GWR 1076 Class
The 1076 Class were 266 double framed locomotives built by the Great Western Railway between 1870 and 1881; the last one, number 1287, was withdrawn in 1946. They are often referred to as the Buffalo Class following the naming of locomotive 1134.
History
These large tank locomotives, with their wheels and dia × stroke cylinders were capable of working trains on the main line. They followed on from George Armstrong's 1016 Class built from 1867, themselves derived from the earlier 302 Class of Joseph Armstrong, and were perpetuated by his successor William Dean until 1881. Modernised saddle tank locomotives of similar size were then produced in the 1813 Class.The first six were built with side tanks. The following locomotives had saddle tanks covering their boilers and fireboxes, but from 1874 longer saddle tank extending to the front of the smokebox were the norm. All the earlier locomotives were eventually fitted with these larger tanks. Most were reconstructed with pannier tanks from 1911 onwards.
The first locomotives had just a spectacle plate to give protection for the crew, but then small cabs, open at the back, were fitted. Later on most of the surviving locomotives were given full cabs so that there was protection when running in reverse.
Other changes to various locomotives over their long lives were Belpaire fireboxes, enlarged coal bunkers, and even superheaters. One or two were fitted with spark-arresting chimneys. 21 were fitted for working autotrains.
| Year | Quantity | Lot No. | Works Nos. | Locomotive numbers | Notes |
| 1870 | 6 | 22 | 245–250 | 1172–1177 | renumbered 1076–1081 in 1870 |
| 1872–73 | 30 | 30 | 402–431 | 727–756 | |
| 1874 | 20 | 37 | 523–542 | 947–966 | |
| 1874–75 | 20 | 39 | 543–562 | 1134–1153 | |
| 1875 | 20 | 40 | 603–622 | 1166–1185 | |
| 1876–77 | 20 | 43 | 663–682 | 1228–1247 | Ran as broad-gauge locomotives from new or from 1887–88 until 1891–93, see later |
| 1877 | 20 | 44 | 683–702 | 1248–1267 | Nos. 1248–57 ran as broad-gauge locomotives from 1887–88 until 1892–93, see later |
| 1877–78 | 30 | 45 | 703–732 | 1268–1297 | |
| 1878–79 | 20 | 48 | 754–773 | 1561–1580 | Ran as broad-gauge locomotives from new or from 1884 until 1892–93, see later |
| 1879 | 20 | 49 | 774–793 | 1581–1600 | |
| 1879–80 | 20 | 50 | 794–813 | 1601–1620 | |
| 1880 | 20 | 52 | 824–843 | 1621–1640 | |
| 1880–81 | 20 | 55 | 846–865 | 1641–1660 |
Broad gauge conversions
Ten locomotives were built in 1876 with broad gauge wheels outside the standard double frames. Five more broad gauge locomotives were built in 1878, while from 1884 another 35 were converted from standard gauge to broad. All were eventually converted back to standard gauge.1256 was one of a pair of locomotives that worked the last broad gauge train from back to Swindon for conversion on 20 May 1892.
Locomotives built new as broad gauge are denoted in this list by an asterisk*.1228 * 1229 * 1230 * 1231 * 1232 * 1233 * 1234 * 1235 * 1236 * 1237 * 1238 1239 1250 1251 1252 1253 1254 1255 1256 1257 1258 1259 1260 1261 1262 1263 1264 1265 1266 1267 1561 * 1562 * 1563 * 1564 * 1565 * 1566 1567 1568 1569 1570 1571 1572 1573 1574 1575 1576 1577 1578 1579
- '''1580'''
Named locomotive
1134 Buffalo- :The reason this locomotive was given a name is unclear. It was certainly named within a few years of construction but there was already a Buffalo which gave its name to the South Devon [Railway Buffalo class]. The nameplate was removed from 1134 in 1914 when it was fitted with its pannier tanks. The name itself is that of a strong animal, the Buffalo.
Locomotives sold
Two locomotives were sold to the Neath and Brecon Railway:- 1563 became N&BR 14 in 1911 and returned to the Great Western Railway in 1922
- 1591 became N&BR 15 in 1912 and returned to the Great Western Railway in 1922 was withdrawn before being given it number back
- 1660 became R&SBR 2 in 1919 and returned to the Great Western Railway in 1922
- 1652 became R&SBR 31 in 1912 and returned to the Great Western Railway in 1922
- 728 became R&SBR 32 in 1915 and returned to the Great Western Railway in 1922
- 957 became R&SBR 33 in 1914 and returned to the Great Western Railway in 1922
- 1167 became R&SBR 34 in 1919 and returned to the Great Western Railway in 1922
List of locomotives
727 to 756
Originally fitted with short saddle tanks.727 728 729 730 731 732 733 734 735 736 737 738 739 740 741 742 743 744 745 746 747 748 749 750 751 752 753 754 755- '''756'''
947 to 966
Originally fitted with short saddle tanks.947 948 949 950 951 952 953 954 955 956 957 958 959 960 961 962 963 964 965- '''966'''
1076 to 1081
Originally fitted with side tanks.1076 1077 1078 1079 1080- '''1081'''
1134 to 1153
Most were originally fitted with short saddle tanks.1134 1135 1136 1137 1138 1139 1140 1141 1142 1143 1144 1145 1146 1147 1148 1149 1150 1151 1152- '''1153'''
1166 to 1185
1166 1167 1168 1169 1170 1171 1172 1173 1174 1175 1176 1177 1178 1179 1180 1181 1182 1183 1184- '''1185'''
1228 to 1297
1228 1229 1230 1231 1232 1233 1234 1235 1236 1237 1238 1239 1240 1241 1242 1243 1244 1245 1246 1247 1248 1249 1250 1251 1252 1253 1254 1255 1256 1257 1258 1259 1260 1261 1262 1263 1264 1265 1266 1267 1268 1269 1270 1271 1272 1273 1274 1275 1276 1277 1278 1279 1280 1281 1282 1283 1284 1285 1286 1287 1288 1289 1290 1291 1292 1293 1294 1295 1296- '''1297'''
1561 to 1660
1561 1562 1563 1564 1565 1566 1567 1568 1569 1570 1571 1572 1573 1574 1575 1576 1577 1578 1579 1580 1581 1582 1583 1584 1585 1586 1587 1588 1589 1590 1591 1592 1593 1594 1595 1596 1597 1598 1599 1600 1601 1602 1603 1604 1605 1606 1607 1608 1609 1610 1611 1612 1613 1614 1615 1616 1617 1618 1619 1620 1621 1622 1623 1624 1625 1626 1627 1628 1629 1630 1631 1632 1633 1634 1635 1636 1637 1638 1639 1640 1641 1642 1643 1644 1645 1646 1647 1648 1649 1650 1651 1652 1653 1654 1655 1656 1657 1658 1659- '''1660'''