5619 - ‘56xx’ class tank locomotive, owned by the Telford Horsehay Steam Trust, was rescued from Barry in 1973 and first brought back to steam in 1981. In 2006 it was moved to the Flour Mill at Bream for a full overhaul and steamed again for the first time since 1991 in 2008. After running-in the loco arrived at Toddington and should now be with us until the end of 2009.

Photograph copyright Jack Boskett, 2008

Wheel arrangement:

0-6-2T

Origin:

Great Western Railway

Introduced

1924. No prototype was needed and the locomotives used many standard GWR parts. 200 were built in 3 batches , with the last, built by Armstrong Whitworth, being completed in 1928.

Working weight:

62.9 tons

Water capacity

1,900 gallons

Purpose:

Mixed traffic. However, almost all of these powerful locomotives spent their working lives in the Welsh Valleys hauling coal trains, earning the soubriquet 'Taffy Tanks'. No 5619 was built in 1925 and initially allocated to Chester but it was soon sent back to Wales and was withdrawn from Barry in 1964, making the short journey to Dai Woodham's scrapyard where it rested until 1973.