's First Cylinder cast satisfactorily at Boro Foundry|website=4709 – The Ultimate British 2–8–0| year=2021| access-date=2021-09-23}}

• List of GWR standard classes with two outside cylinders

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web

|url = http://www.steamindex.com/locotype/gwrloco.htm#47xx

|title = Great Western Locomotive Types, 47xx

|access-date = 2006-01-01

}}

• {{cite web

|url = http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_280.htm

|title = Great Western steam locomotives, '4700' class

|access-date = 2006-01-01

|work = The Great Western Archive

|author = Daniel, John

|year = 2000

}}

• {{cite web

|url=http://timothyplatypus.tripod.com/NottinghamVictoria/locoGWR.html

|title=GWR Locomotive Evolution

|access-date=2006-01-01

|author=Overton, Tim

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040821142507/http://timothyplatypus.tripod.com/NottinghamVictoria/locoGWR.html

|archive-date=21 August 2004

|url-status=bot: unknown

}} _{( (as of 27 April 2006))}

• {{Whitehurst GW Engines from 1940|pages=42, 103, 138}}

• [http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/locos/4709/4709.html 4709 Restoration project]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150101005302/http://www.knowles-cadbury-brown.co.uk/4709/ Great Western Society 47XX Project]

{{GWR Locomotives}}

4700

Category:2-8-0 locomotives

Category:1′D h2 locomotives

Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1919

Category:Scrapped locomotives

Category:Freight locomotives

Category:Standard-gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain