Auction Catalogue: Great Central Railwayana, 25 April 2009
| Lot 77 | A Great Western Railway cast iron cabside numberplate "GWR 795", carried by two engines absorbed by the GWR. First was a Taff Vale Railway locomotive originally built as an 0-6-0 tender engine by Sharp Stewart, Works No 2282, in 1873, TVR No 87. In 1892 it was converted to an 0-6-0ST and renumbered 264, becoming TVR Class E. It was transferred to Departmental Stock in 1920 and used around the Cardiff and Penarth Dock areas. It just survived the Grouping being sent to Swindon in June 1923 and condemned the following month. It appears likely that its allocated "795" numberplates were fitted in the yard at Swindon as this plate is clearly stamped "T.V. 264" on the lower beading. The second engine to carry this plate was a Powlesland & Mason 0-4-0ST built by the Brush Electrical Engineering Company of Loughborough, Works No 301, in 1903, P&M No 5, and it appears this was numbered "795" when the GWR took over P&M on 1st January 1924 at random simply because these numberplates were to hand at the time. The second "GWR 795" was rebuilt at Swindon in September 1926 with a 1376 Class boiler, pannier tanks and GWR mountings which completely altered its appearance. It was withdrawn in June 1929, placed on the GWR sales list and sold a month later to W Gilbertson & Co Ltd at Pontardawe Steel & Tinplate Works. This Company was taken over by Richard Thomas & Baldwins Ltd in 1947 and soon afterwards GWR 795 received the painted name "Dorothy" while retaining its GWR cabside plates until condemned in 1962/3 when this plate was removed. Ex loco condition. |
| This lot sold for £2000 |
The auction catalogue page that includes a photograph of Lot 77 is shown below:
