Latest Updates: August 2010

Progress 2010 - sanding gear components delivered; welding reverser tower; fitting under-cab footplating.

Tender - planning, including location of new-build; water scoop support tube.

Getting involved - Roll of Honour.

Introduction

September 1964 saw the official withdrawal of the last member of the Great Western Railway's 'County' class, designed by F. Hawksworth and introduced in 1945. Although there are suggestions that 1011 'County of Chester' continued in traffic for a few weeks after withdrawal, she was placed in store in November 1964, sold to Cashmore's Scrap yard in Newport and cut-up in March 1965.

At that point, Hawksworth's 'Counties' became extinct. Unlike many other Great Western locomotive types taken out of service in the 1960s, no Counties were sent to Woodham's Yard in Barry, Glamorgan, so were not available for later rescue and preservation, consequently the class lived on only in the memories of Great Western locomotive enthusiasts, aided by a wide range of photographic images, models, memorabilia and even art.

1011 County of Chester

1011 'County of Chester', leaving Didcot, in the setting sun, on 20 September 1964, on the 'Last County' special train en route for Birmingham. (Colour-Rail.com)

1000 nameplate

Name and number plate on display, STEAM at Swindon (Terry McCarthy)

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1014 Painting

'Spring Clean', Eric Bottomley's rendition in oils of a young trainspotter's memory of 1014 'County of Glamorgan', in ex-works condition, arriving at Paddington station on a short parcels train, one afternoon in May 1958. (Terry McCarthy)

1014 model

1014 'County of Glamorgan' as a 4mm model (Terry McCarthy)

One G.W.S. member, David Bradshaw, noted that amongst the last group of unrestored locomotives, once stored in Woodham's Yard, there were sufficient standard 'parts' to form a basis for a County - with modifications and some new-build. Following several years of negotiations with Vale of Glamorgan County Council and planning, the G.W. County Project was launched in December 2004, to recreate a County, at Didcot, utilising the frames of a Modified Hall and a Stanier 8F boiler, from which the County boiler was derived.

Marking the contribution of Vale of Glamorgan Council and Barry scrap yard, it was agreed the completed locomotive should bear the identity 1014 'County of Glamorgan'.

Since the formal launch of the Project considerable progress has been made as shown in the pages which follow.

The Project offers its grateful thanks to the following for their help and generosity in providing illustrative materials:

Richard Blenkinsop
David Bradshaw
Mike Cooper
Richard Croucher
Frank Dumbleton
Chris Hawkins - Irwell Press Ltd.
C.Hobbs
John Hodges
Felicity Jones – STEAM GWR Museum Swindon
Brian Morrison
Terry Nicholls
Graham Stacey – LCGB Ken Nunn Collection
Paul Strong
Transport Treasury
Laurence Waters – G.W.S. Trust.
Ron White – Colour-Rail
Paul Chancellor - Colour-Rail.com
M. Whitehouse

Suggested amendments, supply of additional images, or any other communication with the Project, please contact the webmaster:

County Project,
Great Western Society,
Didcot Railway Centre,
Didcot,
Oxfordshire.
Tel: +44 (0)1235 817200
E-mail: drc@didcotrailwaycentre.co.uk

Registered Charity No. 272616.

Progress on the G.W. County Project can also be seen and heard about a presentation prepared specifically to raise awareness about the recreation of 1014 'County of Glamorgan' - select the 'Getting Involved' button and scroll down.

Please that unless otherwise stated all photographs and images are copyright of Great Western Society Ltd., and the G.W. County Project. They may not be downloaded, stored or used in any way without the expressed permission of the copyright holders. Thank You.