The Great Western Railway (GWR) 2884 Class is a class of 2-8-0 steam locomotive. They were Collett's development of Churchward's earlier 2800 Class and are sometimes regarded as belonging to that class.

History The 2884s were designed for heavy freight work and differed from the original Class 2800 engines (Nos. 2800–2883) in a number of respects, the most obvious being that a more modern Collett side window cab was provided and that they were built with outside steam pipes.

Production 83 of the 2884 class were built between 1938 and 1941. Those built during the Second World War did not have the side window to the cab, and the side window on the others was plated over. This was to reduce glare, as a precaution against enemy air attacks. The windows were reinstated after the war.

+ Table of orders and numbers Year Quantity Lot No. Locomotive numbers Notes 1938–39 20 321 2884–2899, 3800–3803 1939–40 20 328 3804–3823 1940–41 10 334 3824–3833 1941–42 10 341 3834–3843 1942 23 346 3844–3866

The locomotives were so popular with the ex-Great Western crews that the British Railways Western Region operating authorities wanted more of the class built after nationalisation in 1948; however, this request was turned down in favour of BR Standard Class 9Fs.

Oil firing

Between 1945 and 1947, coal shortages caused GWR to experiment with oil fired 2800 locomotives. Eight of the 2884 class were converted and renumbered from 4850. The experiment, encouraged by the government was abandoned in 1948 once the extra maintenance costs were calculated and the bill had arrived for the imported oil.

1948 Locomotive Exchange Trials The year 1948 also saw one of the 2884 class, No.3803 (now preserved), emerge remarkably successfully from the 1948 Locomotive Exchange Trials against more modern engines including the LMS Stanier Class 8F and the WD Austerity 2-8-0 and WD Austerity 2-10-0. It took the appearance in 1954 of the British Railways BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 to displace the 2800s from their main role of mineral haulage. Nevertheless, there was still work for them right up to the end of steam on the Western region in 1965. Six decades of service testify to the fundamental excellence of Churchward's original conception.

Withdrawal

+ Table of withdrawals Year Quantity inservice atstart of year Quantitywithdrawn Cumulativequantitywithdrawn Locomotive numbers 1962 83 1 1 3827. 1963 82 16 17 2888–89/92/94/97–98,3803/06/11/31/33/39/43/46/53/58. 1964 66 32 49 2884–87/91/93/96,3800–01/04–05/09–10/14–15/19/21–22/24–25/28–29/32/34/38/41/45/47/52/56–57/60. 1965 34 34 83 2890/95/99,3802/07–08/12–13/16–18/20/23/26/30/35–37/40/42/44/48–51/54–55/59/61–66.

Preservation Nine examples of the 2884 class, were saved from Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales and four of these engines have operated in preservation.

NumberYear BuiltWithdrawnLocationStatusImageNotes2885Mar 1938Jan 1964Tyseley Locomotive WorksUndergoing restoration On static display at Birmingham Moor Street station between 2003 and 2013.3802Dec 1938Aug 1965Llangollen RailwayOperational, boiler ticket expires: 2027.Currently paired with a 4,000 gallon Collett tender instead of the usual 3,500 gallon Churchward tender. Returned to service following an overhaul in January 2018 and now operational at Llangollen.3803Jan 1939Jul 1963Dartmouth Steam RailwayUndergoing OverhaulPreviously based at the South Devon Railway, but now sold to the Dartmouth Steam Railway.3814Mar 1940Dec 1964Northern Steam Engineering Limited, Stockton-on-TeesUndergoing restorationUnder restoration to running condition (). Previously at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (1986–2014) and Llangollen Railway (2016–2018), then moved to its current location in 2018.3822Apr 1940Jan 1964Didcot Railway CentreStatic displayAwaiting overhaul after being withdrawn from traffic in 2010. In 1989, 3822 was used in the Music video of the song Breakthru by the band Queen.3845Apr 1942Jun 1964Private site near EveshamStored awaiting restoration Owned by Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd.3850Jun 1942Aug 1965Gloucestershire Warwickshire RailwayOperational, boiler ticket expires: 2034Originally restored at and operated at the West Somerset Railway, now moved to Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. Returned to service following an overhaul in August 20243855Oct 1942Aug 1965East Lancashire RailwayUndergoing restoration Being restored from ex Barry scrapyard condition.3862Nov 1942Feb 1965Private siteUnknown Under restoration at the Northampton and Lamport Railway until moving away in 2024.

Models Hornby Railways manufacture a model of the 2884 Class in OO gauge.

In 2013, Dapol introduced a British N gauge model of locomotive 2892 in GWR green livery.

See also List of GWR standard classes with two outside cylinders

References

External links

The Story of the GWR 28XX 2-8-0s No. 3862 under restoration at Northampton and Lamport Railway Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd