8274
article by: Ian Crowder
1940: LMS 8F class 2-8-0 no. 8274
Appearing as Swindon-built example no. 8476
Courtesy of Churchill 8F Locomotive Group
One of the more intriguing appearances at GWR175 will be an
LMS-designed 8F class 2-8-0. The engine in question is no.
8274 (ex Turkish Railways 45160) fresh from a 20-year overhaul and
for the event, will adopt the identity of no. 8476, one of 80
members of the class built by the Great Western Railway at
Swindon.
The LMS 8F class 2-8-0 was introduced in 1935 and was
essentially a heavy-freight version of William Stanier's very
successful two-cylinder mixed-traffic class 5 (the 'Black 5'),
which had been introduced the year before. The 8F was just as
successful and was certainly the most advanced and practical
freight engine in the UK and, with outside Walschaerts valve gear,
was easy to maintain. As a consequence, with the advent of
the Second World War the design was adopted as the UK's standard
freight locomotive. In all, 852 were eventually built, over
200 of which were ordered by the War Department who also
requisitioned a further 50 or so to help with the war effort.
Subsequent military locomotive orders were fulfilled with the
purpose-designed Riddles WD 2-8-0 and 2-10-0 types. Large
numbers of 8Fs saw service overseas, many going on after the war to
be purchased by railway networks in Europe and the Middle East,
never returning to the UK.
The 8Fs were not just built by the LMS. To meet wartime
demand, large numbers were built by the Beyer, Peacock and the
North British Locomotive Company (for the WD); others by the
Southern, London & North Eastern and Great Western railways
(for the Railway Executive Committee). Aspects of the design
must have been familiar to Swindon works staff who built 80 of them
between 1943 and 1945 because the locomotive's designer, (Sir)
William Stanier, had been Assistant to G J Churchward and went on
to further develop many of Churchward's principles in his own
locomotive designs. The Swindon built locomotives were given
LMS numbers 8400 to 8479 but were allocated to GWR depots
throughout the system. Small GWR features were evident on
these engines, too - for example, the works plate was stamped GWR;
the locomotive number was painted on the buffer beam instead of the
LMS-style smokebox door number plate while GWR-pattern lamp irons
were also fitted. Some may also have been equipped with the
GWR Automatic Train Control system. After nationalisation,
the Western Region wanted to build more Collett 2885 class 2-8-0s
(also of power classification 8F) but instead were invited to
retain the GWR-built 8Fs, which they accepted, along with a number
of the new BR 9F class 2-10-0s (also built at Swindon). The
8Fs therefore remained on the Western Region until the end of WR
steam in 1965. After that, several at last found their
way to the former LMS to see out their days in the North West of
England. In fact, one of the last 8Fs to remain in British
Railways ownership was a GWR example - no. 8476 (BR no. 48476),
which was withdrawn on 10th August 1968. During GWR175,
no. 8274 will adopt the identity of this engine and will appear in
black LMS livery, carrying the number 8476 on the cab side and
buffer beam; and with GWR builder's plate - commemorating an
important, although little recognised, aspect of locomotive
construction at Swindon.
No. 8274 itself, however, led a colourful existence. It
was built by the North British Locomotive Co in Glasgow to the
order of the War Department, but was allocated its LMS
number. It is though to have worked for a few weeks in the UK
before being shipped to France to assist with supplies movement for
the British Expeditionary Forces. Many of these locomotives
were subsequently sold to railway networks in Italy, Palestine
(later Israel), Iraq, Iran, Egypt and Turkey. No. 8274 was
one of 20 shipped to Turkey (others were aboard two ships that were
sunk) and became TCDD 45151 class no. 45160 and equipped with local
refinements such as a robust cow-catcher and air compressor and
reservoirs. 8274 was repatriated in 1989 and steamed on the
Swanage Railway that year, before being stopped for an overhaul
that has lasted over 20 years. The engine moved to Toddington
where overhaul continued, the boiler being steam tested in October
2009 and replaced in the frames in January this year. Work is
now nearing completion within the David Page shed. Following
GWR175, the locomotive will adopt its Turkish identity once again
and it is planned to celebrate the locomotive's re-commissioning in
the presence of the Turkish Ambassador.