GWR 5600 Class

The GWR 5600 Class is a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive built between 1924 and 1928. They were designed by Charles Collett for the Great Western Railway (GWR), and were introduced into traffic in 1924. After the 1923 grouping, Swindon inherited a large and varied collection of locomotives from historic Welsh railway companies, which did not fit into their standardisation programme. GWR boiler inspectors arrived en masse and either condemned the original locomotives or had them rebuilt. The systematic destruction of many examples of locomotives, most still in serviceable condition, followed, but others continued in service alongside the 5600s. Two hundred GWR 5600 Class locomotives were built and remained in service until withdrawn by British Railways between 1962 and 1965. Nine of the class have survived into preservation. The railways of South Wales had long made use of the 0-6-2T type. This was because the work they undertook required high adhesive weight, high tractive effort with good braking ability, but no need for outright speed or high coal and water capacitiy as the distances from pit to port were short. The 0-6-2 configuration was found necessary to handle the sharp curves common in the area.