GWR Nº 3862 2-8-0

Built to a modified Churchward design, this Collett 2-8-0 was turned out from Swindon works in November 1942.

Nº 3862 went new to Oxford shed where it was immediately pressed into service on the vital movement of wartime goods and supplies. Remaining here until October 1947 this 2-8-0 then moved to Pontypool Road for a six year period before going on to Plymouth (Laira) at the end of 1953. Nº 3862 soon settled down on the usual pattern of heavy freight duties up and down the west of England main line although, according to a comment in a leading railway magazine of the mid 1950's, it spent so much time west of Plymouth during 1956 that it would have been easier to shed the loco at Penzance.

Although freight traffic was normally 3862's main source of employment there is at least one recorded instance of it on passenger duty when in September 1958 it worked a Penzance to Swansea train from Plymouth onwards right through to its destination. On another occasion in 1961 it headed a parcels train from Bristol to Plymouth, while it is also known to have regularly helped out with the seasonal broccoli traffic from Cornwall, taking some of these as far north as Saltney near Chester.

Transferred to Cardiff Canton in July 1962 and then Cardiff East Dock just one month later, 3862 was finally allocated to Croes Newydd in September 1963, being withdrawn from there in February 1965 and arrived at Barry in July 1965. The locomotive was purchased by the LNWR Preservation Society in 1987, departed from Barry on 10th April 1989 and arrived at NLR on 11th April 1989.

For more information about the progress of 3862 visit the locomotive's own Web Site at 3862.com

3862 is shunted from Pitsford Sidings to a new home in the station yard.

 

Last Amended: 14-Feb-2006

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