Locomotives Gallery

American S160 Class 2-8-0 locomotive No. 1609 upon arrival at Newport Docks, 1942

From late 1942 American locomotives began to arrive at the Great Western's South Wales Docks, having been shipped over from America to assist allied forces both in Britain and on the Continent. In this image S160 Class 2-8-0 locomotive No. 1609 is pictured draped in the US and British flags having just arrived at Newport Docks. This was one of 800 S160 Class American engines that were dispatched from Newport to railways around the country. The vast cranes for lifting cargo from ships can be seen in the background of this image. Such was the quantity of goods being loaded and unloaded at the South Wales Docks during the latter half of the war that US forces loaned 30 ton floating cranes to the docks at Cardiff, Newport and Swansea to assist with the movement of heavy cargo

Mogul locomotive No. 8314 with bomb damage in 1941

A 4300 Mogul locomotive, No. 8314, lies amongst the debris following an air raid in Weymouth on 17th January 1941. Star Class locomotive, Princess Charlotte, can be seen to the right of the photograph and has escaped the worst of the damage. The south coast of Britain was easy prey for the German Luftwaffe based in Northern France, and the ports of Weymouth and Portland were prime targets for bombers due to their naval connections

© STEAM Museum of the GWR

Castle Class, No. 7029, Clun Castle at Newton Abbot Station, c.1950s

A view of Castle Class, No. 7029, Clun Castle at Newton Abbot Station, Devon, c.1950s.
The station opened with the name Newton in December 1846 by the South Devon Railway Company. By the time the name was changed to Newton Abbot in 1877 the station had a large goods shed, train sheds and busy workshops which helped with converting the stock and line to standard gauge.
Newton Abbot station underwent an extension and rebuild between the wars, opening in April 1927 with a Culverhouse designed station building

© STEAM Museum of the GWR