GWR 5600 Class

Great Western Railway 5600 class[1]
6685 at Aberbeeg locomotive depot in April 1951.
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Charles B. Collett Builder GWR Swindon Works (150) Armstrong Whitworth (50) Order number 228, 235, 244, 252, 255 Serial number AW: 938–987 Build date 1924–1928 Total produced 200
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-2T  • UIC C1′ h2t Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 4 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1.410 m) Trailing dia. 3 ft 8 in (1.118 m) Loco weight 5600: 68 long tons 12 cwt (153,700 lb or 69.7 t) 6600: 69 long tons 7 cwt (155,300 lb or 70.5 t) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 3.75 long tons (3.81 t; 4.20 short tons) Water cap. 1,900 imp gal (8,600 L; 2,300 US gal) Boiler GWR Standard No. 2[2] Boiler pressure 200 psi (1.38 MPa) Superheater Yes Cylinders Two, inside Cylinder size 18 in × 26 in (457 mm × 660 mm) Valve gear Stephenson's Valve type piston valves
Performance figures Tractive effort 25,800 lbf (115 kN)
Career Operators Great Western Railway; British Railways Class 5600 Power class GWR: D BR: 5MT Numbers 5600–5699, 6600–6699 Axle load class Red Withdrawn 1962–1966 Disposition 9 preserved, remainder scrapped

The GWR 5600 Class is a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive built between 1924 and 1928. They were designed by Charles Collett for the Great Western Railway (GWR), and were introduced into traffic in 1924. After the 1923 grouping, Swindon inherited a large and variable collection of locomotives from historic Welsh railway companies, which did not fit into their standardisation programme. GWR boiler inspectors arrived en masse and either condemned the original locomotives or had them rebuilt. The systematic destruction of many examples of locomotives, most still in serviceable condition, followed, but various were worked alongside 5600 Class.

Two hundred GWR 5600 Class replacement locomotives were built and remained in service until withdrawn by British Railways between 1962 and 1965. Nine of the class have survived into preservation.