I should really be slinging this in the 'Single Liner's' thread, but what can I say... I have a soft spot for the WSR... The WSR's Locomotive 9351 is an interestingly unique locomotive. It started life as a tank engine, a Churchward and Collett 5101 2-6-2T, number 5193, built in 1934. It looked like this one: It was withdrawn from service in 1962 and ended up in Barry scrapyard, then bought out of the scrapyard again in 1979. It spent time at the Southport Railway Museum and the Ribble Steam Railway before finally being bought by the WSR at the end of 1998. At this point the loco was not operating, and needed a lot of work done. A detailed inspection showed the side tanks, coal bunker and rear frame were heavily corroded to the point where they had to be completely replaced. What happened next is what gives this loco it's uniqueness. Instead of replacing the corroded parts and restoring the loco to it's original form, it was decided to convert it to a 2-6-0 tender locomotive. They discarded the side tanks, cut away the coal bunker and the rear of the cab, built a new cab and hired a tender. The work was less than what it would have been to restore it, and after just 4 years it returned to service in it's current, unique form. Today, the locomotive is undergoing an overhaul following the expiry of it's boiler certificate but is expected to return to service in the Autumn of this year. Power Classification: 4MT Boiler pressure: 200psi superheated Cylinders: Outside 18in x 30in Driving wheels: 5ft 8in Tractive effort: 24,300lbf
I'd rather see authentic GWR locomotives. This one was rebuilt in the early 2000s in an entirely new form. The original 43xx series had a larger boiler - this is essentially a modern design.
I would love to see the GWR 4-6-0 no 7828 Odney Manor as it's based on the WSR GWR 4 6 0 no 7828 Odney Manor - YouTube
