Collett 7200 class 2-8-2T

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 7200 Class is a class of 2-8-2T steam locomotive. They were the only 2-8-2Ts built and used by a British railway, and the largest tank engines to run on the Great Western Railway

Originally the 4200 class and 5205 class 2-8-0T were introduced for short-haul Welsh coal traffic, but the Stock Market Crash of 1929 saw coal traffic dramatically fall. Built specifically for the short runs of heavy trains in the South Wales Coalfield, Charles Collett took the agreed decision to rebuild some of them with an extended coal carrying capacity by adding 4 feet (1.22 m) to the frames, requiring the addition of a trailing wheel set, making them 2-8-2T.

With the work carried out at Swindon Works, the first to be converted was 5275 (lot 266), which returned to traffic numbered 7200 in August 1934. An official photograph of the prototype was taken on 27 July 1934 at the usual site outside 'A Shop' for engine pictures. Nos. 5276–94 were similarly rebuilt between August and November 1934, becoming 7201–19, and nos. 7220–39 were rebuilt from 5255–74 between August 1935 and February 1936; with both batches, the rebuilding was not in numerical order, but the new numbers were in the same sequence as the old. Nos. 7240–53, rebuilt August 1937–December 1939, were selected at random from locomotives numbered in the 4200 series

The final batch of the class were later fitted with newly developed 'Coal Scuttle' bunkers. These bunkers consisted of a higher rivet line increasing the water capacity up to a total of 2,700 gallons allowing the locos to travel longer distances. The bunker was also designed to facilitate the movement of the coal towards the hatch in the cab, however ‘scuttle bunkers’ would only carry 5 tonnes of coal instead of 6. No.7200 is the only surviving loco of the class to carry one of these unique bunkers.

The 54 rebuilt locos found work in most parts of the GWR system, where their great weight 92 long tons 12 cwt (207,400 lb or 94.1 t) was allowed, although the rebuilt chassis length did get them banned from certain goods yards. Many found work in the home counties, deployed on iron ore and stone trains from Banbury


Collection of 43 photos starting with 7201


7201 unknown location


https://railway-photography.smugmug...k-engine-designs/Collett-7200-class/i-J4DXz4D



to 7216



https://railway-photography.smugmug...k-engine-designs/Collett-7200-class/i-34ZDXFZ



to 7219



https://railway-photography.smugmug...k-engine-designs/Collett-7200-class/i-KphF6Fw



to 7239



https://railway-photography.smugmug...k-engine-designs/Collett-7200-class/i-sx3Pg6G



to 7250



https://railway-photography.smugmug...k-engine-designs/Collett-7200-class/i-ZPDp2Rm



Neil

 

Hi Neil.

A few nice oddities in that selection, like Aberbeeg away from the station area.

9/43 7205 I think this is Wilton West, my reasoning being most other signal boxes surviving along that line had level crossings and the Southern upper quadrant signal is explained by the line from Salisbury to Warminster being managed by the Southern Region from the early 1950's.
30 &31/43 7231 Kemble with the Cirencester bay to the right.

Cheers, Neil

 

Some of the 7200 class had bunkers or front end extension frames replaced over the years, so you might find one of the 7200-39 series with the "coal scuttle" type bunker, identifiable not only by the higher rivet line but also the deeper extension to the bunker top. Preserved 7200 was so altered, perhaps following collision damage to the bunker or corrosion. Photographs show that at least nos. 7201/10/22/31/35/39 were also altered. No. 7228, one of the second batch which retained the straight framing over the cylinders, received a new front-end extension with the raised framing at some stage (as did 2-8-0T 4253, now preserved, and probably others). (4253 apparently also has 19" cylinders!) The 7200s mostly ran without the fender above the bunker recess used to house the rear lamp, but a few had them, including 7200 as preserved. The moral seems to be that anyone modelling this class should study photographs of their chosen subject on the required date.

 

26/43, described as 7230, is in fact 7250. It has the larger bunker with high rivet line and also the raised framing over the cylinders as applied to 7200-19 and 7240-53 (but see my comments above!)

 

One is shown on an ECS working. Were they ever used on passenger trains?

 

Only on rare occasions to rescue a passenger loco. The 4200s were occasionally used on a passenger to Barry Island or Porthcawl, and even weston-super-Mare!

 

30/43 - Isn't that Kemble station, with the Cirencester branch going off to the right ?

Woops, sorry "Romsey", I see you had already spotted it. Interesting junction in its day. Would be fun for a modeller to do.
Mike