GWR 2600 Class

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.

GWR 2600 'Aberdare' Class
No. 33 in 1900
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer William Dean Builder GWR Swindon Works Order number Lots 123, 128, 131, 133, 135, 156, 166 Build date 1900–1907 Total produced 81
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-6-0  • UIC 1′C n2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. 2 ft 8 in (0.813 m) Driver dia. 4 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1.410 m) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 20.4 sq ft (1.90 m2) Boiler GWR Standard No. 2 Standard No. 4 Boiler pressure 200 psi (1.38 MPa) Cylinders Two, inside Cylinder size 18 in × 26 in (457 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 25,800 lbf (114.76 kN)
Career Operators Great Western Railway, British Railways Numbers 2600–2679 Withdrawn 1934–1949 Disposition All scrapped

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^[1]

Year	Quantity	Lots No.	Serial Nos.	Locomotive Nos.	Notes
1900	01	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.^[2] By 31 August 1948, only four were left: nos. 2620, 2651, 2655, 2667.^[3]

Withdrawal

'Aberdare' No. 2636 passing Swindon 23 April 1946 a few months prior to 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They were withdrawn from 1934 onwards. Five Aberdares (2640, 2648, 2649, 2652 & 2657) withdrawn in early 1939 were not cut up but stored as Second World War reserves.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 Their withdrawal began again in 1944 until the last member, number 2667, was withdrawn in October 1949.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.