GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Wood End Platform: gwrwe2850

GWR 2-6-0 26xx class No 2625, a member of the Aberdare class, approaches Wood End on a goods train bound for Birmingham. Eighty members of the class were built between 1900 and 1907. They were designed as a freight version of the 33xx and 4120 classes for hauling coal trains between Aberdare and Swindon, hence the name. The first members of the class were allocated the running numbers' No 2621 to No 2640 followed by No 2641 to No 2660 (the first twenty numbers in the series commencing 2601 were not used immediately as the 'Krugers' occupied these numbers). The first two sets of orders were also fitted with the Standard No 2 parallel boiler whereas the next third set, No 2661 to No 2680, were given the Standard No 4 taper boiler (except for No 2661 which initially was fitted with a Standard No 4 parallel boiler). The final two orders, No 2611 to No 2620 and No 2601 to No 2610 (which replaced the numbers used by the 'Krugers') were also fitted with the No 4 taper boiler.

The achilles heel of the class was the steam reversing gear which, although very easy to work, had a tendency to drift so that a continual watch had to kept on its setting. Scrapping began in 1934 as some of the class were replaced by 2-8-2T's and other gradual withdrawals continued until 1938. Five locomotives which were withdrawn in early 1939, Nos 2640, 2648, 2649, 2652 and 2657, were not cut up but stored as a war reserves and these five were reinstated into service by January 1940. Withdrawals began again in 1944 until the last member, No 2667, was withdrawn in October 1949.

Photographer Henry L Salmon

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