GWR 4073 Class 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe

The GWR 4073 Class 5043 ''Earl of Mount Edgcumbe'' is a steam locomotive of the GWR 'Castle' Class, built in March 1936. It was originally named ''Barbury Castle'', and was renamed ''Earl of Mount Edgcumbe'' in September 1937 (the name coming from the GWR Dukedog Class no 3200/9000). It had a double chimney and 4 row superheater fitted in October 1958.

Its first shed allocation was Old Oak Common; from June 1952 to February 1956 it was based at Carmarthen, before returning again to Old Oak Common. Like all other steam locomotives based there, with the dieselisation of Cardiff Canton TMD it was transferred to Cardiff East Dock shed in September 1962, its last shed allocation.

It was withdrawn in December 1963, and acquired by Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry, South Wales in June 1964.

Renaming and Double Chimney

When built in March 1936 the engine was named ''Barbury Castle'' and it carried this name for the first eighteen months of its working life before being renamed by the GWR to ''Earl of Mount Edgcumbe'' in September 1937, this name it would carry for the rest of its working career. Its original ''Barbury Castle'' name would later be used by 5095 which was built in 1939.

In 1958 it became one of sixty-five engines to be fitted with a double chimney which was undertaken between 1956 and 1961. It is one of only two Castles in preservation to be fitted with a double chimney, the other engine being 7029 Clun Castle.

Allocations

The shed locations of 5043 during her career with the GWR & BR on particular dates.

Preservation

It was sold to the then Birmingham Railway Museum and left as the 43rd departure from Barry in September 1973. Many of its parts were removed for safekeeping and the locomotive was stored, initially as a spare boiler for 7029 "Clun Castle". In 1996, Birmingham Railway Museum trustees announced the project to restore ''Earl of Mount Edgcumbe'' to main line running condition. The proposal was to restore the locomotive to late 1950s condition, with newly constructed Hawksworth tender and BR double chimney.

In 1998, the boiler was removed from the frames and prepared for inspection, with welding undertaken by Babock. In 1999, descaling commenced on the front end of the frames in preparation for repair. The axleboxes were removed and examined, and found to be in excellent condition, requiring only examination, repair and cleaning. In 2000, 5043 was moved into Tyseley Locomotive Works. The engineering team scraped down the frames, which once clean showed them to be in good condition, and given a coat of anti-corrosive green paint. The bushes for the coupling rods were cast, machined and fitted. While checking the inside crossheads for repair and refitting, which were found to have been fitted at one time to sister GWR Castle 5080 ''Defiant''. The wheelsets were prepared for cleaning and refitting, and the bogie repaired and repainted, with fitting undertaken in 2003. TPWS equipment was acquired and fitted. In late 2007 the boiler was steamed up and approved, allowing 5043 to move under its own steam on 3 October 2008.

On Saturday 16 October 2010, 5043 hauled a southbound excursion over the Settle-Carlisle line. On the climb to Ais Gill summit, 5043 is credited with generating an estimated 2030 edhp. As of Jan 2019 this is believed to be a power output record for the entire GWR Castle class, and also exceeds the maximum power outputs of the Western Region diesel-hydraulic locomotives built to replace them.

On Saturday 10 May 2014, 5043 took an anniversary train from Tyseley to Plymouth to mark 50 years since the original 748 train in 1964. Fellow resident 7029 Clun Castle worked the original train in 1964, working the Plymouth to Bristol section of the tour. And on that tour in 1964 she set a record of travelling non stop from Plymouth to Bristol in 133 minutes, 5043 working the anniversary train in 2014 broke that record by just two minutes.

On Saturday 4 March 2023, for the engine's inaugural railtour following completion of its 10 yearly overhaul at Tyseley. 5043 double headed a private Vintage Trains Shareholder special from Birmingham Moor Street to Didcot Parkway with classmate and fellow Tyseley resident 7029 Clun Castle. This tour was also the first time in preservation that the two surviving double chimney castles had double headed together. Following arrival at Didcot both engines were taken to Didcot Railway Centre and put on display alongside classmates 4079 Pendennis Castle and 5051 Drysllwyn Castle.https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/540/news 4 Castle lineup at Didcot

The locomotive has since returning to the mainline worked various special trains, alongside visiting Stratford upon Avon, Didcot, Cardiff and other locations over the former GWR system she has also visited locations and worked down routes she would never have visited or run along during her career with the Great Western Railway or even British Railways as GWR engines were known to be much wider than engines on other regions. New locations she has visited so far in preservation include: Liverpool, Llandudno, Chester, Carlisle, Salisbury, London Marylebone, Glasgow, Edinburgh and York.

Preservation Photos

File:5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe Loughborough.jpg, 5043 in fading light passing Brush Works just before Loughborough Midland with the return leg of "The City of York" railtour on Sat 25 Apr 2009.
File:5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe Tyseley (2).jpg, 5043 On shed at Tyseley Locomotive Works in April 2009.
File:5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe Ratcliffe on Soar.jpg, 5043 with The City of York Tyseley-York charter on Sat 25 Apr 2009.
File:GWR 4073 Class 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe.jpg, 5043 unlined and minus cabside numbers at Tyseley Locomotive Works.
File:Great Western Railway 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe at Cardiff Central, 11th March 2017 (32562049563).jpg, 5043 arriving at Cardiff Central with Vintage Trains' 'Red Dragon' tour from Tyseley, Birmingham on Sat 11 Mar 2017.
File:The magnificent 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe' at West Ruislip - panoramio.jpg, 5043 at West Ruislip in Apr 2011 with ''The Marylebone Flyer''.
File:Defiant and Earl of Mount Edgcumbe at Tyseley.jpg, 5080 ''Defiant'' and 5043 parked up side by side around the Turntable at Tyseley Loco Works in April 2018.
File:GWR 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe Didcot Railway Centre 4th March 2023.jpg, 5043 on the turntable at the Didcot Railway Centre, 4 March 2023

References

External links

'Castle' class details, 5000 - 5049
''Great Western Archive''

A GWR Castle at speed - 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe racing alongside the M5
Ben Jervis, via ''YouTube''

{{GWR Castle Class

5043
Railway locomotives introduced in 1936
5043
Locomotives saved from Woodham Brothers scrapyard
Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain
Individual locomotives of Great Britain
4-6-0 locomotives