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Queens Head Yard: GWR 45xx Class No: 4555
GWR 45xx Class No 4555 is seen resplendent in its preserved form whilst at the head of a down short Type 9 service on 20th July 1964.

45xx class (preserved) no. 4555. Queen's Head. 20 July 1964 - R Postill 4500 4555 4555 0 2-6-2T Swindon Works Lot 22 Sep 1924 Nov 1963 83D Plymouth Laira Preserved @ Paignton & Dartmouth Rly Intact

A West Country-based engine, built by the GWR in Swindon in 1924, No 4555 worked occasionally on our branch and headed the last BR freight train on the line in 1962. She was purchased for preservation straight from BR service in 1965 and was the first engine to arrive on the newly preserved line in 1965, closely followed by No 3205. She was a very regular performer on our line in the early days when it was called the Dart Valley Railway, hauling the official opening train with Dr Beeching aboard in 1969. When the then owners of our line purchased the Paignton to Dartmouth line in 1973, 4555 was one of the locomotives transferred over there to work what was then known as the Torbay Steam Railway, where she remains to this day. It is one only three of the 45xx class locomotives to have survived into preservation. The others, Nos 4561 and 4566, are on the West Somerset Railway and Severn Valley Railway respectively.
 
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Great Western Railway 2-6-2T 45xx class small prairie No 4558 arriving at Warwick with a down passenger in the late 1930s. The stock appears to be corridor coaches so at least one is likely to have been separated at Leamington Spa from one of the two Paddington to Birmingham services that contained a portion to be forwarded to Stratford upon Avon. These were the 10:10 and 14:10 London to Birmingham down express services.

The first coach is a corridor brake composite toplight with three third and three first class compartments. It is probably a diagram E83 coach of which fifteen were built as lot 1138 completed in December 1907. The second coach is also a corridor brake composite, but of later vintage. It appears to be a diagram E148 coach, of which twenty were built as lot 1508 completed in July 1934 and a further twenty as lot 1526 completed in May 1935. These coaches were 56 feet long and had four third and two first class compartments, accessed on the corridor side by three doors. They had large windows, but the coach waistline was higher than in previous stock, which somewhat limited the passengers view. There is a destination roof-board on this coach.

Locomotive No 4558 was built in September 1924 at Swindon Works as part of lot 226. The first of the class had been built in the Wolverhampton Works in 1906 and the design was similar to the 44xx class, but with a larger coupled wheel diameter which gave them a faster acceleration making them more suitable for the light passenger duties that they were intended for. Over time minor variations were introduced and No 4558 was built with larger bunkers and outside steam pipes, but retained the tall safety valve bonnet. The boiler was superheated and the pressure increased to 200lb producing a tractive effort at 85% of 21,250lbs (power classification C). The maximum axle weight was 14tons, 10cwt which limited the locomotives to main lines and most branch lines (route availability Yellow).

Locomotive No 4558 was originally allocated to Laira shed (LA) outside Plymouth, but in 1934, was known to have been allocated to Worcester shed (WOS). No 4558 was at Worcester shed prior to nationalisation in December 1947. In July 1962, the locomotive was withdrawn from Whitland shed (87H)
 
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Baltimore & Ohio - BO 4559 - Location: Huntington, WV

Built by Alco 1924 as Toledo, Angola & Western No. 100. Sold to Elk River Coal & Lumber Co. of West Virginia ca. 1949. Donated to NRHS Museum, Huntington, WV 1963. Displayed as B&O Q-3 4559, although the lettering has been "Q-4b".
 
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Great Western Class 45xx No. 4561
This class was designed as small mixed traffic branch locomotives, mainly used on branch lines. The design was based on the earlier 44xx class but with larger driving wheels and altered wheel spacing. This gave them extra speed — capable of 60 mph (97 km/h) in service.

A total of 75 were built; 55 were built in four batches between 1906 and 1915 and a fifth batch of 20 locos was built in 1924, during Charles Collett’s tenure at Swindon. The first two batches were originally numbered 2161–2190 but were renumbered 4500–4529 during 1912. The first batch (2161–2180) is significant in that it was the last batch of locos built at Stafford Road Works, Wolverhampton. Of this batch 2168 (as 4507) was the last Wolverhampton-built loco to remain in service with BR, not being withdrawn until 1963. The final two batches built were nos. 4530-4554 in 1913-15 and nos. 4555-4574 in 1924.

The 4575 class was a later development with larger side tanks.
 
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