GWR 2600 Class


The Great Western Railway 2600 or Aberdare class was a class of 2-6-0 steam locomotive built between 1900 and 1907. They were a freight and light mineral development of the 3300 Bulldog and 4100 Badminton classes, both 4-4-0 locomotives. Therefore, the design was adapted and became a 2-6-0 type; the resulting locomotives were used for hauling coal trains between Aberdare and Swindon.

Numbering

The class began in 1900 with a prototype, No. 33, renumbered 2600 in 1912. The rest were numbered 2601–2680 and were built between 1901 and 1907.
YearQuantityLots No.Serial Nos.Locomotive Nos.Notes
19001128188633renumbered 2600 in 1912
1901201311908–19272621–2640
1901–02201331929–19482641–2680
1902201351949–19682661–2680
1903101231796–18052611–2620Lot and serial numbers out of sequence
1906115621252601
190691662602–2610Renewal of 2602 Kruger class locomotives

British Railways

British Railways inherited nos. 2612/20/3/43/51/5/6/62/5/7/9/80 in 1948. By 31 August 1948, only four were left: nos. 2620, 2651, 2655, 2667.

Withdrawal

They were withdrawn from 1934 onwards. Five Aberdares withdrawn in early 1939 were not cut up but stored as Second World War reserves. These five reentered service by January 1940. Their withdrawal began again in 1944 until the last member, number 2667, was withdrawn in October 1949. No examples were preserved.