GWR 3700 Class

Last updated

3700 "City" class
GWR 3700 - GWR 3710.jpg
No. 3433, City of Bath
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Designer George Jackson Churchward
BuilderGWR Swindon Works
Order numberLot 141
Serial number1993–2002
Build date1903
Total produced10 new + 10 rebuilt from Atbara class
RebuilderSwindon Works
Rebuild date1902–1909
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  Whyte 4-4-0
 •  UIC 2′B n2, later 2′B h2
Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia. 3 ft 2 in (0.965 m)
Driver dia.6 ft 8+1⁄2 in (2.045 m)
Wheelbase 8 ft 1⁄2 in (2.451 m)
Loco weight55 long tons 6 cwt (123,900 lb or 56.2 t)
Total weight92 long tons 1 cwt (206,200 lb or 93.5 t)
Fuel type Coal
Fuel capacity5 tons
Water cap.3,600 imp gal (16,000 L; 4,300 US gal)
BoilerGWR Standard No. 4
Cylinders Two, inside
Cylinder size 18 in × 26 in (457 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gear Stephenson valve gear
Valve type Slide valves
Loco brake Steam
Train brakes Vacuum
Performance figures
Maximum speed100 mph (160 km/h)
Tractive effort 17,800 lbf (79.2 kN)
Factor of adh. 8.50
Career
Operators GWR
Class 3700
Power class GWR: A
Number in class20
Numbers
  • (until 1912) 3400–3409, 3433–3442
  • (from 1912) 3700–3719
Official nameCity Class
Axle load class GWR: Blue
WithdrawnOctober 1927 - May 1931
DispositionOne preserved, remainder scrapped

The Great Western Railway 3700 Class, or City Class, locomotives were a series of twenty 4-4-0 steam locomotives, designed for hauling express passenger trains.

Contents

Construction

In September 1902 a member of the Atbara Class, no. 3405 Mauritius, was reboilered with a tapered domeless boiler and Belpaire firebox. The locomotive was the first GWR 4-4-0 to be fitted with a tapered boiler; the boiler became the prototype for Churchward's Standard No. 4 boiler. [1] In March 1903 the first of the City Class, no. 3433 City of Bath, was completed. [2] It was fitted with the final form of the Standard No.4 boiler, with slightly curved sides and a tapered top to the firebox. Another nine locomotives were completed in May 1903. [2] Between February 1907 and December 1908, nine Atbaras were rebuilt with this boiler and incorporated into the City Class. [3] All members of the class were withdrawn between October 1927 and May 1931. [3] [4]

Details

Locomotives rebuilt from Atbara Class
First NoSecond NoNameBuiltRebuiltWithdrawnNotes
34003700 Durban Aug 1901Apr 1907Nov 1929
34013701 Gibraltar Aug 1901Feb 1907Aug 1928
34023702 Halifax Aug 1901Dec 1908Apr 1929
34033703 Hobart Sep 1901Feb 1909Aug 1929
34043704 Lyttleton Sep 1901Oct 1907Sep 1928Renamed Lyttelton in June 1920
34053705 Mauritius Sep 1901Sep 1902Sep 1928
34063706 Melbourne Sep 1901Jan 1908Jun 1929
34073707 Malta Sep 1901Nov 1908Apr 1929
34083708 Ophir Oct 1901May 1907Oct 1929Renamed Killarney in September 1907
34093709 Quebec Oct 1901Nov 1907Sep 1929
Locomotives built new as City Class [notes 1] [5]
First NoSecond NoNameBuiltWithdrawnNotes
34333710 City of Bath Mar 1903Sep 1928
34343711 City of Birmingham May 1903Jul 1930
34353712 City of Bristol May 1903May 1931Last to be withdrawn
34363713 City of Chester May 1903Dec 1929
34373714 City of Gloucester May 1903Nov 1929
34383715 City of Hereford May 1903Oct 1929
34393716 City of London May 1903Apr 1929
3440 3717 City of Truro May 1903Mar 1931 Preserved
34413718 City of Winchester May 1903Oct 1927First to be withdrawn
34423719 City of Worcester May 1903Apr 1929Renamed City of Exeter

Modifications

Superheating of the boiler was first applied to no. 3702, Halifax in June 1910. All of the class had been fitted with superheaters by 1912. [6] Boiler feed was originally by clack valves fitted to the underside of the barrel. [7] Top feed was introduced in 1912 and new cast iron chimneys in 1921. The slide valves were replaced by 8 in (20.3 cm) semi-plug piston valves from 1914. [6] All the engines were fitted with steam reversing gear but only a few, including no. 3716 City of London, had the gear replaced by the screw reverse. The Dean suspension bogie was replaced by a bogie developed from the type used on the de Glehn Atlantics. [8] Four retained the Dean bogies until withdrawal.[ citation needed ]

Accidents and incidents

City of Truro

"City of Truro" nameplate and worksplate recording the loco was the 2000th to be built at Swindon in April 1903. Plymouth North Road December 2004 3440 City of Truro nameplate.jpg
"City of Truro" nameplate and worksplate recording the loco was the 2000th to be built at Swindon in April 1903. Plymouth North Road December 2004

The most famous locomotive in the class, 3440 City of Truro (later renumbered 3717), is reputedly the first steam locomotive to travel in excess of 100 mph, on 9 May 1904. [10] [notes 2] It was the 2000th locomotive to be built at Swindon, leaving the works in April 1903. [11]

Withdrawal

Withdrawal of the class began in 1927 with 3718 City of Winchester which was withdrawn in October 1927, the engines working life being only just over 24 years. Regular withdrawal of the class began in August of the following year and by July 1930 only two engines were left in service on the GWR, these being 3712 City of Bristol and 3717 City of Truro. 3717 was the first of the final two engines to be withdrawn as it was withdrawn in March 1931 & 3712 followed two months later in May of the same year.

Only one member of the class has survived into preservation, this being 3440/3717 City of Truro.

Table of withdrawals
YearQuantity in
service at
start of year		Number withdrawnQuantity
withdrawn		Locomotive numbers
192720113718
192819453701/04/05/10
19291512173700/02–03/06–09/13–16/19
193031183711
193122203712/17

Preservation

Historically significant because of its famed 1904 run, City of Truro was a prime candidate for preservation, whereas the rest of the class were scrapped. It is owned by the National Railway Museum, York. It was last restored to full working order in 2004 and, as of 2009, was frequently loaned for operation on UK main lines and heritage railways. As of 2021, 'City of Truro' is on static display.

List of Locomotives

This class were subject to the 1912 renumbering of GWR 4-4-0 locomotives, which saw the Bulldog class gathered together in the series 3300–3455, and other types renumbered out of that series. The City Class took numbers 3700–3719, previously used by Bulldog locomotives. [12]

NumbersName
FirstSecond (1912)FirstSecond
34003700 Durban
34013701 Gibraltar
34023702 Halifax
34033703 Hobart
34043704 Lyttelton
34053705 Mauritius
34063706 Melbourne
34073707 Malta
34083708 Ophir Killarney
34093709 Quebec
34333710 City of Bath
34343711 City of Birmingham
34353712 City of Bristol
34363713 City of Chester
34373714 City of Gloucester
34383715 City of Hereford
34393716 City of London
3440 3717 City of Truro
34413718 City of Winchester
34423719 City of Worcester City of Exeter

Models

Bachmann Branchline manufacture a model of City of Truro in OO gauge for sale through the National Railway Museum. In December 2014 Bachmann Branchline launched a commemorative World War I Ambulance Train pack. The train pack contains a model of 3711 City of Birmingham in World War I khaki livery, three Midland coaches in crimson lake and six World War I figures.

In the early 1960s there was a Kitmaster OO scale (1:76) plastic construction kit to build a model of 3440 City of Truro, which was later produced by Airfix and now DAPOL.

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References

Notes
  1. ↑ All built on Lot 141, serial numbers 1993 to 2002
  2. ↑ A US record was twice claimed, although not officially timed, for the inaugural run of the Empire State Express in 1893. A speed of 102 mph, then 112 on the next day, timed as 35 and 32 seconds across a mile, was claimed.
  1. ↑ Nock 1977 , p. 58
  2. 1 2 Nock 1977 , p. 59
  3. 1 2 Nock 1978 , p. 89
  4. ↑ Casserley 1966 , p. 50
  5. ↑ Allcock et al. (1968), p. 29.
  6. 1 2 Nock 1978 , p. 35
  7. ↑ Nock 1978 , p. 37
  8. ↑ Nock 1977 , p. 81
  9. ↑ Hoole, Ken (1983). Trains in Trouble: Vol. 4. Truro: Atlantic Books. p. 17. ISBN   0-906899-07-9.
  10. ↑ Nock 1978 , p. 73
  11. ↑ Fox 1993 , p. 9
  12. ↑ Nock 1978 , p. 39
Bibliography
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