GWR 2884 Class


The Great Western Railway 2884 Class is a class of 2-8-0 steam locomotive.

History

They were designed for heavy freight work and were a development of the earlier 2800 Class. The 2884s differed from the original engines in a number of respects, the most obvious being that a more modern Collett side window cab was provided and that they were built with outside steam pipes.

Production

83 of the 2884 class were built between 1938 and 1941. Those built during the war did not have the side window to the cab, and the side window on the others was plated over. This was to reduce glare, as a precaution against enemy air attacks. The windows were reinstated after the war.
The locomotives were so popular with the ex-Great Western crews that the British Railways Western Region operating authorities wanted more of the class built after nationalisation in 1948; however, this request was turned down in favour of BR Standard Class 9Fs.

Oil firing

Between 1945 and 1947, coal shortages caused GWR to experiment with oil fired 2800 locomotives. Eight of the 2884 class were converted and renumbered from 4850. The experiment, encouraged by the government was abandoned in 1948 once the extra maintenance costs were calculated and the bill had arrived for the imported oil.

1948 Locomotive Exchange Trials

The year 1948 also saw one of the 2884 class, No.3803, emerge remarkably successfully from the 1948 Locomotive Exchange Trials against more modern engines including the LMS 8F and the WD Austerity 2-8-0 and WD Austerity 2-10-0. It took the appearance in 1954 of the British Railways BR standard class 9F 2-10-0 to displace the 2800s from their main role of mineral haulage. Nevertheless, there was still work for them right up to the end of steam on the Western region in 1965. Six decades of service testify to the fundamental excellence of Churchward's original conception.

Withdrawal

YearQuantity in
service at
start of year		Number withdrawnQuantity
withdrawn		Locomotive numbers
196283113827.
19638216172888–89/92/94/97–98,
3803/06/11/31/33/39/43/46/53/58.
19646532492884–87/91/93/96,
3800–01/04–05/09–10/14–15/19/21–22/24–25/28–29/32/34/38/41/45/47/52/56–57/60.
19653234832890/95/99,
3802/07–08/12–13/16–18/20/23/26/30/35–37/40/42/44/48–51/54–55/59/61–66.

Preservation

Nine examples of the 2884, were saved from Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales and four of these engines have operated in preservation.
NumberYear BuiltWithdrawnLocationStatusImageNotes
2885Mar 1938Jan 1964Tyseley Locomotive WorksUndergoing OverhaulFormerly on display at Birmingham Moor Street.
3802Dec 1938Aug 1965Llangollen RailwayOperational, boiler ticket expires: 2027.Currently paired with a 4,000 gallon Collett tender instead of the usual 3,500 gallon Churchward tender. Returned to service following an overhaul in January 2018 and now operational at Llangollen.
3803Jan 1939Jul 1963South Devon RailwayStoredBased at the South Devon Railway.
3814Mar 1940Dec 1964Llangollen RailwayUndergoing RestorationCurrently under restoration to running condition. Moved to Llangollen Railway for restoration to continue.
3822Apr 1940Jan 1964Didcot Railway CentreStatic DisplayAwaiting overhaul after being withdrawn from traffic in 2010. In 1989, 3822 was used in the Music video of the song Breakthru by the band Queen.
3845Apr 1942Jun 1964TBCStoredAt a private site in the West Midlands awaiting restoration.
3850Jun 1942Aug 1965Gloucestershire Warwickshire RailwayUndergoing OverhaulOriginally restored at and operated at the West Somerset Railway, now moved to Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for 10-year overhaul.
3855Oct 1942Aug 1965East Lancashire RailwayUndergoing RestorationBeing restored from ex Barry Scrapyard condition.
3862Nov 1942Feb 1965Northampton & Lamport RailwayUndergoing RestorationBeing restored from ex Barry Scrapyard condition to full running condition.

Models

manufacture a model of the 2884 Class in OO gauge.

Dapol produce a model in N gauge.