GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Leamington Spa - GWR Locomotives: gwrls219

GWR 2-6-0 Mogul No 8338 pauses at Leamington on an up train whilst the driver takes the opportunity to oil the motion. Built as GWR No 5338 a member of the 43xx class at Swindon in January 1918 No 8338 received its second GWR number, No 8338, in March 1928 only to be given its original GWR number, No 5338, in June 1944, which it carried until August 1958 when it was withdrawn from 82D Westbury shed. Designed by GJ Churchward and later updated by CB Collett the 43xx class was introduced to fill an urgent need for a general purpose type locomotive. The 43xx class were an immediate success, and the fact that 342 were built (after 1932 with side-window cabs) is a measure of their usefulness. They served throughout the GWR system. From 1936 to 1939 one hundred were withdrawn and the wheels and other parts incorporated in new 'Grange' and 'Manor' engines. Withdrawal of life-expired class members started in 1948, but some remained almost until the end of steam.

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