STEAM LOCOMOTIVES

First uploaded 17 June 06
Two new entries 18 Aug 07
Entry removed 28 Jan 07
Two entries removed 21 April 08
’Avonside ‘Pontyberem’ added 21 April 08

Page reconstructed 30 July 2009
’Bagnall No19’ added 31 July 09

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Steam locomotives at Blaenavon
The railway is home to three ex-GWR locomotives saved from the famous Barry scrapyard, one from an absorbed company which ran on the GWR as well as a number of ex-industrial locomotives. The first loco illustrated ‘No.19’ from HM Dockyard, Devenport is on hire, and is our resident working steam locomotive. Of the remainder, none are currently in service, and all should be viewed as relatively long-term restoration projects.

	Bagnall ‘HM Dockyard Devenport’ No 19 (added 30 July 2009) Locomotive Details:- Builder: WG Bagnall, Stafford. Built: 1650, works no.2962. Withdrawn: 1969 Wheel Arrangement: 0-4-0ST Driving Wheel Diameter: Boiler Pressure: Tractive Effort: ‘No19’ (for, curiously, that is its proper name – not MH Dockyard Devenport) arrived at Blaenavon on 4 October 2008, on long-term hire from Bodmin and Wenford Railway. This tiny engine looks quite fragile but that belies a prodigious capacity to work heavy trains up our bank. She romps away with trains of two carriages, and is sometimes is pushed into working three – an exciting performance indeed. Not only can this little engine push but it is remarkably sure-footed in the wet weather. As preserved locos go she is, of course, quite modern, with a performance to match, but she has rapidly become a favourite amongst crews and the public alike
	GWR 42xx class, No.4253 Locomotive Details:- Builder: Great Western Railway, Swindon. Built: October 1917, works no.2643. Withdrawn: April 1963. Wheel Arrangement: 2-8-0T Driving Wheel Diameter: 4’ 7½” Boiler Pressure: 200 psi. Tractive Effort: 33,170 lbs. The 42xx tanks were introduced in 1910 especially for the South Wales mineral traffic and they had long and successful careers right up to the time when diesels took over this work . Their design was based on the larger 28xx 2-8-0s. In all, 195 locos were built between 1910 and l 930, while an additional 10 were turned out in l 940 as replacements for those which had been converted to 2-8-2Ts during the depression of the mid-1930s. 4253 spent all of its working life allocated to one shed , namely Newport (Pill). From here it would have worked the short haul heavy coal trains from the pits in the Eastern and Western Valleys to the docks and the steelworks. lt would also have worked the local mixed freight duties. Thus 4523 would have been a frequent visitor to the line from Pontypool through Abersychan to Blaenavon and the collieries there. These tank’s duties were gradually taken over by diesels and so in 1963 loco 4253 made its last journey as a British Railways engine from Newport to Barry. . The loco is one of five privately owned GWR locos which arrived in 1994 and awaits restoration.
	GWR 56xx class, No.5668 Locomotive details:- Builder: Great Western Railway, Swindon. Built: June 1926. Withdrawn: September l964. Wheel Arrangement: 0-6-2T Driving Wheel Diameter: 4' 7 1/2'' Boiler Pressure: 200psi. Tractive Effort: 23,800 lbs. Many of the Welsh railways absorbed by the GWR in 1923 depended on tank engines, particularly of the 0-6-2T wheel arrangement, to cope with their coal and passenger traffic. Therefore C. B. Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer at the grouping, to the best of these designs and modified then to Swindon standards, the first of these engines entering service in December 1924. Eventually totalling 200 locomotives, the class soon because popular because of their power, acceleration and speed capabilities on both passenger and freight work. Following its construction 5668 was first allocated to the Cathays shed in Cardiff where it worked the local passenger and freight services. After just over 20 years there it moved up to the Rhondda valley working services frond there until 1961. It then made its final move to the shed at Barry where it stayed until withdrawn. Following withdrawal it made the short journey to Barry docks where it languished for over 20 years before being removed to Blaenavon. This loco and the other GWR locos at Blaenavon are owned by a company member. This privately owned loco has seen a start made on restoration, and has been professionally asbestos stripped in readiness for a boiler lift.
	GWR 57xx class, No.9629 Locomotive details:- Builder: Great Western Railway, Swindon. Built: 1945. Preserved: 1981. Wheel Arrangement: 0-6-0PT Driving Wheel Diameter: 4' 7 1/2'' Boiler Pressure: 200psi. Tractive Effort: 22,515 lbs Pannier Tank No.9629 is being restored to operate on the railway. The locomotive is owned by the Pontypool & Blaenavon Locomotive Group, which is actively raising money to restore the locomotive. The Group is raising funds by selling £60 shares in the locomotive which can either be purchased outright or paid for in monthly instalments. After rescue from Barry the loco spent many years outside the Holiday Inn latterly the Marriott Hotel in Cardiff, before being donated by Marriott Hotels to the railway. Although it looked complete only a cosmetic restoration was carried out by Steamtown, Carnforth before it was placed outside the hotel. In fact it didn't even have a boiler and most of the other parts such as brake gear and coupling rods were incorrect. The Group has spent the last few years tracking down some of the missing parts and has managed to obtain the following already: Boiler Coupling rods Connecting rods Brake hangers & rods Safety valves Many other parts have been reserved and are being purchased as funds allow. Now that many of the chassis components have now been secured, major restoration commenced in autumn 2001, the time taken to complete the locomotive will largely depend how quickly funds can be raised. So why not become a shareholder in a little bit of Great Western history and help 9629 return to steam in the South Wales. We are also interested in obtaining any photographs of 9629 in service, if you have any information or photographs please contact either of the persons below: If you are interested in becoming a shareholder in 9629 then please contact: Martin Herbert, 1 Fosterville Crescent, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 5HG, e-mail: Martin.Herbert3@btopenworld.com or Mark Vrettos, 7 Hollybush Road, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 4AX, e-mail: mark@mvrettos.freeserve.co.uk
	Barclay 0-4-0ST ‘Harry’ Locomotive details:- Builder: Andrew Barclay & Son, Kilmarnock Built: 1924, works no.1823 Wheel Arrangement: 0-4-0ST Driving Wheel Diameter: 3ft 2ins Boiler Pressure: 160psi nominal, 120psi actual Tractive Effort: 10,300 lbs Weight: 22 tons 5 cwt This little engine started work I 1924 with the Colzium Quarry Co. Ltd. In 1929 it was sold to Yorkshire Tar Distillers of Kilnhurst works, Rotherham, moving to Yorkshire Tar Distillers in Cleckheaton in the 1960s After its spell at Cleckheaton, the locomotive returned to the Rotherham works. It was moved in 1972 to Embsay, and then in 1975 it moved to Crossley's Scrap Merchants, adjacent to Shipley Railway station who reinstated the locomotive to working order. Indeed the name Crossley’s appeared painted on the cab sides until the loco was re-painted recently. In 1984 it moved to the Peak Railway Society, Buxton, and in December 1989 it moved to the Middleton Railway, Leeds. Finally, in 1992 it arrived here at Blaenavon Looking rather splendid in blue, and nicely lined, there are major problems with the boiler, and we have been told that ’Tom Parry’ (see below) is to be the donor of a new boiler. Almost certainly too small for regular passenger trains, perhaps a future in light shunting and short demonstration freights awaits her.
	Barclay 0-4-0ST ‘Tom Parry’ Locomotive details:- Builder: Andrew Barclay & Son, Kilmarnock Built 1935, works no.2015: Preserved: 1970 Wheel Arrangement: 0-4-0ST Driving Wheel Diameter: 3ft 2ins Boiler Pressure: 160psi nominal, 120psi actual Tractive Effort: 10,300 lbs Weight: 22 tons 5 cwt ‘Tom Parry’ is an all-but identical stablemate of ‘Harry’ (above), and first worked for the Allied Portland Cement Manufacturers at Dunstable, Bedfordshire. The loco was put into storage in 1967, and was next recorded at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre at Quainton Road Station in late 1970. It finally arrived at Blaenavon on 3 June 1997. The loco, whose chassis, saddle tanks (far left) and boiler (right) have been parted, is seen in the accompanying illustration. The illustration also shows the palletised remains of the buildings from the up platform of Pontypool (Crane Street) station. These will be re-assembled again, when the railway reaches further down the valley, possibly at Varteg.
	NCB Austerity class 0-6-0ST No.8 Locomotive details- Builder: R. Stephenson & Hawthorn Ltd., Newcastle-on-Tyne. Built: 1944, works no.7139 Wheel Arrangement: 0-6-0ST Wheel diameter: 4’ 3” Boiler Pressure: 170psi. Weight : 48 tons 5 cwt. During the last war the Ministry of Supply ordered a considerable number of 0-6-0 tank locos for military use. They were based on a loco designed by the Hunslet Company. Because of the conditions at that time they became known as ‘Austerity’ engines. This design continued to be manufactured almost to the end of steam locomotive construction. A number were purchased by the LNER and then passed on to British Railways who classified them as J94 locos No.8 was built for the War Department and worked as their No. 75189 on the Longmoor Military Railway. In 1951 it was renumbered to 152 and it acquired the name ‘Rennes'. Before being sold as surplus to requirements to the Hunslet Engine Company in 1961 it spent some time at the Marchwood Depot, near Southampton. It was then sold on to the National Coal Board who used it on their lines in the Mountain Ash area of the Cynon Valley. Steam workings continued there until 1980, following which No.8 as it was then known, was retired. It was stored there for a time before being moved to Blaenavon. At the moment the boiler and saddle tank is at the Severn Railway for repair and the chassis and wheels are also away for refurbishment at the Flour Mill works, but we hope she will be returning to Blaenavon fairly soon.
	Barclay Works 0-6-0ST No. 2074 ‘Llantarnam Abbey’ Locomotive details- Builder: Andrew Barclay & Son, Kilmarnock. Built: 1939, works no.2074 Wheel Arrangement: 0-6-0ST Wheel diameter: 3ft 4 ins Boiler Pressure: n/k Weight : n/k Cylinders: 2 outside, 22 inch stroke, 14 inch diameter This is another loco in kit form, but surrounded by a committed four-man workforce, stands the best chance of being completed in the foreseeable future, despite major problems with the boiler. The view on the left shows the tank, boiler and wheels on the day that they arrived – Monday 6 August – from the Swansea Vale Railway. The second consignment, the frames and cab, arrived a few days later on Thursday 15 August, and is shown below, on the day of its arrival, with its crew (also newly arrived from Swansea) displaying themselves! The cab and running plate are completely new. Llantarnam Abbey was an NCB loco and spent its most recent years working at Mountain Ash colliery – a stablemate of Austerity No.8, above Arrived at Furnace Sidings 6 August 2007
	Avonside 0-6-0ST ‘Pontyberem’ (added 21 April 08) (modified 9 March 2010) Locomotive details- Builder: Avonside Engine Co., Bristol. Built: 1900, works no.1421 Preserved 1970 Wheel Arrangement: 0-6-0ST Wheel diameter: Boiler Pressure: Weight : This loco was built by the Avonside Engine Company in 1900 for work on the Burry Porth and Gwendraeth Valley Railway. She was rescued from the BPGV in 1970, and has spent many years at the Great Western Society in Didcot. Privately owned, and sporting the number 2, she also appears to carry the number No.11 painted on her saddle tank Arrived Furnace Sidings 12 March 2008. Left in parts during 2010, with the wheels and chassis finally going to a works on Barry Docks for repair on 3 March 2010. We hope to see her back in the next two or three years.
	Smith & Rodley self-propelled steam crane, works no. 5640 Locomotive details: Essentially unknown Because this little old fellow is self-propelled, it qualifies as a steam locomotive, though little is known about it. It is believed to have been built in 1905, a spent all its life in a foundry in Swansea. It normally sports a jib and vertical boiler. The jib and rope is stored safely on site, as well as the shafts, bevels and pinions which permit it to drive itself. It is normally fitted with a vertical boiler, and no less than three are expected to arrive soon. Once Llantarnam Abbey is complete restoration will start of this vehicle, which may yet return to steam. In the mean time it is planned to use one of the vertical boiler to provide ‘steam heating’ to the Top Shed Arrived at Furnace Sidings with Llantarnam Abbey (see above) in August 2007

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