The Collett 0-4-2 tank locomotives were much admired by the people who travelled behind - or in front - of them as well as by footplate crews and enthusiasts. Here we take a look at these pretty locomotives, which were such a feature of the Cheltenham to Honeybourne line.

There's no doubt that during its short visit during the Centenary Festival 1400 class 0-4-2T no. 1450 and its accompanying auto-coach no. 178, will have stirred some powerful emotions. Owned by Mike Little, this pretty engine will have performed just the task it was designed for - working local passenger services and, in the process, will have won the hearts of those who remember travelling or working on our line in steam days.

When it opened a century ago, the Cheltenham-Honeybourne services were initially handled by steam railcars. These were equipped with a vertical boiler supplying a steam powered bogie and it is perhaps the shape of the boiler that earned the local service the sobriquet 'coffee pot' - a term that continued to be applied to local trains throughout the line's history.

These units worked local trains for over a decade, sometimes handling an extra coach or a couple of vans and even on occasions carrying out light shunting movements. However, their big disadvantage was that they had to be serviced in the dirty environment of a steam locomotive depot, which did nothing to help keep the upholstery clean! In addition, they had a top speed of only about 30mph.

By the early 1920s local services were in the charge of auto-fitted Armstrong 517 class 0-4-2 tank locomotives with an auto trailer. This combination enjoyed the same benefit of the steam railcars in that the locomotive did not need to run round its coach or coaches - connections to the locomotive allowed the driver to operate the principal controls from the front of the train with the locomotive propelling, although the fireman, of course, remained on the footplate. The benefit was much higher speed, improved reliability, ability to handle additional coaches without any effect on performance and - of course - the engine could be detached at the end of the day, leaving the coach to be cleaned and serviced by carriage maintenance staff.

By the early 1930s the ageing 517 class locomotives were decidedly past their best. Although they were a very successful design, having been introduced in 1868 many members of the class had put in half a century of service. Collett set about designing a replacement and the 4800 (later 1400) class was the result. The new engines looked very much like their predecessors with a tall chimney and prominent dome, but with modern refinements such as increased boiler pressure (165 psi) and roomier cab with better visibility. The class was equipped with auto working equipment and ATC (automatic train control). The wheels and valve gear were essentially from the 54xx class pannier tank. The slightly later 5800 class was identical but they were not auto or ATC equipped and were intended for light goods work.

The engines had two 16in x 24in cylinders driving 5ft 2in diameter driving wheels, the 3ft 8in trailing wheels being mounted beneath the cab. The boiler had 193 firetubes and two flue tubes and a 12.8 sq. ft grate. The locomotive in working order weighed just 41 tons 6 cwt, carried 800 gallons of water (enough to get from Cheltenham to Honeybourne) in its side tanks and 2 tons 13 cwt of coal in the bunker.

Altogether, 95 0-4-2s were turned out of Swindon works between 1932 and 1936, of which 20 were of 5800 class.

It if probably fair to say that initially, the locomotives received a luke-warm reception because they so obviously reflected a Victorian design, but any criticism quickly evaporated when they proved themselves to be good steamers that were reliable, economical and sprightly on the services for which they were designed. Swindon was certainly prudent and at a time when cost savings were necessary Collett saw fit to concentrate on improving what had proven to be a successful concept rather than spend time and money going about a completely new design.

During their life the class remained practically unaltered except for the fitting of a top feed on the boilers when they returned to Swindon for overhaul. Not all were so modified, however, and 1450 is one of those that was not. Some also received reconditioned boilers from the preceding Armstrong 517 class - underlining Swindon's skill at standardising its locomotives. The other significant change was that in 1946 the 4800s were renumbered in the 1400 series. This was because their former numbers were allocated to some 2885 class locomotives that were to be equipped for oil firing. Only a few of these 2-8-0s were so modified and at it was to be a short-lived venture - the engines returned to coal firing and thus received their old numbers back again. But the 4800 class retained their new numbers to the end and became known as the 1400 class.

1400s at work

The auto-fitted 0-4-2s did need some skill to work in the sense that they had a tendency to prime if the boiler was over-filled (in other words, water carried over through the regulator) and the fireman needed to keep on top of his fire. When propelling an auto-trailer, the driver could only control the regulator, brake, warning-gong and, if the loco was coupled bunker-to -trailer, the whistle which left the fireman to operate the reverser, keep an eye on the lubricator and work the vacuum ejector as well as look after the fire and boiler.

Consequently, it tended to be senior firemen who were entrusted to the job. As Colin Bray, a former Worcester fireman and now a member of the GWR's locomotive department explains: "The only times I worked on them as a young fireman was when they were on station pilot duty so I didn't get much experience with them. But we had quite a few of them at Worcester and they were quite liked by crews. In fact, firing on auto services was second only to top link because the fireman had a lot of responsibility when propelling - of course, he was the only one on the footplate."

Norman Gibbs - a volunteer with the Cheltenham Area Group at Cheltenham Race Course, will always lend a story or two from the footplate. He 'joined' in GWR days and worked his way up - eventually at Cheltenham Malvern Road - to the top link and regularly worked the Honeybourne auto services. He recalls a salutary experience when ending his shift, once. "I remember uncoupling when we were putting the auto-coaches to bed in St. James Station. I was in a bit of a hurry; think I might have been on a date! - I got down between the engine and coach, regulator sleeve off, steam heat and vac off, called the driver to squeeze up and whipped the coupling off and was back on the footplate in no time, off to the shed. Immediately, a loud whistle before the whistle chain snapped! Because the whistle chain was up above it was easily forgotten and most of us did it as some time. That's why so many of the 48xx's ended up with their whistles tied together with string!"

In response to the recent Gloucestershire Echo appeal for memories of the 'coffee pot' service, Brian Knight - who started as a cleaner at Malvern Road shed in 1950, going on to become a fireman - has a clear memory of the auto trains. But he adds that railwaymen never knew the service by the name 'coffee pot' - it was known to Malvern Road men as the 'car link'.

He says: "My first experience on an auto was the 10:20pm Saturdays only to Broadway, circa 1951. The coach was always packed - it was full of people going home from a night at the pictures. Sixteen years of age, I was a very young fireman with no experience of auto working. From St James to Malvern Road was fine but then the train reversed and I was on my own (the engine propelling the coach).

"Imagine the situation ... it is dark, the driver is in the vestibule (car), and you have to attend to the fire, the injectors, keep an eye on the water, the lubricator, the cut-off and the brake. When required by the driver he needs the fireman to assist by blowing the brakes off. The condition of these engines was often not very good and they were inclined to prime with too high a boiler level or with irregular washouts - or, in my case, with an inexperience young fireman! Plenty of drivers, but very few firemen were available for spare duties during the 1950s and 1960s - which is why I came to be in this situation.

"I remember we were in trouble before reaching Bishops Cleeve. Stopped for a blow-up on the bank, not much water in the boiler due to priming and a poor fire due to inexperience. I've got a feeling we had to blow up at Gotherington, too. But years later, while a regular fireman in the 'car link' I enjoyed this work especially as I was then competent to do the job!'

Brian also recalls that towards the end (1960), the linkages were worn and run down. "We didn't bother to connect it - well, it would have been ineffective anyway - and the fireman worked the regulator as well. Of course, we couldn't do that if there was an inspector about but I think Control knew it went on and turned a blind eye - we were responsible enough to ensure the safety of the train."

He also recalls that the 1400's had a good turn of speed. "Drivers on the Gloucester - Chalford auto service used to time it on the return so that they could race one of the Midland trains from Standish Junction back to Gloucester. More than once they showed a clean pair of heels to a 'Jubilee'. Their big driving wheels were certainly good for 70mph!

"There were lovely engines," he adds wistfully.

Widespread allocations

These doughty little 0-4-2T's could be found all over the Great Western network - working branch services as well and light passenger services on main lines such as the route from Cheltenham to Honeybourne. The Worcester division had one of the largest collective allocations - 21 at one stage, including the 5800 class, with half a dozen or so at Gloucester and Cheltenham.

Gradually, though, the locomotives lost their jobs as either diesel multiple units took over or the branches they worked were closed. The 'coffee pot' service from Cheltenham ended in March 1960, while the popular Chalford shuttle over the Golden Valley line from Gloucester continued until October 1964.

Withdrawals began in 1956 and although the 5800 class were extinct by 1961, four of the 1400s lasted right to the end of WR steam. The very last of the class, nos 1450 and 1442, ironically found themselves working out their final days on the former LSWR branch to Lyme Regis after the venerable Adams '0415' 4-4-2 radial tank engines were withdrawn. This is despite a trial on the branch a few years earlier when they were not considered a success. A shortage of diesel multiple units ensured their survival, working from Exmouth Junction shed, until 1965.

Four of the class have, thankfully, survived: 1420, 1442, 1450 and 1466. The first went to the Dart Valley Railway where it has remained ever since and 1442 is at Tiverton Museum. 1450 - owned by Mike Little, has made visits to several heritage railways, including the GWR. It famously was given its main line ticket a few years ago and successfully worked the 'Dawlish Donkey' along the Devon main line. It is currently based at the Dean Forest Railway, along with auto-coach no 178. No 1466 is to be found at Didcot.

For a class that was considered, at first glance, to be out of date when they emerged from Swindon in 1932, these lovely little engines certainly proved their worth over subsequent decades. They represented the very epitome of branch line services and, although other railways entertained push-pull or auto working, the 1400s were in charge of the very last such services in the UK. During the Centenary Festival we have seen 1450 doing just what its designer intended. It is pleasant to think that when our line opens to Broadway, we might persuade 1450 and the auto coach to return and, once again, stir the memories of local people who recall the 'coffee pot' with such fondness.

Further reading:

Steam Days magazine, May 2006 - Collett '4800' and '5800' 0-4-2Ts of the Great Western Railway by Andrew Wilson (a detailed article with many excellent pictures)
The Great Western Archive (http://www.greatwestern.org.uk) (1400 and 5800 class introduction and details)
RCTS Locos of the GWR
Peto's Register of Great Western Railway Locomotives
An illustrated history of the Stratford on Avon to Cheltenham Railway (Audie Baker)
The Honeybourne Line (Colin Maggs and Peter Nicholson)
With thanks to Mike Little for information about 1450.