Spa Valley Railway

Spa Valley Railway, West Station, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY
Telephone: 01892 537715
Email: enquiriesatspavalleyrailway.co.uk
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(Photo © M. Dives)

GWR 94XX Pannier No. 9466

BR (WR) 0-6-0PT No. 9466, Built November 1952,
Wheel Arrangement - 0-6-0PT (Pannier Tank)
Robert Stephensons and Hawthorns, England
Power Classification - C (BR 4F)
Driving Wheel Diameter - 4ft 7½in
Cylinders - 17½in x 24in
Stephenson valve gear
Nominal Tractive Effort - 22,515lbs at 85%
Weight in working order - 55 tons, 7 cwt
Boiler Pressure - 200 PSI
Route Availability - Red

The class were designed by Hawksworth as a modern version of the 57XX class designed by Charles Collett in 1947. The first 10 0f the class were built by the Great Western Railway with superheated boilers. The class proved to be so successful, that British Railways had more built by outside contractors between 1949 and 1956. In total, over 200 were built.

9466 (Works No. 7617) was part of a batch built by RSH at the Newcastle works and entered traffic in February 1952, being based at Worcester (85A) shed before moving to Bristol (St Phillips Marsh 82B), following repair in December 1960. The engine went on to work from Tondu and Radyr sheds in South Wales before it was withdrawn from service in July 1964, and sent to Woodham Bros Scrapyard, Barry in March 1965, having seen only 11 years service.

9466 was preserved at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quaiton, in 1975 and was purchased by its present owner, Dennis Howells in 1977. The engine was then restored to running condition over an 8 year period which culminated in a return to service on the centre's demonstration line in 1985.

The engine has made a number of visits to other railways since restoration and apart from time out for overhauls, has been in regular service. In its' early preservation years, 9466 was a regular performer on the mainline and the successful 'Steam on the Met' events in particular. 9466 recently completed a second overhaul at London Transport's Neasden depot and has now been in preservation under the same owner for over twice the time that it was owned by British Railways.

9466's visit to the Spa Valley Railway is another railway that the engine can add to its' impressive portfolio of preserved railways that it has operated over, and although not authentic to the line, the engine was impressive to watch hauling our trains.

The engine has made multiple visits to the railway since 2005, becoming a regular end of season visitor. In 2007, 9466's visit to the Spa Valley was shorter than normal as it was moved to Tysley, Birmingham to be readied for its debut on mainline tours.

Livery - Brunswick Green with large GWR lettering.

Current Status - A regular end of season visitor to the railway over the last three years.

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