GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Lapworth Station: gwrl950

GWR 2-8-2T 72xx class No 7247 is seen entering the station at the head of a short through fast freight train. This locomotive originally started life as 42xx class 2-8-0T No 4244 at Swindon works in February 1916. The 42xx class had been specifically designed for the South Wales Coal trade with their short, but heavy hauls between the pits and the docks. With the decline in the coal traffic there was a desire to redeploy these locomotives, but they had insufficient range. No 4244 was therefore withdrawn in May 1938 and rebuilt with new front ends and larger cylinders (19in), plus a new trailing radial axle and extended bunkerage and water accommodation (Water capacity was increased from 1,800 to 2,700 gallons and coal capacity from 3 to 5 tons). The new 2-8-2T No 7247 re-entered service in September 1938. These locomotives were mainly employed on long distance coal and iron ore traffic, displacing the Aberdare 2-6-0 locomotives. In 1947 No 7247 was allocated to Newport Ebbw shed (NPT) and remained in service until March 1963 when it was withdrawn from Aberdare shed (86J), although it was not cut up until June 1965 by J Cashmore of Newport.

Robert Ferris

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