View source for GWR 5101 Class

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{{about|the 140 locomotives built in 1929–49|the 40 locomotives built in 1903–06|GWR 5100 Class}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox Locomotive
|name= GWR 5101 Class
|powertype= Steam
|image=Totnes station, with 2-6-2T banker geograph-2551558-by-Ben-Brooksbank (cropped).jpg
|imagesize=300
|caption= 5164 at [[Totnes railway station|Totnes]] in 1958
|designer= [[Charles Collett]]
|builder= GWR [[Swindon Works]]
|builddate= 1929–1949
|totalproduction= 140
|whytetype= [[2-6-2T]]
|uicclass=1′C1′ h2t 
|gauge= {{track gauge|56.5in|allk=on}}
|leadingdiameter= {{convert|3|ft|2|in|3|abbr=on}}
|driverdiameter= {{convert|5|ft|8|in|3|abbr=on}}
|trailingdiameter= {{convert|3|ft|8|in|3|abbr=on}}
|length= {{convert|41|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}
|locoweight= {{convert|78.45|LT|t ST}}
|fueltype= [[Coal]]
|fuelcap= {{convert|4.0|LT|t ST}}
|watercap= {{convert|2000|impgal|L USgal|abbr=on}}
|boiler= GWR Number 2
|boilerpressure= {{convert|200|psi|kPa|abbr=on}}
|firearea= {{convert|20.35|sqft|abbr=on}}
|tubesandflues= {{convert|1144.94|sqft|abbr=on}}
|fireboxarea= {{convert|121.8|sqft|abbr=on}}
|superheaterarea= {{convert|82.2|sqft|abbr=on}}
|cylindercount= Two
|cylindersize= {{convert|18|x|30|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
|tractiveeffort= {{convert|24300|lbf|kN|abbr=on}}
|operatorclass= '''GWR''' 5101
|powerclass= '''GWR''' D <br /> '''BR''' 4MT
|axleloadclass= '''GWR''' Blue
|withdrawndate= April 1956 – November 1965
|disposition=8 preserved, 1 used for spares, 1 rebuilt to freelance; remainder scrapped
}}
The '''GWR 5101 Class''' or 'Large Prairie' was a class of [[2-6-2]]T [[steam locomotive]]s of the [[Great Western Railway]].

== History ==
[[File:Dainton_Summit_geograph-2550169-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg|thumb|left|5101 Class member 4176 banks a mixed-freight train up the bank towards Dainton tunnel, from {{Stnlnk|Newton Abbot}} towards {{Stnlnk|Plymouth}} on the [[Exeter to Plymouth Line]] in [[South Devon]], 1961]]
The 5101 Class were medium-sized tank engines used for suburban and local passenger services all over the Great Western Railway system. The class was an updated version, by [[Charles Collett|Collett]], of [[George Jackson Churchward|Churchward]]'s 1903 [[GWR 5100 Class|3100/5100 Class]].

The original 40 members of the 3100 class were renumbered 5100 and 5111 to 5149 in 1927. The first batches of 5101s filled in the numbers 5101 to 5110 and extended the class from 5150 to 5189. They were little changed from the Churchward locomotives as they then were, but had an increased axle loading of {{long ton|17|12}}; the maximum permitted for the ‘Blue’ [[Route availability#Great Western Railway|route availability]]. Bunkers were of the standard Collett design with greater coal capacity. The 5100 number series was exhausted in 1934, and further new locomotives were numbered from 4100. The last 20 were built after nationalisation.<ref>http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_262.htm</ref> 
{|class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed"
|+ Table of orders
!Number
!Date
!Lot No
!Notes
|-
| 5101-10
| 1929
| 257
|
|-
| 5150-59
| 1929
| 257
|
|-
| 5160-74
| 1930
| 259
|
|-
| 5175-89
| 1931
| 257
|
|-
| 5190-99
| 1934
| 284
|
|-
| 4100-09
| 1935
| 292
|
|-
| 4110-19
| 1936
| 292
|
|-
| 4120-21
| 1937
| 313
|
|-
| 4122-29
| 1938
| 313
|
|-
| 4130-39
| 1939
| 323
|
|-
| 4140-49
| 1946
| 335
|
|-
| 4150-59
| 1947
| 361
|
|-
| 4160-69
| 1948
| 369
|
|-
| 4170-79
| 1949
| 369
|
|}


As both freight and passenger traffic on branch lines declined post-World War II with increasing volumes of private [[motor car]]s, and replacement on urban services by diesel-powered rail cars, the bulk of the class found itself allocated to various mainline support duties, mainly banking and piloting, often on the [[South Devon Banks]] on the [[Exeter to Plymouth Line]], or around the [[Severn Tunnel]] on the [[South Wales Main Line]].

A number of the class - 4110, 4115, 4121, 4144, 4150, 4156 and 4160 - ended their operational lives allocated to the major locomotive shed (88E) at {{Stnlnk|Severn Tunnel Junction}}, undertaking piloting and banking duties through both the [[Severn Tunnel]] and the associated goods yard.<ref>http://www.4150.org.uk/4150_history.html</ref> Assistance was needed by all heavy trains through the Severn Tunnel, which entailed: {{convert|3.5|mile}} of 1-in-90 down to the middle of the tunnel; then a further {{convert|3.5|mile}} at 1-in-100 up to {{Stnlnk|Pilning}}; a short level then {{convert|3.5|mile}} more at 1-in-100 to {{Stnlnk|Patchway}}. However, the pilot locomotive usually came off at Pilning. Several of this group were sold for scrap to [[Woodham Brothers]] and consequently have survived into preservation.

==Accidents and incidents==
*On 30 November 1948, locomotive 4150 was running round its train at {{rws|Lapworth}} when it was in collision with a passenger train hauled by [[GWR 4073 Class|5022 ''Wigmore Castle'']], which had [[signal passed at danger|overrun signals]].<ref name=SR455>{{cite journal |title=Light at the end of the tunnel for Severn 'Prairie' |journal=Steam Railway |publisher=Bauer Consumer Media Ltd |location=Peterborough |date=17 June 2016 |issue=455 |issn=0143-7232 |pages=40–42}}</ref> Eight passengers were injured.<ref name=Times011048>{{Cite newspaper The Times |articlename=Four killed and 50 injured in train crash |day_of_week=Wednesday |date=1 December 1948 |page_number=4 |issue=51243 |column=A-B }}</ref>

==Withdrawal==
The below list shows when all of the original 5101's and later 4100's were withdrawn from service.

{|class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
|+ Table of withdrawals
! Year !! Quantity in<br>service at<br>start of year !! Number withdrawn !! Quantity<br>withdrawn !! Locomotive numbers
|-
| 1956 || 140 ||  1  ||  1 || align=left | 5159.
|-
| 1957 || 139 ||  5  ||  6  || align=left | 5107/09/56/57/61.
|-
| 1958 || 134 ||  10  ||  16  || align=left | 4138/39, 5105/08/60/62/65/68/71/72.
|-
| 1959 || 124 ||   4  ||  20  || align=left | 5170/86/89/96.
|-
| 1960 || 120 ||  16  ||  36  || align=left | 4162/64/70, 5102/03/04/06/10/50/55/63/69/78/79/85/97.
|-
| 1961 || 104 ||  11  ||  47  || align=left | 4117/23, 5158/66/74/75/76/77/94/95/98.
|-
| 1962 || 93 ||  22  ||  69  || align=left | 4102/06/12/16/18/26/29/45/46/52/63, 5151/67/73/80/81/82/83/87/88/90/93.
|-
| 1963 || 71 ||  14  ||  83  || align=left | 4114/19/27/34/40/41/42/49, 5101/52/54/64/92/99.
|-
| 1964 || 57 ||  28  ||  111  || align=left | 4101/03/04/05/08/09/20/22/24/28/30/31/32/33/35/36/37/43/53/59/66/67/71/73/74, 5153/84/91.
|-
| 1965 || 29 ||  29  ||  140  || align=left | 4100/07/10/11/13/15/21/25/44/47/48/50/51/54/55/56/57/58/60/61/65/68/69/72/75/76/77/78/79.
|}


== Preservation ==
Ten of the class avoiding scrapping in the 1960s (3 are original 5101's which includes 5193 which was rebuilt as a tender engine and the remaining 7 are the later 4100's). As of 2017, five have run in preservation, one is under active restoration, two are essentially in scrapyard condition and two have acted as donor locomotives for other projects:
{{clear}}
{|class="wikitable"
! Number 
! Built
! Withdrawn
! Service Life
! Owner 
! Current Location
! Status
! Notes
! Image
|-
|5164
|align=center|Nov 1930
|align=center|Apr 1963
|align=center|32 Years, 5 months
|5164 Preservation Group 
|[[Barrow Hill Engine Shed]]
|Boiler certificate expired 5 January 2014
|<small>Normally located at the [[Severn Valley Railway]], currently on display at Barrow Hill MPD for at least 12 months.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}
|[[File:GWR Prairie Class 5100 No 5164 (8062220732).jpg|150px]]
|-
|5193
|align=center|Oct 1934
|align=center|Jun 1962
|align=center|27 Years, 8 months
|[[West Somerset Railway]] plc
|[[West Somerset Railway]]
|Under Overhaul
|<Small>Originally built in 1934, withdrawn in 1962 and recovered from Woodham Brothers scrapyard in 1979. Rebuilt by the West Somerset Railway into a 2-6-0 resembling a small boilered version of the GWR 4300 Class, which has been numbered 9351. Currently under overhaul.
|[[File:Blue Anchor 9351 steaming eastwards.jpg|150px]]
|-
|5199
|align=center|Nov 1934
|align=center|Mar 1963
|align=center|28 Years, 3 months
|[[Llangollen Railway]]
|[[Llangollen Railway]]
|Operational
|<small>Overhaul completed 23 November 2014
|[[File:Splash Point - 5199 down train.JPG|150px]]
|-
|4110
|align=center|Oct 1936
|align=center|Jun 1965
|align=center|28 Years, 8 months
|[[Dartmouth Steam Railway]]
|[[Dartmouth Steam Railway]]
|Unrestored
|<small>Sold in May 2015 by GWR Preservation Group Limited of [[Southall Railway Centre]] to WSR plc. Moved to Minehead 16 June 2015. sold in January 2019 to the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway. 
|[[File:Minehead - 4110 arrived for restoration.JPG|150px]]
|-
|4115
|align=center|Oct 1936
|align=center|Jun 1965
|align=center|28 Years, 8 months
|[[Great Western Society]]
|[[Didcot Railway Centre]]
|Donor locomotive
|<small>Built October 1936, withdrawn from service in June 1965. One of the "[[Barry Ten]]", she was sold to the [[Great Western Society]], Didcot in 2010, to act as a donor locomotive for the creation of two new locomotives:<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rail.co.uk/rail-news/2012/frames-ordered-for-new-gwr/| title=Frames Ordered for New GWR 47xx Class as Prairie Survivor is Dismantled| website=rail.co.uk| date=8 March 2012}}</ref>
*[[GWR 4700 Class]] 2-8-0 No. 4709, to which it will donate: front end extension frames and cylinder sub-assembly; six of the eight 5&nbsp;ft 8in driving wheels required; frame stays; footplate supports; brake hangers; vacuum brake cylinder and reservoir; weighshaft and bearings
*[[GWR 2221 Class]] ''County Tank'' 4-4-2T, to which it will donate its boiler.
|
|-
|4121
|align=center|Dec 1937
|align=center|Jun 1965
|align=center|27 Years, 6 months
|
|[[Tyseley Locomotive Works]]
|Unrestored, partially stripped
|<small>Stored at Tyseley in a partially stripped down state
|[[File:Pilning High Level station up freight geograph-2935954-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg|120px]]
|- 
|4141
|align=center|Aug 1946
|align=center|Mar 1963
|align=center|16 Years, 7 months
|
|[[Rolling Stock of the Epping Ongar Railway|Epping Ongar Railway]]
|Operational
|<small>Returned to steam in 2012 after an overhaul, but currently out of service awaiting boiler repairs.
|[[File:Loco 4141 at North Weald 2 Dec 2012.JPG|150px]]
|-
|4144
|align=center|Sept 1946
|align=center|Jun 1965
|align=center|18 Years, 8 months
|[[Great Western Society]]
|[[Didcot Railway Centre]]
|Operational
|<small>Returned to steam in 2015 after an overhaul. On loan to the [[Severn Valley Railway]] for the 2019 season.
|[[File:4144 Didcot.jpg|150px]]
|-
|4150
|align=center|Jun 1947
|align=center|Jun 1965
|align=center|17 Years, 11 months
|4150 fund
|[[Severn Valley Railway]]
|Restoration in progress
|
|[[File:4150 at Bewdley.jpg|150px]]
|-
|4160
|align=center|Sept 1948
|align=center|Jun 1965
|align=center|16 Years, 8 months
|4160 Ltd
|[[Llangollen Railway]]
|Under Overhaul
|<small>Overhauled in 2007, operated on the [[West Somerset Railway]]. Until recently West Somerset Railway Association had a 28% share, but in late Autumn 2015 two long standing directors of 4160 Ltd purchased the holding. Sent to the Llangollen Railway in January 2016 for overhaul
|[[File:Blue Anchor - 4160 with Wales in the background.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

==Models==
[[Graham Farish]] manufacture a model of the Large Prairie in [[N scale]].
[[Hornby Railways|Hornby]] have manufactured a model of the class in 00 gauge in both Great Western and British railway liveries.
[[Heljan]] are planning on producing a model of the large prairie in O gauge in 2017 <ref>http://www.hornbymagazine.com/2016/11/21/first-painted-o-gauge-prairie/</ref>

==See also==
*[[GWR 5100 Class|GWR 3100/5100 Class (1906)]]
*[[GWR 3150 Class]]
*[[GWR 6100 Class]]
*[[GWR 3100 Class | GWR 3100 Class (1938)]]
*[[GWR 8100 Class]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|GWR 5101 Class}}
* [http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_262.htm 5101 tank class]
* [http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/locos/4144/4144.html 4144 - 2-6-2T]
* [http://www.4150.org.uk/ The 4150 Fund]
* [http://www.5164.org.uk/ The 5164 Website]
* [http://www.4160ltd.com/ 4160 History]

{{GWR Locomotives}}

[[Category:2-6-2T locomotives]]
[[Category:Great Western Railway locomotives|5101 Class]]
[[Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1929]]
[[Category:Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain]]
[[Category:1′C1′ h2t locomotives]]