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British Railway Steam Locomotive

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Number 5737
2nd Grouping Number
1st Grouping Numbergwr 5737
2nd Pre Grouping Number
1st Pre Grouping Number
Works/Lot Number
Class Code5700
DesignerCollett
Built31/03/1929
BuilderNorth British Locomotive Company, Glasgow
1948 Shed81B Slough
Last Shed81E Didcot
Withdrawn31/10/1959
Disposal detailsSwindon Works (B.R.)
DisposalCut Up
Disposal Date28/02/1960
Built 1929-50. Designed by Charles B. Collett.

Total Number Built 863 - Total to BR 863.

Introduced 1929. Collett design for shunting and light freight work developed from 2021 Class. Classification 4F.

(a) 6700-6749 - Introduced 1930. Locos with steam brakes only and no ATC fittings - intended for shunting duties.

(b) 3600-3699, 4600-4699, 8700, 8750-8799, 9600-9682, 9711-9799 - Introduced 1933. Locos with detail alterations, modified cabs (except 8700) and increased weight.

(c) 9700-9710. Introduced 1933. Locos with condensing gear for London area service on LT Metropolitan Line.

(d) 6750-6779 Introduced 1948. Locos with steam brake only and detail alterations.

By 1929, there was growing need to replace the hundreds of aged saddle and pannier tanks which operated throughout the Great Western system. No. 5700 appeared from the North British Locomotive Company's Glasgow Works in 1929 and was the first of a class, which over a twenty year period, 863 examples were constructed.

Seven different builders were used in the construction of these locomotives spanning a period of 21 years. There were minor differences between certain batches, but externally the most obvious was the improved cab and top feed to the boiler. These modifications began with loco No. 8750 in 1933.

Many of the first batch of twenty-five were stored when new for up to two years as there was no work for them to do. The fifty locos in the 6700 series were only fitted with steam brakes and a simple three link coupling for shunting work.

There were also ten engines, Nos. 9700-9710, built with condending apparatus for use over the Metropolitan lines. these had a slightly increased water tank capacity, but a reduced coal capacity. They were also fitted with ATC apparatus which was raised when running over electrified track.

Spark arresting chimneys were fitted to thirteen of the class. Nos. 5757 and 7713 had them fitted on 1937 and 1938, the rest being altered during World War II. These modified locos were used in military depots around the Didcot area.

Nineteen of these locos were sold to the London Transport Executive, three of them remaining in service until 1971.

Although principally for light goods and shunting work, these engines were often to be seen on passenger services and in use as carriage pilots. Due to regional boundary alterations, a few were allocated to the London Midland Region. When replaced from their original duties by dieselisation, they were to be seen in unfamiliar territories. Some found their way to the Southern Region where they could be found working on the Folkestone Harbour branch and empty carriage stock duties between Waterloo and Clapham Junction.

Thet were extremely successful machines, very powerful for their size, free running and with excellent acceleration.

Number Series 3600-3799, 4600-4699, 5700-5799, 7700-7799, 8700-8799, 9600-9799.

Built by:

Great Western Railway, Swindon Works

and contractors:

North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow
Sir W G Armsrong Whitworth & Co. Ltd
Kerr Stuart & Co. Ltd.
Beyer Peacock & Co. Ltd
Yorkshire Engineering Co. Ltd.
W G Bagnall Ltd

3600-3601 Lot No. 314 1938
3602-3634 Lot No. 314 1939
3635-3654 Lot No. 325 1939
3655-3684 Lot No. 325 1940
3685-3686 Lot No. 330 1940
3687-3699 Lot No. 330 1941
3700-3714 Lot No. 299 1936
3715-3734 Lot No. 299 1937
3735-3764 Lot No. 306 1937
3765-3784 Lot No. 306 1938
3785-3799 Lot No. 314 1938
4600-4604 Lot No. 330 1941
4605-4634 Lot No. 330 1942
4635-4641 Lot No. 336 1942
4642-4660 Lot No. 336 1943
4661-4667 Lot No. 352 1943
4668-4689 Lot No. 352 1944
4690-4699 Lot No. 352 1945
5700-5749 Lot No. 256 1929 (see note 1)
5750-5779 Lot No. 258 1929
5780-5784 Lot No. 260 1929
5785-5799 Lot No. 260 1930
6700-6724 Lot No. 262 1930 (see note 2)
6725-6749 Lot No. 265 1930 (see note 3)
6750-6759 Lot No. 362 1947
6760-6765 Lot No. 374 1948
6766-6769 Lot No. 374 1949
6770-6779 Lot No. 379 1950
7700-7724 Lot No. 263 1930 (see note 4)
7725-7736 Lot No. 264 1929 (see note 5)
7737-7749 Lot No. 264 1930 (see note 5)
7750-7761 Lot No. 274 1930 (see note 6)
7762-7774 Lot No. 274 1931 (see note 6)
7775-7799 Lot No. 271 1930 (see note 7)
8700 Lot No. 282 1934
8701-8724 Lot No. 273 1931 (see note 8)
8725-8728 Lot No. 272 1930 (see note 9)
8729-8749 Lot No. 272 1931 (see note 9)
8750-8769 Lot No. 282 1933
8770-8798 Lot No. 282 1934
8799 Lot No. 285 1934
9600-9621 Lot No. 352 1945
9622-9632 Lot No. 355 1945
9633-9641 Lot No. 355 1946
9642-9651 Lot No. 356 1946
9652-9661 Lot No. 362 1946
9662-9672 Lot No. 370 1948
9673-9682 Lot No. 378 1949
9700 Lot No. 273 1931 (see note 10)
9701-9710 Lot No. 282 1933
9711-9729 Lot No. 285 1934
9730-9759 Lot No. 285 1935
9760-9769 Lot No. 293 1935
9770-9784 Lot No. 293 1936
9785-9799 Lot No. 299 1936

Notes:
(1) Built by North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow - 5700-5724 order no. L852 ; 5725-5749 order no. L853.
(2) Built by W G Bagnall Ltd.
(3) Built By Yorkshire Engineering Co. Ltd.
(4) Built by Kerr Stuart & Co. Ltd.
(5) Built by North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow - order no. L863.
(6) Built by North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow - order no. L872.
(7) Built by Sir W G Armsrong Whitworth & Co. Ltd.
(8) Built by Beyer Peacock & Co. Ltd - order no. 148
(9) Built by W G Bagnall Ltd.
(10) Built by Beyer Peacock & Co. Ltd - order no. 148. Originally numbered 8700 when built - renumbered 9700 January 1934 on conversion to condensing locomotive.

The first withdrawals were made in March 1956 with the original loco 5700 and 5762 from Oswestry and Reading sheds respectively. The last locos in the class, 4646, 4696 and 9774 were withdrawn from Tysley shed in November 1966. On withdrawal nineteen of these locos were purchased by London Transport and the National Coal Board, who used them at South Wales collieries. These locos were: 3650, 3663, 5752, 5757, 5764, 5775, 5786, 7711, 7714, 7715, 7739, 7741, 7749, 7752, 7754, 7760, 7779, 9600, 9792. Also, loco 9642 sold to R&S Hayes, Bridgend for scrap, was used as their yard shunter for a number of years and as such managed to survive into preservation.

Sixten locos are preserved including: 5764, 5775, 5786, 7715, 7752, 7760 & 9642.

Motive Power Details
Weight: Loco
47 tons 10 cwt ( )(a)
50 tons 15 cwt (c)
40 tons 0 cwt (b) (d)

Driving Wheel: 4' 7?"
Boil Press: 200lb/sq in NS
Cylinders: Two 17?" x 24" (inside)
Valve Gear: Stephenson (slide valves)
TE: 22,515 lb

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