Designed by G J Churchward the GWR prototype of the proposed standard 2-8-0 heavy goods locomotive, numbers 97 (later renumbered to 2800 as first of the class) was built in 1903 and underwent two years of trials before further production began. An additional 83 locomotives were constructed by April 1919, the purchase of 100 ex-WD ROD 2-8-0 locomotives replacing the building of more 28xx engines. Like all Churchward locomotives the 28xx class shared many standard components with other GWR locomotive classes built in the 20th century, and carried Churchwards' efficient tapered boilers with Belpaire firebox and top feed. Constructed to very high standards and tolerances for the time the 28xx class had long service lives. The basic design being further developed by Stanier to become LMS 8F 2-8-0.
By the late 1930s the GWR was also in need of more heavy goods engines and C B Collett overhauled the 28xx design. Many of original inside steam pipe cylinder castings had not lasted well, so the new locomotives carried the revised design outside steam pipe cylinder blocks from new, along with Colletts' larger, side-window cab by which the Collett 2884 or 38xx type could easily be identified. Starting with 2884 in March 1938 the last of the Collett engines was completed in December 1942, following which Swindon built a batch of 80 LMS 8Fs.
Although designed for heavy goods trains, particularly coal trains from South Wales which the capacity of the tender allowed the engines to haul all the way to London, the 28xx proved capable of many other duties. Although not suitable of express passenger work the engines were quite capable of handling slower parcels and secondary passenger trains. The 28s were often go-to engines for heavy summer Saturday relief services, especially over the steep grades west of Taunton.
A number of the class are persevered, proving especially popular with the longer heritage railways for their ability to confidently handle the heaviest peak season trains. 3822 having successfully restarted a train of 19 coaches on the 1 in 65 grade of Washford bank on the West Somerset line and hauled a train of 23 coaches on the East Lancs Railway.
Dapol GWR 28xx & 2884 Class 2-8-0 Model Features
General Specification
Many original GA drawings were used in the development of these accurate and authentic models.
Building on the many developments from the Dapol Mogul and Manor Class models including Dapol's award winning slide in PCB in the boiler for tool free DCC fitting and sugar cube speaker enclosure (for sound models) and conductive drawbar providing tender wheel pick-up and connections for high bass speaker.
These locomotives will have all of the usual refinements that are expected to be found on all Dapol models including:
- A diecast compensated chassis
- Detailed cab interior with screw reverse
- The front pony truck is also sprung and operates on a cam so the model will negotiate R2 curves with ease
- Churchward top feed boiler
- Original and later Boiler support/motion bracket
- Churchward vertical drop & curved drop Footplates
- Churchward (tapered) & Collett (Straight) sprung buffers
- Smoke boxes with inside or outside steam pipes GWR & BR smoke box doors (with separately added number plate)
Technical Specification
- A slide in PCB offers simple ‘tool-free’ installation of a NEXT-18 DCC decoder and a ’no-solder’ speaker connection.
- This board slides through the smoke box door and connects directly to the locomotive mother board.
- The tender to locomotive drawbar includes reliable electrical connections moulded within the close-coupling push-fit coupling. This eliminates wired plugs and unreliable wiper style connections.
- The locomotive and tender have electrical pick-up on all driving and tender wheels
- An optional base reflex speaker can be fitted into the tender. An audio frequency filter is integrated within the main locomotive PCB to ensure each speaker reproduces within it’s ideal frequency range*
- Firebox glow (synchronised with sound*)
- Dapol’s proven slow speed mechanism and high torque motor
- Enhance your driving experience with our feature RealDrive*
*Factory fitted models - this functionality is supported by some but not all alternative suppliers of sound decoders/files)