GWR 4-6-0 Castle
5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe

Built : Swindon March 1936

Original Name : Barbury Castle

Renamed : 1937

Double-Chimney fitted : May 1958

Withdrawn : December 1963

Restored & Mainline Certified : October 2008

The Bristolian : Triumphantly re-enacts Britain's fastest express train of the 1950's 17 April 2010

Photograph Features :

• The Bristolian - 17/04/2010
• Return To Steam + First Year Tours
• Barry and A Source Of Spares
• The British Railways Era

 

Images : click on an image to enlarge

In 1923, C.B.Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the GWR introduced a new express passenger locomotive for the Great Western, the Castle class locomotive. A 4-6-0 design, with four cylinders, superheated Swindon no.8 boiler and larger cab, the first of the class, 4073 'Caerphilly Castle' soon set records on the GWR, hauling heavier loads at higher speeds than its predecessors of the 'Star' class.

Production of more Castle class locomotives followed and in March 1936 number 5043 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe' was out shopped from Swindon works at a cost of £4,848 for the locomotive and £953 for the Collett designed 4000 gallon tender. Originally 5043 was given the name 'Barbury Castle', after an iron age hilltop fort, five miles south of Swindon. It frequently hauled the GWR's 'Cheltenham Flyer', which was then the fastest train in the world.

In 1937, 5043 was renamed 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe' after a GWR Director and it gained a reputation for being an excellent performer on the mainline. Based at London’s Old Oak Common, 5043 was used on trains serving locations such as Devon, Cornwall, the Midlands and the North, and became a favourite amongst the Great Western’s London footplate men.

Six years after nationalisation 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe' had spells at Carmarthen and Landore over a four year period away from Old Oak Common, during which time it worked London trains such as the 'Pembroke Coast Express' and 'The Red Dragon'. The engine was by this time paired with a Hawksworth flat sided tender.

In the late 1950’s, 5043 was moved back to Old Oak Common for the twilight years of Western Region steam. In May 1958, it was fitted with a double chimney and revised draughting arrangements, which much improved the engine’s efficiency. During this year it was recorded as reaching 98 mph on the up 'Bristolian' express on 5th June 1958.

'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe' received its last heavy overhaul at Swindon in February 1962, and with the ending of steam in the London area, moved to Cardiff Canton shed where work still remained for steam. In September 1962 Canton closed to steam, and 5043 was moved to Cardiff East Dock with the remaining Cardiff locomotives where it remained in service until December 1963.

Once withdrawn, 5043 was stored until the following Spring when it was sold for scrap to Woodham Brothers scrap yard at Barry Island, South Wales. This was going to be the end of the line.

A partial reprive came in September 1973 when 7029 Clun Castle Limited purchased 5043 to be a source of spares for 7029 'Clun Castle'. It was moved to Tyseley where many parts were removed for safekeeping and the locomotive 'hulk' was stored awaiting its eventual demise.

In the ensuing years seemingly hopeless steam locomotive restoration projects had by then become realistic and achievable. Tyseley Locomotive Works had developed the skills to undertake such massive restoration projects and a study into the feasibility of restoring 5043 to mainline condition was undertaken.

In 1997,Birmingham Railway Museum Trust announced a project to restore Great Western Castle class 4-6-0 5043 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe' to main line running condition. Specifications required that the locomotive should be in late 1950's condition with Hawksworth tender and BR double chimney. The 5043 Restoration Fund was set up to finance the work and 5043 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe' was finally reprived from the death sentence!

With the decision having been made in 1997, planning commenced for the repair of the locomotive. A Hawksworth tender tank was manufactured and Hawksworth tender frames acquired for use with 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe.

In 1998, the Friends of Birmingham Railway Museum (the former name for Vintage Trains Society) donated £10,000 towards the restoration of 5043 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe'. The boiler was removed from the frames and prepared for inspection. Specialist welding work was completed on the boiler barrel by Babcock boiler specialists.

In 1999 descaling commenced for the front end of the frames in preparation for repair. The 5043 Restoration Fund stood at £31,000 and was rising! Nameplate backing boards were manufactured and letters cast ready for finishing and polishing. Axleboxes were removed and examined, and found to be in excellent condition and required only examination, repair and cleaning.

In 2000 5043 was moved into Tyseley Locomotive Works. The majority of the components, especially footplating, were removed and put into store, and wheelsets removed so that cleaning of the frames could commence. The cab sides, which were beyond repair, were removed and were to be retained until new cab sides had been manufactured and fitted. The engineering team scraped down the frames and removed thirty years worth of grime, in order to examine the frames. Once completed the frames were given a coat of anti-corrosive green paint, which smartened up their appearance! Examination of the frames showed them to be in good condition. Parts for the rear dragbox renewal were manufactured and ready for fitting. The usual pitting on parts of the frames caused by exposure to the sea air at Barry was found, but this could be smoothed down and repaired to prevent further corrosion and to improve appearances.

In 2001 expired platework on the Hawksworth tender frames was removed and new platework fitted and painted. The new rear dragbox was riveted into place. The bushes for the coupling rods were cast, machined and fitted. Whilst the inside motion was being prepared the frames were painted in black (exterior) and red (interior). New valve rings were manufactured ready for fitting.The slidebars were reground. Whilst checking the inside crossheads for repair and refitting something interesting was found. It was common for inside crossheads to be fitted to various members of the fleet, but 5043's inside crossheads, on closer inspection, seem to have been fitted at one time to sister locomotive, Tyseley's GWR Castle 5080 'Defiant'! The slidebars were prepared for refitting. New manufactured splashers were fitted to the locomotive frames along with footplating and were painted in anti corrosive paint. The bogie was repaired and repainted in preparation for refitting. The wheelsets were prepared for cleaning and refitting.

In 2002 further repainting of the frames, cleaning and preparation for reconstruction of tender, work continued on wheelsets and axleboxes in preparation for rewheeling. The tender frames were repainted in preparation for fitting of the tender tank, and numerous ancillary parts were manufactured in readiness for reconstruction.

In 2003, axlebox repairs were completed and coupled wheels refitted. The tender was assembled and was substantially complete. Valve motion was completed and awaited assembly. TPWS equipment was acquired. Repairs to the reversing gear were completed. The engine's brake gear was overhauled and fitted. The engine spring gear was reassembled.

During 2004-6 the tender was largely completed and much work carried out on the rolling chassis.

During 2007 the boiler was hydaulically and steam tested and returned to the frames and cladding commenced. The first fire having been lit for 44 years!

In 2008 further assembly work was done and 5043 was exhibited in nearly complete form at the Tyseley 100 Open Weekend. Following the event the final stages of assembly, painting and lining were undertaken.

On 3rd October 2008, 5043 returned to steam and moved under its own power again after almost 45 years! 5043 returned to the mainline on 16th October 2008, including a light engine run to Shirley. On 19th October 2008, 5043 made a loaded trip from Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford but on the return trip it was removed from the train at Tyseley as the engineering staff were concerned about a warm axlebox. This problem was attended to in time for 'The Earl' to appear in steam, in action as the star of the show at the Tyseley Open Day and its public re-commissioning on 26th October 2008.

Since then the 'The Earl' made three mainline appearances in 2008 - to Didcot with stable-mate 4965 Rood Ashton Hall, then solo to Melton Mowbray and then to London Kensington Olympia (and even Clapham Junction!).

An exciting mainline career now beckons for 'The Earl'. Trips in 2009 completed : along the Midland route to York, part of the West Coast mainline then the North Wales Coast to Llandudno Junction, the Welsh Marches route and the West Coast mainline from Crewe over Shap to Carlisle, the Chiltern line from Marylebone to Stratford. Follow that by 2010 trips : Tyseley to Gloucester, Midlands Circular, along the Golden Valley line to Didcot, Solihull to Salisbury, Solihull to Didcot, Bristol to Plymouth and Paddington to Bristol.

We believe that 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe will become the best surviving example of the famous GWR Castle class.  There may be other Castles working but none of them have the pedigree of 5043 with its long association with the Cheltenham Flyer, the Bristolian and with Old Oak Common shed. 

To celebrate 175 years of the Great Western Railway, on 17 April 2010, 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe triumphantly headed both down and up Bristolian trains running non-stop between Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads. A complete re-enactment of the "The Bristolian" in Western Region days. Read The Bristolian performance notes.