GWR ‘57XX’ 0-6-0PT

Designer: ............................................................................................................ Charles Collett

Builder: ..... Swindon – L89, L91 [1], L91 [2], L92, L95 (1929); Kerr Stuart – L90 [1], L99 (1930);

North British – L90 [2], L94, L96, L97,L98 (1930-1931); Armstrong Whitworth – L93 (1930)

Driving wheel diameter: .................................................................................................. 4ft 7½in

Cylinders: ........................................................................................................................ 17.5in x 24in

Boiler pressure: ........................................................................................................... 200lbs/sq in

Tractive effort: ..................................................................................................................... 22,515lb

Is there anything more intriguing than seeing a locomotive wearing a colour scheme that’s in complete contrast to the one you’d expect? Seeing the Great

Western’s famous ‘57XX’ panniers in maroon rather than green and with London

Transport proudly emblazoned on the tanks is one such case, especially as they became the last steam locomotives to work on a public main line in Britain.

The story of how London Transport ended up with a fleet of panniers is told in full in

John Scott-morgan and Kirk Martin’s superb book Red Panniers. Cutting a long story short, in the mid-1950s, LT management was concerned with its ageing steam fleet but couldn’t justify spending money to develop diesel and electric locomotives that could also fit within the Tube’s loading gauge.

Could BR provide replacement locomotives?

Initial trials with an elderly ‘J52’

0-6-0ST were not a success, but the arrival of ‘57XX’ No. 7711 in 1956 was a revelation. LT started to buy them, replacing ones that were worn out with fresh ones (hence the duplicated numbers!).

Based at both Neasden and Lillie Bridge depots, the panniers could be found throughout the sub-surface network, working ballast trains, spoil trains to Croxley tip or stores trains from Acton and Ealing in the west to Upminster in the east. But as the 1960s progressed, LT management wanted to rid itself of steam and the pannier fleet started to shrink. The final revenue-earning run took place on May 14/15 1971, followed by the ceremonial last run on June 6.

Can I see one? L89 (Keighley & Worth Valley Railway), L90 and L94 (Tyseley Locomotive Works), L92 (South Devon Railway), L95 (Severn Valley Railway), L99 (Buckinghamshire Railway Centre)

Can I model them? Dapol has produced London Transport panniers in both ‘N’ and ‘O’, whereas Bachmann Branchline periodically offers them in ‘OO’.