The first Locomotives of the Great Western Railway (GWR) were specified by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but Daniel Gooch was soon appointed as the railway's Locomotive Superintendent. He designed several different broad gauge types for the growing railway, such as the Firefly and later Iron Duke Class. In 1864 Gooch was succeeded by Joseph Armstrong who brought his standard gauge experience to the workshops at Swindon. To replace some of the earlier locomotives, he put broad gauge wheels on his standard gauge locomotives and from this time on all locomotives were given numbers, including the broad gauge ones that had previously carried just names.
Joseph Armstrong's early death in 1877 meant that the next phase of motive power design was the responsibility of William Dean, his assistant and successor. Dean went on to develop express 4-4-0 types, but the familiar 4-6-0s of later years were initially introduced by the next engineer, George Jackson Churchward. He was also responsible for the introduction of self-propelled Steam Rail Motors for suburban and light branch line passenger trains. Next came Charles Collett in 1921; he standardised the many types of locomotives then in service, producing the iconic Castle and Kings. He also introduced diesel power in the form of streamlined rail cars in 1934. The final engineer was Frederick Hawksworth who took control in 1941 and produced GWR-design locomotives until after nationalisation in 1948.
The GWR expanded rapidly from 1854 by amalgamating with other railways. In 1876 most of the remaining broad gauge companies became a part of the GWR. The Railways Act 1921 finally brought most of the remaining independent companies in the area under its control. Many early locomotives were replaced by standard GWR designs, but many others were rebuilt using standardised components.
Livery
For most of the period of its existence, the GWR painted its locomotives a middle chrome green. They initially had Indian red frames but this was later changed to black. Nameplates and numberplates were generally of polished brass with a black background, and chimneys often had copper or brass rims, often referred to as "caps".
Great Western Railway locomotives
Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1835–1837)
The GWR's first locomotives were specified by Isambard Kingdom Brunel but did not prove too successful. He had provided manufacturers with a number of requirements (including a piston speed of no more than at a running speed of , and a maximum weight in working order of on six wheels), and left each manufacturer the freedom to produce designs that would meet those requirements; even with that freedom, these manufacturers found the task difficult. In order to meet his demands some novel ideas were tried such as the Haigh Foundry's geared locomotives and TE Harrison's Hurricane and Thunderer which had the engine and boiler on separate chassis. Gooch further developed the broad gauge locomotive fleet, producing the first bogie tank design for the steep and curving South Devon lines in 1849, and condensing locomotives for the Metropolitan Railway in 1862. He produced over 100 Ariadne class goods locomotives to a standardised design at a time when most classes ran to only ten or twenty locomotives, and components he designed were often interchangeable between different classes.
thumb|GWR Ariadne class loco "Nemesis", at Trowbridge, not later than 1872
thumb|GWR Iron Duke class locos, awaiting scrapping at the end of their life
Broad gauge
Standard gauge
Joseph Armstrong (Wolverhampton 1854 – 1864, Swindon 1864 – 1877)
In 1864 Gooch was succeeded by Joseph Armstrong who brought his standard gauge experience gained in the Northern Division to bear on the larger broad gauge locomotives. He designed the Hawthorn class of 2-4-0 and, in 1870, started the renewal of the Iron Dukes with more powerful boilers. The conversion of many broad gauge lines to standard gauge meant that this was a period of consolidation but in 1876 the amalgamation of the Bristol and Exeter and South Devon Railway locomotives saw 180 locomotives added to the GWR's fleet. To replace some of these earlier locomotives, Armstrong put broad gauge wheels on his standard gauge 1076 Class and from this time on GWR locomotives were given numbers rather than the names that had been carried by broad gauge locomotives up till then.
Broad gauge
Standard gauge
George Armstrong (Wolverhampton 1864 – 1897)
After his brother was promoted to Swindon, George Armstrong took his place at Wolverhampton and for the next 33 years continued to repair, rebuild and build standard-gauge locomotives in a spirit of independence from Swindon, just as Joseph had done during his own ten years at Wolverhampton. Most of the new locomotives built there were tank engines, some of them very long-lived; a few even survived the Second World War.
William Dean (1877–1902)
Joseph Armstrong's early death in 1877 meant that the final phase of broad gauge motive power was the responsibility of William Dean. He continued the Iron Duke renewal programme and added more convertibles, including some of Armstrong's 388 class goods locomotives. He also developed some elegant express locomotives such as the 3031 Class singles.
Broad gauge
- Nos. 8, 14, 16 2-4-0
- 3001 class 2-2-2
- 3501 class 2-4-0T
- 3521 class 0-4-2ST, later 0-4-4T
Standard gauge
The majority of saddle tanks were rebuilt with pannier tanks from 1902 onwards.
George Jackson Churchward (1902–1922)
thumb|left|A Saint class locomotive
George Jackson Churchward started his railway career in the South Devon Railway locomotive workshops at Newton Abbot. After that company became a part of the GWR in 1876 he was sent to Swindon and worked under Armstrong and Dean. After his appointment as Locomotive Superintendent in 1902 he developed a series of standard locomotive types with flat-topped Belpaire fireboxes, tapered boilers, long smokeboxes, boiler top feeds, long-lap long-travel valve gear, and many standardised parts such as wheels, cylinders and connecting rods.
For express passenger trains he quickly turned out the City class of 4-4-0s, the first taking to the rails in 1903. The following year one of these, 3717 City of Truro, was reputedly the first locomotive in the world to exceed 100 mph. A larger 4-4-0 was produced in 1904 in the form of the County class, but further increases in size demanded more wheels.
Other innovations during Churchward's office included the introduction of self-propelled Steam Rail Motors for suburban and light branch line passenger trains. From 1915 his post was renamed that of the 'Chief Mechanical Engineer'. He also remodelled Swindon Works, building the boiler-erecting shops and the first static locomotive-testing plant in the United Kingdom.
thumb|GWR 1361 Class 1363 at Didcot Railway Centre, 2005
Charles Collett (1922–1941)
Charles Collett became the Chief Mechanical Engineer in 1921. Almost straight away he had to take on all the locomotives of myriad types from the railways absorbed in 1922 and 1923. Many of these were 'Swindonised', that is they were rebuilt using standard GWR parts. He also set about designing many new types to replace the older examples. Many of the most familiar GWR tank locomotive classes were designed during this period: the 1400 class for small branch lines and auto trains; the 4575 class (a development of the 4500 class with larger tanks) and the large 6100 class 2-6-2Ts; the massive 7200 class of rebuilt 4200 class 2-8-2Ts; and the iconic pannier tanks of the 5700 class, the first of which appeared in 1929.
Collett further developed the 4-6-0 type as the ideal GWR express locomotive, extending the Stars into Castles in 1923, and then producing the largest of them all, the four-cylinder King class, in 1927. He also produced slightly smaller types for mixed traffic (either passenger and goods) duties, the Hall class in 1928, the Grange class in 1934, and the Manor class in 1934. All these continued to carry appropriate names. For lighter goods services he produced his own standard 0-6-0, the 2251 class.
It was under Collett's control that diesel power first appeared on the GWR. He introduced the first streamlined rail cars in 1934 and by 1942 38 had been built, although the latter ones had more angular styling. Some were configured for long-distance express services with buffet counters, others for branch line or parcels work, and some were designed as two-car sets.
thumb|right|Preserved Castle Class Locomotives 5043 and 7029 at Tyseley.
Frederick Hawksworth (1941–1949)
Frederick Hawksworth only became the Chief Mechanical Engineer in 1941 and the Second World War meant that his new designs were few. He updated Collett's Hall class to produce the GWR 6959 Class, known as "Modified Halls", and produced the last GWR 2-cylinder 4-6-0s, the County class 4-6-0, which ended a tradition that had begun with the Saint class 42 years before. Their boilers were based on those of the LMS Stanier Class 8F 2-8-0, a number of which had been built at Swindon during the War. Other designs included three designs of 0-6-0PT: the taper boilered 9400 class; the 1500 class with outside Walschaerts valve gear and no running plate designed for pilot work around large stations; and the very light 1600 Class. Hawksworth had intended to introduce a fleet of Pacifics dubbed the Cathedral class, but this was abandoned.
thumb|right|Preserved Hawksworth 1500 Class Pannier Tank 1501 at Bewdley.
Locomotives of amalgamated companies (1854–1920)
Bristol and Exeter Railway
Bristol and Exeter Railway locomotives were absorbed on 1 January 1876. The broad gauge locomotives were numbered in the series 2001 to 2095; the standard gauge locomotives were numbered in the series 1353 – 1382.
- 1353 – 1382 standard gauge locomotives
- 2001 – 2004 Broad gauge 8 feet 10 inch 4-2-4T
- 2005 – 2006 Broad gauge 8 feet 10 inch 4-2-4T
- 2007 – 2014 Broad gauge 4-2-2
- 2015 – 2024 Broad gauge 2-4-0
- 2025 – 2027 Convertible 2-4-0
- 2028 – 2053 Broad gauge 4-4-0ST
- 2054 – 2057 Broad gauge 2-2-2T
- 2058 ex-South Wales Mineral Railway broad gauge 0-4-2T
- 2059 – 2076 Broad gauge 0-6-0
- 2077 – 2090 ex-GWR Swindon Class 0-6-0
- 2091 Broad gauge 0-6-0T
- 2092 – 2093 Broad gauge 0-6-0ST
- 2094 – 2095 Broad gauge 0-4-0T
Bristol Port Railway and Pier
Jointly vested with the Midland Railway from 1 September 1890.
Opened on 6 March 1865, the line was worked by the contractor Waring Bros until 1869 when the company was left to make its own arrangements. Two locomotives were owned by the company but never taken into stock of either the Great Western Railway or the Midland Railway. They were 0-4-2Ts which appear to have been rebuilt from ex-London and North Western Railway tender engines.
Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway
The Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway on 1 July 1881.
Three locomotives (+ 1)
- 1 645 Class 0-6-0ST/0-6-0PT, WPN No 196, GWR No (1881) 902, bought November 1872
- 2 645 Class 0-6-0ST/0-6-0PT, WPN No 194, GWR No (1881) 903, bought October 1872
- 3 645 Class 0-6-0ST/0-6-0PT, WPN No 189, GWR No (1881) 904, bought May 1876
- Victor Fossick & Hackworth, Wks No 176, built 1864 ex Llanelly Railway, 0-6-0, bought December 1872
Cornwall Minerals Railway
Nine locomotives were transferred from the Cornwall Mineral Railway on 1 July 1877, and a further one on 1 July 1896.
- 1388 Peckett and Sons 0-6-0ST (1896)
- 1392 – 1400 Sharp, Stewart and Company 0-6-0T (1877)
Festiniog and Blaenau Railway
This railway was of 1' 11½" gauge and was taken over on 13 April 1883. It was later converted to standard gauge as the extension of the new Bala & Festiniog Railway after purchase by the Great Western Railway.
Two locomotives were taken over, both being built by Manning Wardle.
- 1 Manning Wardle Wks No 259, 0-4-2ST, built 1868
- 2 Manning Wardle Wks No 260, 0-4-2ST, built 1868
Hook Norton Ironstone Partnership
This concern was in liquidation when the Great Western Railway purchased an engine in July 1904.
- Hook Norton, Manning Wardle, Wks No 1127, 0-6-0ST, built in November 1889. Eventually sold to the Fishguard & Rosslare Railways & Harbours Company in September 1907, it came back into GW Stock in October 1913 and lasted until January 1926. Given GW No 1337.
Liskeard and Caradon Railway
Three locomotives were acquired on 1 January 1909, they were used on both the Caradon and the Liskeard and Looe Railways. GWR experimental 4-4-0ST number 13 was also regularly used on the line, at first hired to the Liskeard and Caradon, but it continued to be used after the Great Western Railway took over operations.
- 1308 Lady Margret – an Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. 2-4-0T
- 1311 Cheesewring – a Gilkes Wilson and Company 0-6-0ST
- 1312 Kilmar – a Hopkins Gilkes and Company 0-6-0ST
Llanelly Railway
The 21 locomotives acquired in 1873 were renumbered into the 894 – 914 series.
Llynvi and Ogmore Railway
12 locomotives were acquired in 1873, including four which had originated on the West Cornwall Railway. They were renumbered in the 915 – 926 series.
Manchester and Milford Railway
Seven locomotives were acquired by the Great Western Railway
- 3 Lady Elizabeth, Sharp Stewart 2-4-0 Wks No 1756, delivered in July 1866. Allocated GW No 1305, it was sold immediately.
- 4 Aberystwyth, Manning Wardle 0-6-0 Wks No 255, delivered in July 1868. Given GW No 1339, withdrawn December 1906.
- 5, Sharp Stewart 0-6-0 Wks No 2036 in July 1870. Allocated 1340 but withdrawn in August 1906.
- 2 Plynlimmon, Sharp Stewart 2-4-2T Wks No 3710. Given GW No 1304 and lasted until July 1916.
- 6 Cader Idris, Sharp Stewart 2-4-2T Wks No 4128. Given GW No 1306 and lasted until April 1919.
- 7, London & North Western Railway 0-6-0 built at Crewe in November 1889 as L&NWR 1095. Given GW No 1341 and lasted until November 1906.
- 1, London & North Western Railway 0-6-0 built at Crewe in August 1880 as L&NWR 2387. Given GW No 1338 and lasted until December 1915.
- 8, Great Western Railway 2301 Class (Dean Goods) 0-6-0 (ex GW 2301) on loan from summer 1905.
- 9, Great Western Railway 2301 Class (Dean Goods) 0-6-0 (ex GW 2351) on loan from summer 1905.
- 10, Great Western Railway 2301 Class (Dean Goods) 0-6-0 (ex GW 2532) on loan from summer 1905.
Monmouthshire Railway
53 (+1) locomotives were taken over in 1875. They were renumbered into the 1301 – 1352 series.
Worked from 1 August 1875, amalgamated 1 August 1880.
- 1 Grylls & Co built 1847 0-8-0
- 2, 3, 4, 5 Neath Abbey Ironworks built 1848, 0-6-0
- 6, 7, 8 (GWR 1315–1317) Stothert, Slaughter & Co built 1847, delivered 1849, 0-6-0
- 9, 10 (GWR 1302 & 1301) Sharp Brothers built 1849, 2-4-0WT
- 11 (purchased from the contractors Waring & Son 1849) possibly 0-4-0
North Pembrokeshire and Fishguard Railway
Taken over July 1898.
3 locomotives (all 0-6-0STs).
- Precelly, Hudswell Clarke, Wks No 175, built January 1875, given GW No 1379 and sold in March 1907.
- Ringing Rock, Manning Wardle, Wks No 630, built in 1876, given GW No 1380 and eventually ended up at the Kent & East Sussex Railway as their No 8 Hesperus until 1941.
- Margaret, Fox, Walker and Company, Wks No 410 was built in November 1878 and given GW No 1378. Sold in 1910 to the Gwendraeth Valleys Railway as their No 2 in July 1910. When the Great Western Railway took over that concern, they did not take it into stock but sold it to the Kidwelly Timplate Co. Ltd. in March 1923. It carried a GW Registration Plate No 73 of 1911 and ceased work in 1941. It has since been preserved in a non-operating condition and can be seen at Scolton Manor Museum near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, not far from its original line.
Pembroke and Tenby Railway
8 locomotives acquired on 1 July 1896.
- 1360 Tenby, 1361 Milford Sharp Stewart 2-2-2T
- 1362 Pembroke Sharp Stewart 2-4-0
(NB ?? Re number 1361 – An extant photo exists in the SLS Stanford Jacobs Collection showing 1361 to be Pembroke.)
- 1363 Owen, 1364 Davies, 1365 Cambria later Tenby Sharp Stewart 0-6-0
- 1813 Holmwood Great Western Railway 1813 class 0-6-0T
- 3201 Stella Great Western Railway Stella class 2-4-0
- Llandinam, a Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST was owned by David Davies and used in the construction of the line. It was removed by him before the directors took over in 1870.
- Further reading can be found at http://members.lycos.co.uk/Graham_Davies/Railways/PandTR.html
Severn and Wye and Severn Bridge Railway
The railway was vested jointly between the Great Western Railway and the Midland Railway on 1 July 1894 .
Seven locomotives were taken over on 1 October 1895.
- Will Scarlet, Fletcher, Jennings & Co. Wks No 122, 0-6-0T was given GW No 1356.
- Little John, Fletcher, Jennings & Co. Wks No 140, 0-6-0T went to the Midland Railway as their 1123A
- Alan-a-dale, Fletcher, Jennings & Co. Wks No 157, 0-6-0T was given GW No 1355
- Maid Marian, Avonside Engine Co. Wks No 940, 0-6-0T was given GW No 1357
- Ranger, a 0-6-0 tender engine was altered to a ST by the Avonside Engine Co. in January 1891 and given GW No 1358
- Wye, Fletcher, Jennings & Co. Wks No 153, 0-6-0ST became GW No 1359
- Severn Bridge, Vulcan Foundry Wks No 860, 0-6-0T, was given GW No 1354
- Gaveller, Vulcan Foundry Wks No 1309, 0-6-0T, was given GW No 1353
- Sharpness, Vulcan Foundry Wks No 850, 0-6-0T, went to the Midland Railway as their 1124A
- Sabrina, Vulcan Foundry Wks No 953, 0-6-0T, went to the Midland Railway as their 1125A
- Forester, Vulcan Foundry Wks No 1163, 0-6-0T, went to the Midland Railway as their 1126A
South Devon Railway
The 85 broad gauge locomotives added to the Great Western Railway fleet on 1 February 1876 included not just the South Devon Railway locomotives but also the 19 owned by the Cornwall Railway and 8 from the West Cornwall Railway, which had all operated in a common pool since 1866. They were numbered in the 2096 – 2180 series but, generally, also retained their names.
Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway
39 locomotives acquired on 1 January 1922.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! A(N&SW)D&R Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. || 0-6-2ST || 3 || 29–31 || 190–193 || align=left|
|-
| Hawthorn Leslie || 0-6-2T || 1 || 26 || 663 || align=left|
|-
| R and W Hawthorn || || 2 || 12–13 || 664–665 || align=left|
|-
| Kerr, Stuart & Co. || 0-6-0T || 2|| 34–35 || 666–667 || align=left|
|-
| Robert Stephenson and Company || 0-6-0ST || 3 || 15, 20–21 || 668–670 || align=left| Double-framed
|-
| Hawthorn Leslie || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 16–17 || 671–672 || align=left|
|-
| Robert Stephenson and Company || 0-6-0ST || 5 || 1–5 || 674–678 || align=left|
|-
| Peckett and Sons || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 18–19 || 679–680 || align=left|
|-
| GWR || 0-6-0ST || 1 || 33 || 993 || align=left| ex-GWR 850 Class
|-
| Kitson & Co. || 2-6-2T || 1 || 25 || 1199 || align=left| ex-Mersey Railway class III
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || 2-6-2T || 6 || 6–11 || 1207–1209, 1211, 1201, 1204 || align=left| ex-Mersey Railway class II
|-
| Hawthorn Leslie || 2-6-2T || 2 || 36–37 || 1205–1206 || align=left|
|-
| Avonside Engine Company || 0-4-0ST || 2 || Trojan and Alexandra || 1340–1341 || align=left|
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || 0-6-4T || 3 || 22–24 || 1344–1346 || align=left| ex-Mersey Railway class I
|-
| Fletcher, Jennings & Co. || 0-6-0T || 1 || 32 || 1356 || align=left| ex-Severn and Wye Railway
|-
| GWR Wolverhampton Works || 0-4-2T || 1 || 14 || 1426 || align=left| ex-GWR 517 Class
|-
| GWR || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 27–28 || 1679, 1683 || align=left| ex-GWR 1661 Class
|-
|}
Barry Railway
148 Barry Railway locomotives acquired on 1 January 1922 and given random numbers in several series.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Class !! Type !! Quantity !! Barry Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| A || 0-6-0T || 5 || 1–5 || 699–700, 702–703, 706 ||Three of this class were sold on as industrial locos during the Grouping. GWR 699 was sold to the Coltness Iron Co Ltd in June 1932. It was then transferred to the Warwickshire Coal Company in 1933 for use at the Coventry Colliery, where it worked until 1962. GWR 700 was sold to Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds in Dowlais in October 1927 and scrapped in August 1950. GWR 703 was sold to the Ocean Coal Co Ltd in August 1932 for use at the Lady Windsor Colliery in Ynysbwl; it was scrapped in 1956.
|-
| B || 0-6-2T || 25 || 6–20, 23–32 || 198–201, 203–204, 206–214, 223–232 ||
|-
| B1 || 0-6-2T || 42 || 38–46, 54–63, 73–78, 105–116, 122–126 || 233–235, 238, 240–277 ||
|-
| C || 2-4-2T || 2 || 21–22 || 1322–1323 ||
|-
| D || 0-8-0 || 4 || 35–36, 92–93 || 1387–1390 ||
|-
| E || 0-6-0T || 5 || 33–34, 50–51, 53 || 781–785 ||
|-
| F || || 28 || 37, 47–49, 52, 64–65, 70–72, 99–104, 127–138 || 708, 710–726, 807, 729, 742, 747, 74, 776–780 ||
|-
| G || 0-4-4T || 4 || 66–69 || 2–4, 9 ||
|-
| H || 0-8-2T || 7 || 79–85 || 1380–1386 ||
|-
| J || 2-4-2T || 11 || 86–91, 94–98 || 1311–1321 ||
|-
| K || 0-6-2T || 6 || 117–121 || 193–197 ||
|-
| L || 0-6-4T || 10 || 139–148 || 1347–1355, 1357 ||
|}
Brecon and Merthyr Railway
47 locomotives acquired on 1 July 1922.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! B&MR Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 0-6-2T || 14 || 36–43, 45–50 || 11, 21, 332, 504, 698, 888, 1084, 1113, 1372–1375, 1668, 1670 || 36/45 Class, similar to Rhymney Railway R class and P class respectively
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || 4-4-2T || 1 || 44 || 1391 || ex-LSWR 46 class No. 0376
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 2-4-0T || 5 || 9–12, 25 || 1402, 1412, 1460, 1452, 1458 ||
|-
| Vulcan Foundry || 0-6-2T || 4 || 19–20, 23, 26 || 1674, 1677, 1692, 1833 ||
|-
| GWR || 0-6-0ST || 3 || 32–34 || 1685, 1693, 1694 || ex-GWR 1661 Class
|-
| Kerr, Stuart & Co. || 0-6-0T || 1 || 35 || 2161 ||
|-
| Kitson & Co. || || 2 || 22, 24 || 2169–2170 ||
|-
| Nasmyth, Wilson & Co. || 0-6-0ST || 3 || 27–29 || 2171–2173 ||
|-
| John Fowler & Co. || 0-6-0ST || 6 || 1–4, 13–14 || 2177–2180, 2185–2186 ||
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 0-6-0ST || 6 || 5–8, 15–16 || 2181–2184, 2186–2188 ||
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 17–18 || 2190–2191 ||
|-
|}
Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway
15 locomotives acquired on 1 July 1922.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! BP&GV Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || 0-6-0T || 7 || 2, 9, 11–15 || 2162–2168 ||
|-
| Avonside Engine Company || || 2 || 4–5 || 2194–2195 || Named Kidwelly, Cwm Mawr,
|-
| Avonside Engine Company || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 6–7 || 2196, 2176 || Named Gwendraeth, and Pembury
|-
| Chapman and Furneaux || 0-6-0ST || 1 || 1 || 2192 || Named Ashburnham
|-
| Chapman and Furneaux || 0-6-0ST || 1 || 3 || 2193 || Named Burry Port
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || 0-6-0T || 2 || 8, 10 || 2197, 2198 || No. 8 named Pioneer
|-
|}
Cambrian Railways
94 standard gauge locomotives acquired on 1 January 1922 given random numbers in various series..
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|-
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! CAM Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Nasmyth, Wilson & Co. || 0-4-4T || 6 || 3, 5, 7–9, 23 || 10, 11, 15, 19–21 || Aston
|-
| Hunslet Engine Company || 0-6-0T || 1 || 24 || 819 || ex-Lambourn Valley Railway, withdrawn 1946
|-
| Chapman and Furneaux || 0-6-0T|| 2 || 26, 35 || 820–821 || ex-Lambourn Valley Railway, withdrawn 1930/32
|-
| Manning Wardle || || 1 || 30 || 824 || ex-Mawddwy Railway
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 0-6-0 || 5 || 89–93 || 887–892 || Jones, built 1903
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || 0-6-0 || 5 || 38, 99–102 || 864, 892–896 || Jones, built 1908
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || 0-6-0 || 5 || 15, 29, 41, 42, 54 || 844, 849, 855, 873, 887 || Jones, built 1918–19
|-
| Neilson & Co. || 0-6-0 || 5 || 73–77 || 875–876, 878–880 || Aston, built 1894
|-
| Vulcan Foundry || 0-6-0 || 3 || 78–80 || 881–883 || Aston, built 1895
|-
| Neilson, Reid & Co. || 0-6-0 || 2 || 87–88 || 884–885 || Aston, built 1899
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 0-6-0 || 9 || 4, 14, 40, 45–46, 48–49, 51–52 || 897–901, 908–911 || 22 built
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 4-4-0 || 4 || 94, 96–98 || 1014, 1029, 1035, 1043 || 5 built
|-
| CAM, Oswestry Works || 4-4-0 || 2 || 11, 19 || 1068, 1082 ||
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 4-4-0 || 15 || 81, 61–72, 83–84 || 1084, 1088, 1090–1091, 1093, 1096–1097, 1100–1107 || 16 built. 1106 renumbered 1110 in 1926
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 4-4-0 || 4 || 32, 47, 85–86 || 1085–1086, 1108–1109 || 1106 renumbered 1110 in 1926
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 4-4-0 || 6 || 50, 60, 16–17, 20–21 || 1110, 1112, 1115–1118 ||
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || 4-4-0T || 6 || 34, 36, 2, 12, 33, 37 || 1113–1114, 1129–1132 || ex-Metropolitan Railway A Class; 34 & 36 had been rebuilt as 4-4-0 in 1915–16
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 2-4-0T || 5 || 44, 56–59 || 1190–1192, 1196–1197 ||
|-
| || 2-4-0 || 2 || 10, 1 || 1328–1329 || ex-GWR 2-4-0
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 2-4-0 || 4 || 41, 43, 53, 55 || 1330–1333 ||
|-
| || 4-4-0 || 2 || 82, 95 || 3521, 3546 || ex-GWR 3521 Class
|}
Vale of Rheidol Railway
Three gauge locomotives acquired with the Cambrian Railways on 1 January 1922, also two new locomotives, similar to the earlier 2-6-2Ts, built in 1923.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! CAM Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Davies & Metcalfe || || 2 || VoR 1 & 2 || 1212–1213 || 1213 "renewed" in 1924
|-
| W. G. Bagnall || 2-4-0T || 1 || VoR 3 || 1198 ||
|-
| GWR Swindon Works || 2-6-2T || 2 || — || 7–8 || built 1923; named Owain Glyndŵr and Llywelyn
|-
| GWR Swindon Works || 2-6-2T || 1 || — || 1213 || built 1924; renumbered 9 in 1949; named Prince of Wales
|-
|}
Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
Two gauge 0-6-0T locomotives acquired with the Cambrian Railways on 1 January 1922.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! CAM Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || || 2 || WLLR 1 & 2 || 822–823 || Named The Earl and Countess
|}
Cardiff Railway
36 locomotives acquired on 1 January 1922.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! CR Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Kitson & Co. || 0-6-2ST || 13 || 20, 22, 33–35, 1, 9–10, 28, 11, 21, 27, 26 || 151–163 ||
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || 0-6-0ST || 4 || 14, 16, 17, 32 || 681–684 ||
|-
| Kitson & Co. || 0-6-0T || 8 || 7, 3, 4, 8, 13, 30, 29 || 685–688, 690–692 ||
|-
| Kitson & Co. || || 1 || 2 || 693 ||
|-
| Parfitt and Jenkins || 0-6-0ST || 4 || 12, 15, 18, 19 || 694–697 ||
|-
| Cardiff Docks || 0-6-0ST || 1 || 24 || 698 ||
|-
| LNWR Crewe Works || 2-4-2T || 1 || 36 || 1327 || ex-LNWR 4ft 6in Tank Class
|-
| Kitson & Co. || 0-4-0ST || 2 || 5, 6 || 1338, 1339 ||
|-
| || 0-6-0ST || 3 || 31, 23, 25 || 1667, 1676, 1689 || ex-GWR 1661 Class
|-
|}
Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway
Two locomotives were acquired on 1 January 1922
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! CMDP Name !! GWR No. !! Notes
|-
| Manning Wardle || || 2 || Cleobury and Burwarton || 28 and 29 || rebuilt as 0-6-0PT
|-
|}
Gwendraeth Valleys Railway
2 0-6-0ST locomotives were acquired on 1 January 1923. One was given a GWR number, but the second (Margaret) was sold without being allocated a GWR number.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! GVR No. !! GWR No. !! Notes
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || || 1 || 1 Velindre || 26 ||
|-
| Fox, Walker & Co. || 0-6-0ST || 1 || 2 Margaret || — || Sold to Kidwelly Timplate Company in 1923
|-
|}
Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway
8 locomotives acquired on 1 January 1923.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! LMMR Name !! GWR No. !! Notes
|-
| Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. || 0-6-0T || 1 || George Waddell || 312 || Sold in 1934
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || 0-6-0T || 2 || Tarndune || 339 ||
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || || 1 || Hilda || 359 ||
|-
| Manning Wardle || 0-6-0T || 1 || Victory || 704 ||
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || 0-6-0T || 1 || Ravelston || 803 ||
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || 0-6-0T || 1 || Merkland || 937 ||
|-
| Avonside Engine Company || 0-6-0T || 1 || Great Mountain || 944 || Sold in 1928
|-
| Fox, Walker & Co. || 0-6-0ST || 1 || Seymour Clarke || 969 ||
|-
|}
Midland and South Western Junction Railway
The M&SWJR's Locomotive Superintendent from 1903 to 1923 was James Tyrell.
29 locomotives acquired on 1 January 1923.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! M&SWJ Nos. !! GWR Nos. || Notes
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || || 1 || 15 || 23 ||
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || 2-6-0 || 1 || 16 || 24 ||
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 4-4-4T || 2 || 17–18 || 25, 27 ||
|-
| Dübs & Co. || 0-6-0T || 2 || 13–14 || 825, 843 ||
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || 0-6-0 || 10 || 19–28 || 1003–1011, 1013 ||
|-
| North British Locomotive Co. || 4-4-0 || 9 || 1–8, 31 || 1119–1126, 1128 ||
|-
| Dübs & Co. || 4-4-0 || 1 || 9 || 1127 ||
|-
| Dübs & Co. || 2-4-0 || 3 || 10–12 || 1334–1336 ||
|-
|}
The three Dübs 2-4-0s were the only M&SWJR locomotives to survive into British Railways ownership in 1948. At least one of them was used on the Lambourn Valley Railway, probably because of its light axle load.
Neath and Brecon Railway
15 locomotives acquired on 1 July 1922.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! N&BR Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 0-6-2T || 3 || 11–13 || 1114, 1117, 1277 || similar to Rhymney M class
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 0-6-2T || 2 || 9, 10 || 1327, 1371 || ex-Port Talbot Railway 5 and 6
|-
| Yorkshire Engine Company || 4-4-0T || 1 || 5 || 1392 ||
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 2-4-0T || 1 || 6 || 1400 ||
|-
| || || 2 || 14–15 || 1563, 1591 || ex-GWR 1076 Class
|-
| || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 16, 3 || 1715, 1882 || ex-GWR 1701 Class
|-
| Nasmyth, Wilson & Co. || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 7–8 || 2174–2175 ||
|-
| Avonside Engine Company || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 1–2 || 2189, 2199 ||
|-
|}
Port Talbot Railway and Docks Company
22 locomotives acquired on 1 January 1922.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! PTRD Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 0-6-2T || 7 || 8–14 || 183–187 ||
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || || 6 || 22–27 || 808–809, 811–814 ||
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 3, 15 || 815, 816 ||
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 2-4-0T || 1 || 37 || 1189 ||
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 2-4-2T || 1 || 36 || 1326 || rebuilt from 2-4-0T in 1898
|-
| Sharp, Stewart & Co. || 0-8-2T || 3 || 17–19 || 1358–1360 ||
|-
| Cooke Locomotive & Machine Works || 0-8-2T || 2 || 20–21 || 1378–1379 ||
|-
|}
Powlesland and Mason
Powlesland and Mason were contractors at Swansea Docks, and their 9 locomotives were acquired on 1 January 1924.
{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! P&M Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Peckett and Sons || || 3 || 3, 4, 12 || 696, 779, 935 || Renumbered 1150–1152 between 1949 and 1951
|-
| Brush Electrical || 0-4-0ST || 2 || 5 and 6 || 795, 921 ||
|-
| Avonside Engine Co. || 0-4-0ST || 1 || 7 || 925 || ex-GWR 1330, South Devon Railway Raven class
|-
| Peckett and Sons || 0-4-0ST || 1 || 11 || 927 || Renumbered 1153 in 1949
|-
| Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. || 0-4-0ST || 1 || 14 || 928 ||
|-
| Hawthorn Leslie || 0-4-0ST || 1 || Dorothy || 942 ||
|-
|}
Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway
37 locomotives acquired on 1 January 1922.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! R&SB No. !! GWR No. !! Notes
|-
| Kitson & Co. || 0-6-2T || 4 || 25–28 || 164–167 ||
|-
| Kitson & Co. || 0-6-2T || 12 || 8–16, 20–22 || 168–179 ||
|-
| Robert Stephenson & Co. || 0-6-2T || 2 || 23, 24 || 180, 182 || ex-Port Talbot Railway
|-
| Kitson & Co. || 0-6-2T || 1 || 4 || 181 ||
|-
| GWR || || 4 || 32, 34, 31, 2 || 728, 1167, 1652, 1660 || ex-GWR 1076 Class
|-
| Beyer, Peacock & Co. || 0-6-0T || 5 || 1, 3, 5–7 || 789, 801, 802, 805, 806 ||
|-
| Kitson & Co. || 2-4-2T || 3 || 17–19 || 1307, 1309, 1310 ||
|-
| GWR || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 36, 35 || 1710, 1756 || ex-GWR 1701 Class
|-
| GWR Swindon Works || 0-6-0ST || 2 || 37, 30 || 1825, 1834 || ex-GWR 1813 Class
|-
| GWR Swindon Works || 0-6-0ST || 1 || 33 || 2756 || ex-GWR 2721 Class
|-
|}
Rhymney Railway
123 locomotives acquired on 1 January 1922 given numbers in random series.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Class !! Type !! Quantity !! RR Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| A || 0-6-2T || 16 || 10–15, 18–22, 115–119 || 52–62, 71–75 ||
|-
| A1 || 0-6-2T || 8 || 23–30 || 63–70 ||
|-
| AP || 0-6-2T || 4 || 35–38 || 78–81 ||
|-
| B || || 2 || 120–121 || 661–662 ||
|-
| I & J || 0-6-0ST || 11 || 48–53, 033, 036 || 612, 614, 618–619, 622, 625, 629, 631, 657, 659–660 ||
|-
| K || 0-6-2T || 46 || 7–9, 57–61, 67–96, 98–105 || 84–91, 97–101, 105–110, 112–115, 117–119, 122, 127, 129–131, 133–146, 148 ||
|-
| L || 2-4-2T || 2 || 65–66 || 1324–1325 ||
|-
| L1 || 0-6-2T || 2 || 63–64 || 159–150 ||
|-
| M || 0-6-2T || 6 || 16, 106–110 || 33, 47–51 ||
|-
| P || 0-6-2T || 2 || 4, 6 || 82–83 ||
|-
| P1 || 0-6-2T || 2 || 5, 31 || 76–77 ||
|-
| R || 0-6-2T || 5 || 1–3, 17, 97 || 30–32, 34, 46 ||
|-
| R1 || 0-6-2T || 10 || 39–47, 62 || 35–44 ||
|-
| S || 0-6-0T || 4 || 111–114 || 608–611 || renumbered 93–96 between 1947 and 1949
|-
| S1 || 0-6-0T || 3 || 32–34 || 604–606 || renumbered 90–92 between 1947 and 1948
|-
|}
South Wales Mineral Railway
5 locomotives acquired on 1 January 1923.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! SWMR No. !! GWR No. !! Notes
|-
| Avonside Engine Company || || 2 || 6, 7 || 817, 818 || ex-GWR 1317 and 1324 – South Devon Railway Buffalo class
|-
| GWR || 0-6-0ST || 3 || 5, 3, 1 || 1546, 1806, 1811 || ex-GWR 645 Class
|-
|}
Swansea Harbour Trust
14 locomotives acquired on 1 July 1923.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Manufacturer !! Type !! Quantity !! SHT Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || || 1 || 3 || 150 ||
|-
| Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. || 0-4-0ST || 1 || 5 || 701 || Renumbered 1140 in 1948
|-
| Peckett and Sons || 0-4-0ST || 4 || 7–10 || 886, 926, 930, 933 ||
|-
| Peckett and Sons || 0-4-0ST || 3 || 11, 12, 18 || 929, 968, 1098 || renumbered 1141, 1143, 1145 between 1948 and 1950
|-
| Peckett and Sons || 0-6-0ST || 3 || 15–17 || 1085, 1086, 937 || 1085 & 1086 renumbered 1146 & 1147 in 1949
|-
| Hudswell Clarke || 0-4-0ST || 1 || 14 || 943 || renumbered 1142 in 1948
|-
| Hawthorn Leslie || 0-4-0ST || 1 || 13 || 974 || renumbered 1144 in 1948
|-
|}
Taff Vale Railway
The Taff Vale Railway and its 275 locomotives were acquired on 1 January 1922.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Class !! Type !! Quantity !! TVR Nos. !! GWR Nos. !! Notes
|-
| A || 0-6-2T || 58 || 7, 10–12, 20, 45, 75, 80, 90–91, 122–125, 127–130, 132–136, 138–140, 144, 149, 154, 156–160, 162, 164, 165, 400–416, 3, 42, 52, 120 || 335, 337, 343–349, 351–352, 356–357, 360–362, 364–368, 370–391, 393–394, 397–399, 401–404, 406, 408, 438–441 || 401–404, 406, 408, 438–441 renumbered 303–309, 312, 316, 322 between 1947 and 1950
|-
| C || 4-4-2T || 6 || 170–175 || 1301–1303, 1305, 1308, 1304 ||
|-
| D || || 8 || 250, 270 || 797, 798 ||
|-
| E || || 2 || 264, 265 || 795, 796 ||
|-
| H || 0-6-0T || 3 || 141–143 || 792–794 || renumbered 193–195 in 1948/9.<br>Built for the Pwllyrhebog Incline
|-
| I || 4-4-0T || 3 || 285–287 || 1133, 1184, 999 || Equipped for auto-train working
|-
| K & L || 0-6-0 || K: 33<br>L: 9 || 219, 253, 259, 261, 281, 284, 288, 298, 337, 210, 217, 220, 235–236, 239, 242, 245, 283, 297, 301–302, 304, 313–314, 316, 320, 322, 325, 327–328, 333, 335–336, 339–340, 354, 356–360 || 912–933, 935–936, 938–939, 941–944, 946, —, 948, 968–970, 974, 978, 984, 1000–1002 ||
|- <!--
| L || 0-6-0 || 9 || ? || ? ||
|- -->
| M1 || 0-6-2T || 41 || 4–5, 14–15, 51, 54, 71, 86–89, 150, 176–181, 16, 22, 24, 50, 53, 74, 145–148, 151–153, 163, 166–169, 344, 349, 362, 364–365 || 442–445, 462, 466, 478, 481–484, 487–493, 503, 505–508, 511, 513, 515–516, 520, 552, 560, 567, 573, 577–580, 582–586 ||
|-
| N || 0-6-2T || 10 || 106–107, 182–189 ||485–486, 494–496, 498–502 ||
|-
| O || 0-6-2T || 6 || 21, 25–26, 33–34, 190 || 446–448, 452–453, 581 ||
|-
| O1 || 0-6-2T || 14 || 27–29, 37, 41, 60–65, 70, 73, 78 || 449–451, 454–455, 471–477, 479–480 ||
|-
| O2 || 0-6-2T || 9 || 31–32, 44, 66, 81–85 || 412–413, 415, 419, 421, 423–426 ||
|-
| O3 || 0-6-2T || 2 || 18–19 || 410–411 ||
|-
| O4 || 0-6-2T || 41 || 105, 1–2, 6, 8–9, 17, 35, 38–39, 43, 46, 48–49, 56, 58–59, 67–69, 94–95, 97–98, 101–102, 104, 108–116, 118–119, 121, 13, 36 || 236, 278–295, 420, 296–302, 310–311, 313–315, 317–321, 324, 333, 409, 414 || 420, 300, 310–311, 313, 315, 317–321, 324, 333, 409, 414 renumbered 220, 200, 203–205, 207–211, 215–219 between 1946 and 1950
|-
| V || 0-6-0ST || 6 || 99–100, 275, 280, 290–291 || 786–791 ||
|-
| S || 0-4-0ST || 1 || 267 || 1342 ||
|-
| T || 0-4-0ST || 1 || 266 || 1343 ||
|-
| U || 0-6-2T || 8 || 23, 72, 76–77, 191–194 || 587, 589–591, 593, 595–597 ||
|-
| U1 || 0-6-2T || 7 || 30, 40, 79, 195–197 || 602, 588, 592, 598–599, 603, 600 ||
|-
|}
Locomotives of amalgamated companies (1925–1947)
Corris Railway
Two narrow gauge locomotives acquired when the Corris Railway was bought from Imperial Tramways in 1929:
- No. 3 Sir Haydn
- No. 4 Edward Thomas
Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway
Two locomotives were transferred to the Great Western Railway when Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway closed in 1940:
- GWR No.5 ex-LB&SCR A1 Class 0-6-0T "Portishead"
- GWR No.6 ex-LB&SCR A1 Class 0-6-0T
Ystalyfera Tin Works
- GWR No.1 Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST "Hercules"
1948 and after
On 1 January 1948 all existing GWR locomotives became the property of the new British Railways (BR); unlike other companies stock, all the steam locomotives continued to carry their GWR numbers. BR continued to build GWR designs (the 1000, 1500, 1600, 4073 and 6959 classes in particular) for a while. When the first BR Standard steam locomotives started to arrive, they were often compared unfavourably to ex-GWR locos, and the Western Region decided to take forward experiments with diesel-hydraulic and gas turbine locomotives.
Withdrawal of ex-GWR locomotives took place earlier than for the other 'Big Four' companies as the Western Region took the decision to be the first to end steam traction. A handful of locomotives that had been transferred to other regions did survive for longer however. Ironically, because the Barry scrapyard received large numbers of ex-GWR locomotives, proportionately more survive today in preservation than the locomotives of the other companies.
Named locomotives
Most express passenger locomotives carried distinctive names, generally following themes such as kings (the 6000 class), cities (3700 class), counties (3800 class, later the 1000 class), castles (4073 class), and halls (4900 class). This tradition dated back to the first locomotives delivered to the railway, for all broad gauge locomotives initially were identified only by names, numbers first appearing on the standard gauge locomotives acquired with the northern companies that became part of the GWR in 1862.
Preservation
More than 140 Great Western locomotives (including some designed by the GWR but built by British Railways) have been preserved. They are mostly in museums or on heritage railways in the United Kingdom, predominantly in the area formerly served by the GWR. Some locomotives that were absorbed in the 1923 grouping also survive today.
Dean designed locomotives
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Class
!Number
!Based at
!Status
|-
|2301
|2516
|Museum of the Great Western Railway
|Static display
|}
Churchward designed locomotives
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Class
!Number and Name
!Based at
!Status
|-
|Steam railmotor
|93
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service. Original body fitted with new-build steam bogie.
|-
|1361
|1363
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
| rowspan="5" |2800
|2807
|Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
|Operational
|-
|2818
|Museum of the Great Western Railway
|Static display
|-
|2859
|Private site, Congleton
|Under restoration
|-
|2874
|Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
|Unrestored
|-
|3700 'City'
|3717/3440<br/>City of Truro
|Museum of the Great Western Railway
|Static display
|-
|7325
|Severn Valley Railway
|Out of service
|-
| rowspan="3" |4500
|4555
|Dartmouth Steam Railway
|Operational
|-
|4566
|Severn Valley Railway
|Static display
|}
Collett designed locomotives
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Class
!Number and Name
!Based at
!Status
|-
|Sentinel geared locomotive
|12
|Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
|Operational
|-
|1366
|1369
|South Devon Railway
|Operational
|-
|1450 (4850)
|Severn Valley Railway
|Operational
|-
|1466 (4866)
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
| rowspan="9" |2884
|2885
|Tyseley Locomotive Works
|Out of service
|-
|3802
|Llangollen Railway
|Operational
|-
|3803
|Dartmouth Steam Railway
|In storage
|-
|3814
|Llangollen Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|3822
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
|3845
|Private site
|Unrestored
|-
|3850
|Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
|Operational
|-
|3855
|East Lancashire Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|3862
|Northampton & Lamport Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|3200 'Earl'
|3217/9017 '
|Vale of Rheidol Railway
|Static display
|-
| rowspan="8" |4073 'Castle'
|4073 Caerphilly Castle
|Museum of the Great Western Railway
|Static display
|-
|5029 Nunney Castle
|Locomotive Services Limited
|Operational, Mainline certified
|-
|5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe
|Tyseley Locomotive Works
|Operational, mainline certified
|-
|5051 Earl Bathurst
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
|5080 Defiant
|Tyseley Locomotive Works
|In storage
|-
|7027 Thornbury Castle
|Great Western Society
|Unrestored, boiler will be used for new-build GWR 4700 Class 4709
|-
|7029 Clun Castle
|Tyseley Locomotive Works
|Operational, mainline certified
|-
| rowspan="11" |4575
|4588
|Peak Rail
|Out of service
|-
|5521
|The Flour Mill
|Operational
|-
|5526
|South Devon Railway
|Operational
|-
|5532
|Llangollen Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|5538
|The Flour Mill
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|5539
|Barry Tourist Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|5541
|Dean Forest Railway
|Out of service
|-
|5542
|South Devon Railway
|Out of service
|-
|5553
|Bodmin Railway
|Operational
|-
|5572
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
| rowspan="10" |4900 'Hall'
|4920 Dumbleton Hall
|Japan – Warner Bros
| Static display
|-
|4930 Hagley Hall
|Severn Valley Railway
|Operational
|-
|4936 Kinlet Hall
|West Somerset Railway
|Out of service
|-
|4953 Pitchford Hall
|Epping Ongar Railway
|Operational
|-
|4965 Rood Ashton Hall
|Vintage Trains
|Out of service
|-
|4979 Wootton Hall
|Ribble Steam Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|5900 Hinderton Hall
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
|5952 Cogan Hall
|Tyseley Locomotive Works
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|5967 Bickmarsh Hall
|Northampton & Lamport Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|5972 Olton Hall
|Harry Potter Studio Tour
|Static display
|-
| rowspan="7" |5101
|5164
|Severn Valley Railway
|Out of service
|-
|5199
|West Somerset Railway
|Undergoing restoration at Flour Mill
|-
|4110
|East Somerset Railway
|Operational
|-
|4121
|Tyseley
|In storage
|-
|4141
|Epping Ongar Railway
|Out of service
|-
|4144
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Operational
|-
|4150
|Severn Valley Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
| rowspan="3" |5205
|5224
|Peak Rail
|In storage
|-
|5227
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Unrestored, a source of parts for the new-build Churchward 4-4-0 County 3840 County of Montgomery
|-
|5239
|Dartmouth Steam Railway
|Operational
|-
| rowspan="9" |5600
|5619
|Telford Steam Railway
|Operational
|-
|5637
|Swindon & Cricklade Railway
|Out of service
|-
|5643
|Ribble Steam Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|5668
|Kent & East Sussex Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|6619
|Kent & East Sussex Railway
|Out of service
|-
|6634
|Peak Rail
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|6686
|Barry Tourist Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|6695
|Swindon & Cricklade Railway
|Operational
|-
|6697
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Static display
|-
| rowspan="16" |5700
|3650
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
|3738
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
|4612
|Bodmin Railway
|Out of service
|-
|5775
|Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|5786
|South Devon Railway
|Out of service
|-
|7715
|Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
|7752
|Tyseley Locomotive Works
|Stored
|-
|7754
|Llangollen Railway
|Operational
|-
|7760
|Tyseley Locomotive Works
|Out of service
|-
|9600
|Tyseley Locomotive Works
|Out of service
|-
|9629
|Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway
|Out of service
|-
|9642
|Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
|Out of service
|-
|9681
|Dean Forest Railway
|Operational
|-
|9682
|Dean Forest Railway
|Operational
|-
| rowspan="3" |6000 'King'
|6000 King George V
|Museum of the Great Western Railway
|Static display
|-
|6024 King Edward I
|West Somerset Railway
|Out of service
|-
|6100
|6106
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
| rowspan="3" |6400
|6412
|South Devon Railway
|Operational
|-
| rowspan="3" |7200
|7200
|Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|7202
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|7229
|East Lancashire Railway
|Undergoing restoration
|-
| rowspan="9" |7800 'Manor'
|7802 Bradley Manor
|Severn Valley Railway
|Operational
|-
|7808 Cookham Manor
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
|7812 Erlestoke Manor
|Severn Valley Railway
|Operational
|-
|7819 Hinton Manor
|Severn Valley Railway
|Static display
|-
|7820 Dinmore Manor
|Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
|Out of service
|-
|7821 Ditcheat Manor
|Swindon Designer Outlet
|Static display
|-
|7822 Foxcote Manor
|West Somerset Railway
|Out of service
|-
|7827 Lydham Manor
|Dartmouth Steam Railway
|Operational
|-
|7828 Odney Manor
|West Somerset Railway
|Operational
|}
Collet also built or rebuilt the Vale Of Rheidol locomotives listed under § Narrow gauge locomotives.
Hawksworth designed locomotives
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Class
!Number and Name
!Based at
!Status
|-
|1500
|1501
|Severn Valley Railway
|Out of service
|-
|1600
|1638
|Kent & East Sussex Railway
|Operational
|-
| rowspan="6" |6959 'Modified Hall'
|6960 Raveningham Hall
|Margate One:One Collection
|Static display
|-
|6984 Owsden Hall
|Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
|Undergoing restoration
|-
|6989 Wightwick Hall
|Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
|Operational
|- currently loaned to the bluebell railway
|6990 Witherslack Hall
|Great Central Railway
|Operational
|-
|6998 Burton Agnes Hall
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|-
|7903 Foremarke Hall
|Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway
|Operational
|-
| rowspan="2" |9400
|9400
|Museum of the Great Western Railway
|Static display
|-
|Gas Turbine Locomotive
|18000
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Static display
|}
Amalgamated/pre-grouping locomotives
These pre-grouping locomotives that were absorbed into the GWR in 1923 have been preserved:
- Narberth Road and Maenclochog Railway 0-6-0ST built by Fox, Walker & Company in 1878, NP&FR in 1894, GVR in 1911, GWR No. 1378.
- Alexandra Docks 0-4-0ST Trojan built by Avonside in 1897, GWR No. 1340. Operational at Didcot Railway Centre.
- Taff Vale Railway O1 class 0-6-2T No. 28 built by TVR Cardiff West in 1897, GWR No. 450.
- Cardiff Railway 0-4-0ST No. 5 built by Kitson & Co in 1898, GWR No. 1338. Static display at Didcot Railway Centre.
- Taff Vale Railway O2 class 0-6-2T No. 85 built by Neilson, Reid & Co. in 1899, GWR No. 426.
- Port Talbot Railway 0-6-0ST No. 26 built by Hudswell Clarke in 1900, GWR No. 813. Out of service at the Severn Valley Railway.
- Powlesland and Mason 0-4-0ST No. 6 built by Brush Electrical in 1906, GWR No. 921.
- Swansea Harbour Trust 0-4-0ST No. 13 built by Hawthorn Leslie in 1909, GWR No. 974.
Narrow gauge locomotives
Three locomotives of gauge were acquired from the Vale of Rheidol Railway as part of the Cambrian Railways at the grouping, but only one survived to be privatised from British Rail in 1989:
- 2-6-2T VoR no. 2 (originally named Prince of Wales) built by Davies and Metcalfe in 1902, to GWR no. 1213 in 1922, rebuilt 1924, renumbered 9 by British Railways in 1949 and named Prince of Wales in 1956. Still in service.
Two more, similar to no. 1213 as rebuilt, were built by the GWR at Swindon in 1923:
- 2-6-2T No. 7 built by GWR in 1923, named Owain Glyndŵr in 1956 by British Railways
- 2-6-2T No. 8 built by GWR in 1923, named Llywelyn in 1956 by British Railways
These two, together with no. 9, are still running on their original line.
From the gauge Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway, absorbed into the GWR as part of the Cambrian Railways at the grouping:
- 0-6-0T No 822 The Earl built by Beyer, Peacock & Co. in 1902, preserved as No 822 The Earl on the WLLR
- 0-6-0T No 823 The Countess (renamed Countess by GWR) built by Beyer, Peacock & Co. in 1902, preserved as No 823 Countess on the WLLR
From the gauge Corris Railway, which was purchased by the GWR in 1930:
- 0-4-2ST No. 3 built by Hughes Falcon in 1878, preserved as No. 3 Sir Haydn on the Talyllyn Railway.
- 0-4-2ST No. 4 built by Kerr, Stuart and Company in 1921, preserved as No. 4 Edward Thomas on the Talyllyn Railway.
New-build steam
The last engine of GWR design built by British Railways was 1600 class No 1669 in May 1955. However, as the railway preservation movement grew, and many types of locomotive were preserved, some people conceived the idea of reconstructing locomotives of classes that had not survived - even in scrapyards - long enough to be preserved. In the early 1970s, the Great Western Society acquired 'Hall' class No 4942 Maindy Hall, in order use it as a basis for reconstructing a 'Saint' class locomotive, the last of which had been scrapped in 1953. More recently, a number of other GWR engine classes have been or are being reconstructed, often taking advantage of the strong standardisation of the Swindon designs to use spare parts from other types. Operational replicas of two broad gauge engines have also been built.
A non-steaming replica of North Star was built by the GWR in 1935 for their centenary. A static replica of Dean single The Queen was created for Madame Tussauds in 1982.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Class
!Wheel arr.
!Number and Name
!Based at
!Status
!Refs
|-
|2900 'Saint'
|4-6-0
|2999 Lady of Legend
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Operational. May also run as 4-4-2
|
|-
|4300 ('Mogul')
|2-6-0
|9351
|West Somerset Railway
|Operational. Conversion from 'Prairie' No. 5193, so has a smaller boiler than standard Moguls.
|
|-
|1000 Hawksworth 'County'
|4-6-0
|1014 County of Glamorgan
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Under construction
|
|-
|3800 Churchward 'County'
|4-4-0
|3840 County of Montgomery
|Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
|Under construction
|
|-
|4700
|2-8-0
|4709
|Tyseley Locomotive Works
|Under construction
|
|-
|6800 'Grange'
|4-6-0
|6880 Betton Grange
|Tyseley Locomotive Works
|Completed in April 2024
|
|-
|'Firefly'
|2-2-2
|Fire Fly
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|
|-
|'Iron Duke'
|4-2-2
|Iron Duke
|Didcot Railway Centre
|Out of service
|
|}
Sometimes the Railcar No. 93 is included as 'new build steam', as the power bogie was constructed from scratch; however, the remainder of the coachwork was an original railcar, preserved as noted above.
See also
- GWR locomotive numbering and classification
- List of 7-foot gauge railway locomotive names
- List of GWR broad gauge locomotives
- List of GWR standard classes with two outside cylinders
- GWR oil burning steam locomotives
- Steam locomotives of British Railways
- GWR 0-4-0ST
- GWR 0-6-0PT
References
Sources
- The ABC of Great Western Locomotives (Ian Allan Ltd 7th Edition) (?)1945