GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Bentley Heath Crossing: gwrbh1620

Great Western Railway 0-6-0 '388' class or ‘Armstrong Goods’ No 397 at Bentley Heath with a ‘class J’ three lamp headcode (indicating a through goods or mineral train) circa 1910. No 397 was built at Swindon Works in December 1866 as part of the 9th standard gauge goods locomotive lot. This lot was the first of a numerous class, which continued to be built until 1876 and eventually totalled 310 locomotives. This construction at the Great Western Railway's Swindon Works marked the end of the use of outside locomotive contractors until the three French compound 4-4-2 locomotives were purchased in 1903-5. The Armstrong Goods class were outside framed locomotives with spring lever hangers above the deck and five foot coupled wheels. The inside cylinders were 17 inch diameter with a 24 inch stroke. The locomotives were originally fitted with a parallel boiler, the domes of which were painted. When the Great Western Railway engine map was introduced the Armstrong Goods class was given a group A power classification. Initially the leading and driving axle weights exceeded 14 tons, which meant Yellow route availability, but later arrangements reduced these axle weights and they were allowed to work on all lines (uncoloured routes).

As built several different boiler designs were fitted, but these were rationalised to the standard No 6 boiler (class O) which was 11 foot long. No 397 always had a parallel boiler. In April 1991 the locomotive was fitted with a reconditioned Wolverhampton variant (W3) boiler and this had a large brass dome centrally positioned. No 397's appearance changed again in March 1907 when a S2c boiler was fitted with the dome located closer to the chimney. In November 1909 a S4 boiler was fitted and this had the dome positioned closer to the firebox. The photograph shows the locomotive in this form. No superheating or top-feed arrangements were ever fitted. No 397 was withdrawn in December 1919. The role of the Armstrong Goods class had been superseded by the introduction of the more powerful 2-6-0 mixed traffic locomotives and by January 1921, this once numerous class was reduced to 115 locomotives.

Robert Ferris

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