The 4073 or Castle Class are 4-6-0 steam locomotives of the Great Western Railway, built between 1923 and 1950. They were designed by the railway's Chief Mechanical Engineer, Charles Collett, for working the company's express passenger trains. They could reach speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h).
Quick Facts Castle class, Type and origin ...
GWR 4073 Castle class |
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A 4073 Class at Didcot Railway Centre in 2023 |
Type and origin |
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Power type | Steam |
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Designer | Charles Collett |
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Builder | GWR / BR Swindon Works |
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Order number | Lots 224, 232, 234, 280, 295, 296, 303, 310, 317, 324, 357, 367, 375 |
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Build date | 1923–1950 |
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Total produced | 171 |
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Specifications |
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Configuration:
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• Whyte | 4-6-0 |
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• UIC | 2′C h4 |
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Gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
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Leading dia. | 3 ft 2 in (0.965 m) |
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Driver dia. | 6 ft 8+1⁄2 in (2.045 m) |
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Minimum curve | 8 chains (530 ft; 160 m) normal, 7 chains (460 ft; 140 m) slow |
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Length | 65 ft 2 in (19.86 m) over buffers |
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Width | 8 ft 11 in (2.718 m) |
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Height | 13 ft 4+1⁄2 in (4.077 m) |
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Axle load | 19 long tons 14 cwt (44,100 lb or 20 t) 22.1 short tons full |
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Adhesive weight | 58 long tons 17 cwt (131,800 lb or 59.8 t) 65.9 short tons full |
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Loco weight | 79 long tons 17 cwt (178,900 lb or 81.1 t) 89.4 short tons full |
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Tender weight | 47 long tons 6 cwt (106,000 lb or 48.1 t) 53.0 short tons full |
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Fuel type | Coal |
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Fuel capacity | - Churchward tender: 7 long tons (7.1 t; 7.8 short tons)
- Collett/Hawksworth tender: 6 long tons (6.1 t; 6.7 short tons)
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Water cap. | Churchward tender: - 3,500 imp gal (16,000 L; 4,200 US gal)
- Collett/Hawksworth tender: 4,000 imp gal (18,000 L; 4,800 US gal)
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Firebox: | |
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• Grate area | 29.36 sq ft (2.728 m2) |
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Boiler | GWR Standard No. 8 |
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Boiler pressure | 225 lbf/in2 (1.55 MPa) |
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Heating surface: | |
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• Firebox | - 162.7 sq ft (15.12 m2) (Collett)
- 163.5 sq ft (15.19 m2) (Hawksworth)
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• Tubes | - 1,857.7 sq ft (172.59 m2) (Collett)
- 1,799.5 sq ft (167.18 m2) (Hawksworth)
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Superheater:
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• Type | - 14-element "Swindon" (Collett)
- 21-element (Hawksworth)
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• Heating area | - 262.6 sq ft (24.40 m2) (Collett)
- 295.0 sq ft (27.41 m2) (Hawksworth)
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Cylinders | Four (two inside, two outside) |
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Cylinder size | 16 in × 26 in (406 mm × 660 mm) |
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Valve gear | - Inside cylinders: Walschaerts
- Outside cylinders: derived from inside cylinders via rocking bars.
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Valve type | Piston valves |
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Career |
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Operators | |
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Power class | |
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Numbers | 4073–4099; 5000–5099; 7000–7037. |
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Axle load class | GWR: Red |
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Locale | Great Western Main Line |
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Withdrawn | May 1950 to December 1965 |
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Disposition | Eight preserved, remainder scrapped |
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