Great Western Railway’s 4200

The 4200 class of locomotive is a saddle tank engine with a wheel arrangement of 2–8–0, that was able to haul heavy mineral trains from mines in the South of Wales to different ports and goods yards across the Great Western Railways network. Due to the 4200 class’s wheel arrangement they were able to navigate the undulating tracks and tight turns of the South Wales valleys.

As the 4200 class has a limited tank capacity and their high-water consumption meant they would have to complete numerous water stops and gained the nickname ‘water carts’.

In total 105 class 4200s were built between 1910 and 1923.

GWR 4200 – 4277 ‘Hercules’

No. 4277 was built at GWR’s Swindon works in 1920 where it was painted in GWR’s unlined green livery with Great Western on the side of the tanks. In 1934 the lettering on the tanks was replaced by the round GWR logo which was then replaced with the letters GWR in 1942. In 1948 the locomotive passed into British Railways ownership and was painted in the British Railways unlined black livery and given the power class 7F.

No. 4277 was withdrawn from service in 1964 from the Aberbeeg shed where it was based for most of its working life and sent to Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry where it sat for 22 years until it was bought privately in 1986. In 2008 No. 4277 was sold to the Paignton and Dartmouth steam railway where it was painted in the lined GWR Brunswick green livery and named Hercules on 1^st August 2008.

In February 2018 No. 4277 ‘Hercules’ was withdrawn from service as its ten-year boiler ticket had run out. Hercules was reintroduced into service in 2022 now in the unlined BR black livery featuring the early British Railways Crest on the side of the tanks.

For the main 2024 & 2025 running seasons, the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway have loaned the North Norfolk Railway ‘Hercules’ which would not have normally seen usage on the line. This is because the North Norfolk Railway was part of the Midland & Great Northern line which was operated by London & North-eastern Railway and London, Midland & Scottish Railway.

‘Hercules’ has remained on the North Norfolk Railway for the 2025 season and is a regular runner on the line.