World War 2 Gallery

USA S160 2-8-0 locomotive No. 1606 coupled to an ambulance train, 1942

Once the USA joined the war following the bombing of Pearl Harbour in December 1941 the GWR became involved in the provision of rolling stock for use by the American Army. As preparations for D Day progressed, the US requested that 10 ambulance trains be provided for the conveyance of American casualties. This image shows the official handing over of the first of these trains in a ceremony held at Swindon Works on the 24th March 1943. The 14 coach train was aptly hauled by USA S160 2-8-0 locomotive No. 1606 and comprised of six ward cars, kitchen cars, a pharmacy and operating theatre, and carriages for staff. The handover was performed by GWR Chief Mechanical Engineer F.W Hawksworth, stood to the right of the group of uniformed American Officers, and the occasion was considered noteworthy enough for the attendance of a newsreel camera which can just be seen to the far right of this photograph

U.S. 0-6-0T shunting tank engine No. 1940 in its black War Department livery, 1942

This is an unusual inclusion in the photographic collection at STEAM, being an image of a U.S. 0-6-0T shunting tank engine which never actually worked the Great Western network. Nevertheless, this class of engine is still worth a mention as part of the Great Western war story. 382 of these Class S100 engines were shipped over to Britain from America with the intention of them operating on the railways of Europe after D Day. They arrived at the Great Western's Newport Docks from July 1942 from where they were towed to GW sheds where their final assembly was completed and they were run in and steam tested. Whilst the majority of the U.S. 0-6-0's then continued on their journey to Europe, some were temporarily put to use as shunting engines at various GW locomotive depots and 42 were put into storage at the Company's Newbury Racecourse Station where they remained, unused, until 14 were acquired by the Southern Railway after the war. This image shows the rather dusty engine No. 1940 in its black War Department livery

0-6-0 Dean Goods locomotives No's. 2479, 2576, 2425 and 2399 in the process of being scrapped, c.1949

The sorry sight of four The sorry sight of four 0-6-0 Dean Goods locomotives, photographed in the late 1940's, in the process of being scrapped. Identified as engine No's. 2479, 2576, 2425 and 2399, and all built during the 1890's, these locomotives would have seen service in both World Wars. With many Dean Goods having been rescued from the scrap heap in 1930/1940 due to them being needed for war service, it was inevitable that once locomotive building resumed in earnest after the war, many of these older engines were destined for the scrap heap once again.. Identified as engine No's. 2479, 2576, 2425 and 2399, and all built during the 1890's, these locomotives would have seen service in both World Wars. With many Dean Goods having been rescued from the scrap heap in 1930/1940 due to them being needed for war service, it was inevitable that once locomotive building resumed in earnest after the war, many of these older engines were destined for the scrap heap once again