Off to Llangollen: 2807’s chassis loaded up and about to depart from Toddington (Photograph: Roger Molesworth)  


2807 looking complete at Toddington in 2005, to mark the locomotive’s 100th birthday and before the boiler was removed and taken to Llangollen. Note the straight steam pipes linking the cylinders to the smokebox – this was a later modification to improve steam flow, and are absent in the earlier picture of the locomotive (Photograph: Steve Price)  


2807 at Whitland, Pembrokeshire, in 1936 and before being fitted with outside steam pipes (Photograph F K Davies, courtesy D Andrews collection)  

Restoration of the oldest Great Western Railway locomotive in private ownership - 1905-built 28xx class 2-8-0 owned by Cotswold Steam Preservation Ltd - has taken a further major step forward, with departure of the rolling chassis from Toddington for completion of the locomotive at Llangollen.

Over recent months, the locomotive's boiler has been undergoing final work at the Llangollen Railway's well-equipped workshops.  This has latterly included fitting the front tubeplate.  The boiler tubes, which carry the hot gases from the firebox through the water-filled boiler to create steam, are now being fitted.

This will enable the boiler to be hydraulically and steam tested, before it is re-fitted to the locomotive chassis.

Meanwhile, progress on the chassis has continued at Toddington but it has now left to be reunited with the boiler at Llangollen so 2807 is expected to look complete by the end of the year.

However, there will still remain a considerable amount of work including piping, remaining locomotive fittings and cladding the boiler - to say nothing of painting.  The tender also requires additional work to bring it up to operational standard.

The Group hope that the engine will move under its own steam once again, for the first time in nearly 45 years.  It is then expected to undergo thorough testing and running-in on the Llangollen Railway, before returning to Toddington to join the railway's fleet of operational locomotives.

Churchward's 2-8-0s

2807 is a rather special locomotive.  The 28xx class was designed by G J Churchward and the prototype was turned out of Swindon in 1903, numbered 97, as the first 2-8-0 type to run in the UK.  The same year, "City of Truro", also a Toddington resident, was built.

Testing of no. 97 was extremely successful, and in 1905 construction of the first production run of 20 locomotives - including 2807 - started at Swindon.  In fact, 2807 is the oldest survivor of Churchward's thoroughbred locomotive designs (City of Truro was a Churchward development of Dean's Atbara class).  Subsequently, 166 of the class were built including a Collett version with minor design differences, the last being completed in 1942.  Many of the class lasted almost to the end of steam on the Western Region of British Railways, including 2807 which was taken out of service in 1963.  The engine was acquired by its present owners in 1981 from the infamous Barry Scrapyard in South Wales, and was the first engine to arrive at the embryonic Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway at Toddington.  Restoration work has continued ever since.

Cotswold Steam Preservation Ltd still have a considerable amount of money yet to raise to complete funding of a long, complex and expensive restoration project.  This is a marvellous chance to get involved and own a part of this truly historic locomotive.  Visit 2807's own website for more information by following the link below.