#2253

GWR 5700 Class

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Armstrong Whitworth· from 1929· class of 863 two-cylinder 0-6-0PT locomotives

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. GWR 5700 Class 3738 Didcot Railway Centre (1): BWard 1997· CC BY-SA 4.0
2. GWR 5700 Class 7714 Pannier Tank Locomotive Severn Valley Railway (1): BWard 1997· CC BY 3.0
3. GWR 5700 Class 7714 Severn Valley Railway Spring Steam Gala 2023: BWard 1997· CC BY 3.0
4. GWR 5700 Class 7754 at York Railfest: Phil Scott ( Our Phellap )· CC BY-SA 3.0
5. GWR Class 5700 No 5764 Pannier (3000285676): Peter Broster· CC BY 2.0
6. 1626 & 8729 Lydney 13-4-63 (36439847900): Rob Hodgkins· CC BY-SA 2.0
7. Hugh llewelyn 3608 & 9777 (7865805894): Hugh Llewelyn· CC BY-SA 2.0
8. 3707 Abercynon MPD 16-4-63 (2) (37392179800): Rob Hodgkins· CC BY-SA 2.0
9. Great Western Railway 5700 Class No 3782: Rob Hodgkins· CC BY-SA 2.0
10. GWR Collett 3790 (8148063555): Hugh Llewelyn· CC BY-SA 2.0

what is it?

The GWR 5700 Class (or 57xx class) is a class of 0-6-0PT steam locomotive built by the Great Western Railway (GWR) and British Railways (BR) between 1929 and 1950. With 863 built, they were the most prolific class of the GWR, and one of the most numerous classes of British steam locomotive. Although officially designated by GWR as "light goods and shunting engines", they were also used for passenger working on branch, suburban, and shorter mainline journeys.

who runs it

Great Western Railway British Rail National Coal Board London Transport Executive Stephenson Clarke Shipping London Underground Western Region of British Railways

base stats

weight 47.8 tin working order
built 863made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 97 years ago, in 1929.
Weighs about as much as 8 African elephants (~6 t each).
9.5 m long: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.
Served for 46 years (1929–1975).

steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.

spec sheet

built: 1929–1950
in service from: 1929
retired: 1975
status: preserved
number built: 863
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: Armstrong Whitworth, W. G. Bagnall Ltd., Beyer, Peacock and Company, Kerr, Stuart and Company, North British Locomotive Company, Yorkshire Engine Company, Swindon Works
designer: Charles Collett
operators: Great Western Railway, British Rail, National Coal Board, London Transport Executive, Stephenson Clarke Shipping, London Underground, Western Region of British Railways
top speed: —
power: —
wheel arrangement: 0-6-0
length: 9.5 m
weight: 47.8 t

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q5514991, Wikipedia: GWR 5700 Class (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.