LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Saltley Shed: mrsalt1244

Ex-GWR 57xx class 0-6-0PT No 3607 is seen standing inside Saltley shed's No 3 roundhouse. Built by Swindon works to Lot 1872 in February 1939 No 3607 was to remain in service until October 1966 when it was withdrawn from 2A Tyseley shed. The 57xx class were a class of 0-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotives built between 1929 and 1950. In total 863 were built, making them the second most-produced British class of steam locomotive. The GWR had favoured Pannier Tank locomotives since 1911 when they had started rebuilding saddle tank locomotives built between 1870 and 1905 into this style. By 1929 these older locomotives were in need of replacement. The first 57xx locomotives were almost identical in appearance to several of the older converted locomotives (e.g. classes 645, 1701, 1854, 2721) and had round spectacles (windows) in the cab front. However those of the class built after 1933 (from No 8750 onwards) had rectangular spectacles and a slightly different cab profile which was virtually identical to the style introduced by Collett with the 54xx Class in 1931. Whilst they can be viewed as a simple update of the 2721 Class, the Collett improvements were worthwhile and the class became as synonymous with the GWR as Castles and Kings, lasting until the end of steam on the Western Region of British Railways. The size of the class demanded that the 5700 class locomotives were spread across several series of numbers: No 3600 to No 3699, No 3700 to No 3799, No 4600 to No 4699, No 5700 to No 5799, No 6700 to No 6779, No 7700 to No 7799, No 8700 to No 8799, No 9600 to No 9682 and No 9701 to No 9799.

back