Compact but powerful, the Great Western Railway 54XX Class was a modern small tank built for hauling autotrains across the GWR system.

Once exploring the working careers of these engines, we will then follow their demise.

GWR 54XX Class

For branch line and small trains on the GWR, the Autotrain was developed in the late 1920s. For operating these types of trains, an Autocoach and an engine fitted with Push-Pull apparatus was needed.

One end of the autocoach was fitted with a cab, where the driver could control the train coach first. Therefore, there was no need for the locomotive to run around its train, saving time and also allowing branch lines to use simpler infrastructures. With the introduction of the autocoaches, suitable engines were produced to haul these trains.

The 54XXs class was one of the locomotive types built with push-pull equipment to be paired with the autocoaches. Essentially, the class was based on the 2021 class, with improvements and tailored to present needs.

This included fully-enclosed cab and larger coupled wheels for passenger traffic. The prototype for the new class was, in fact, a rebuild of 2021.

The basic dimensions for the class, as built, include: 0-6-0 wheel arrangement (coupled wheels – 5 foot (ft) 2 (in)), Swindon No.11 boiler pressed at 165 lbf/in2, two cylinders (inside) (16 1/2in diameter and 24in stroke), total weight came in at 46 long tons and tractive effort of 14,780 lbf.

Performance in Service

The class spent many years hauling trains out of Paddington on the suburban routes. For these trains, they were ideal, and on the whole, the class was successful. They could also be found at deports further West, such as Banbury and Oswestry.

Decline and Withdrawal

Only two years after being rebuilt into a 54XX, the prototype engine 5400 was withdrawn, scrapped and replaced with a new locomotive of the same number. Production stopped at 25 engines, with the formation of the 64XX class.

Withdrawal started early on, in 1956 with greater numbers of Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) and Railcars entering service. The last member of was removed from service in 1963, the last time a member of the class would run.

Preservation

Although no 54XXs survived the scrap yards, three of the similar 64XXs were saved and all restored can be seen running on the heritage railway circuit.

We hope you have enjoyed this week’s Lost Class article. Stay tuned for next week’s Class Information, on a Southern Railway or Pre-Grouping class.

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