The Great Western Railway (GWR) 2600 or Aberdare class was a class of 2-6-0 steam locomotive built between 1900 and 1907. They were a freight and light mineral development of the 3300 Bulldog and 4100 Badminton classes, both 4-4-0 locomotives. Therefore, the design was adapted and became a 2-6-0 type; the resulting locomotives were used for hauling coal trains between Aberdare and Swindon.
Numbering The class began in 1900 with a prototype, No. 33, renumbered 2600 in 1912. The rest were numbered 2601–2680 and were built between 1901 and 1907. + Table of orders and numbers Year Quantity Lots No. Serial Nos. Locomotive Nos. Notes 1900 1 128 1886 33 renumbered 2600 in 1912 1901 20 131 1908–1927 2621–2640 1901–02 20 133 1929–1948 2641–2680 1902 20 135 1949–1968 2661–2680 1903 10 123 1796–1805 2611–2620 Lot and serial numbers out of sequence 1906 1 156 2125 2601 1906 9 166 — 2602–2610 Renewal of 2602 Kruger class locomotives
British Railways British Railways (BR) inherited nos. 2612/20/3/43/51/5/6/62/5/7/9/80 in 1948. By 31 August 1948, only four were left: nos. 2620, 2651, 2655, 2667.
Withdrawal
They were withdrawn from 1934 onwards. Five Aberdares (2640, 2648, 2649, 2652 & 2657) withdrawn in early 1939 were not cut up but stored as Second World War reserves. These five reentered service by January 1940. Their withdrawal began again in 1944 until the last member, number 2667, was withdrawn in October 1949. No examples were preserved.
References
External links
2600 'Aberdare' class