Wills GWR 1854/1701 class

[Obadiah]

Now I realise this is quite a long shot, but here goes. I have just overhauled an old Wills GWR ‘1854/1701’ class pannier tank. I have found that ‘1854/1701’ class No. 907 with both a half cab and Wolverhampton bunker survived in British Railways ownership to at least 1950 and perhaps a little beyond. It was apparently allocated to 81E Didcot in 1948 and was still there in 1950. So far so good, and the thought of a three digit GWR number plate rather appeals, but can anyone out there confirm what livery or liveries and lettering she carried post 1948, and what duties she might have performed whilst at Didcot, one presumes they must have been quite specific for such an ancient machine to be allocated there for a modestly extended period.

 

Another half cab specimen No.905 also survived into BR days, but only just, and I suspect this might have been merely for accounting purposes.

 

Many thanks in anticipation.

 

 

[Donw]

I cannot confirm any details but I would be surprised if it received BR livery so near to scrapping. I would therefore either expect it to be in well weathered GWR livery. If it recieved a repaint during the war ( during a major service perhaps) it would probably be unlined green or black depending on what paint was available. After the war there was a lot of locos to repaint and I can't believe it was high on the list.

Somelocos retained GWR livery for a good few years after 1948.

Donw

[bizerba]

Now I realise this is quite a long shot, but here goes. I have just overhauled an old Wills GWR ‘1854/1701’ class pannier tank. I have found that ‘1854/1701’ class No. 907 with both a half cab and Wolverhampton bunker survived in British Railways ownership to at least 1950 and perhaps a little beyond. It was apparently allocated to 81E Didcot in 1948 and was still there in 1950. So far so good, and the thought of a three digit GWR number plate rather appeals, but can anyone out there confirm what livery or liveries and lettering she carried post 1948, and what duties she might have performed whilst at Didcot, one presumes they must have been quite specific for such an ancient machine to be allocated there for a modestly extended period.

 

Another half cab specimen No.905 also survived into BR days, but only just, and I suspect this might have been merely for accounting purposes.

 

Many thanks in anticipation.

I can quote some details from the RCTS book part 5. 907 & 1861 were fitted with spark arresting chimneys during WW2 and upper lamp iron on the smokebox door. 907 was not a half cab and was fitted with auto train control. 23 locos passed inti BR stock and would have been painted unlined black. 1760 received the "W" suffix to the number and none received smokebox numberplates.

Regards bizerba