5199 - ‘5010’ class tank locomotive, owned by the 5199 Project, based at the Llangollen Railway. The locomotive was rescued from Barry Scrapyard in 1985 and moved to Toddington for restoration but, in 1988, it moved first to Llangollen, then to Long Marsden and, in 1996, back to Llangollen where restoration was completed. The engine steamed again in February 2003, for the first time in 40 years.

Photograph copyright James Mayl, UK Rail Pics

Wheel arrangement:

2-6-2T - known as ‘large prairie’ tank engines.

Origin:

Great Western Railway. All 290 members of the class were built at Swindon.

Introduced:

1903. The prototype was no. 99 (which was later renumbered 3100) and production started in 1905. Several batches were built with minor variations, no.5199 being completed in 1934. The last member of the class, no.4179, was built by British Railways in 1949. Ten lasted right to the end of steam on the Western Region in 1965.

Working weight:

78.5 tons

Water capacity

2,000 gallons

Purpose:

Suburban passenger. However, these reliable and popular engines could be found throughout the Great Western handling passenger, parcels and freight traffic. 5199 was first allocated to Tyseley and spent most of its life in the midlands. Its final allocation was Gloucester (Horton Road) from where it was withdrawn in 1963 and sent to Barry scrapyard. You can find out more about 5199 on the Llangollen Railway website.