Steam locomotive 5552

GWR 4500/4575 Class

Churchwood 2-6-2T GWR tank engine design

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A history of steam locomotive 5552

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[Author and photographer © Dr Phil Brown PhD (plus help from AI these days), page updated May10th 2026]

Class 4500 steam locomotive 5552 was built at Swindon Works in 1928

Technical detail specifications of locomotive 5552: Boiler pressure of 5552: 200 lbf/sq.in., Weight of 5552: 61.0 tons, Wheel diameter of 5552: 3' 2'', 4' 7½", 3' 2", Valve gear of 5552: Stephenson piston valves, Cylinders of 5552 (diameter x stroke): 17" x 24" (O), Tractive effort of 5552: 21250 lbf., Power classification of 5552: Class C 4MT

Need pictures of ex GWR steam locomotive 5552

BUT, See also

BR 5521 Locomotive Ex GWR/BR 4500 Class 2-6-2T tank engine

BR 5542 Locomotive Ex GWR/BR 4500 Class 2-6-2T tank engine

Images of what 5552 looks like!

A history of steam locomotive 5552

GWR 5552 is one of the preserved members of the GWR 4575 Class “Small Prairie” 2‑6‑2T tank engines. Built in 1928, it worked across the Great Western and later BR Western Region before withdrawal in the 1960s. Today it survives in preservation at the Bodmin & Wenford Railway.
Below is a full, structured, citation‑grounded history synthesised from the available search results.

GWR 5552, built at Swindon in 1928, is a classic 4575 Class Small Prairie tank engine. After a BR career that included allocations such as Newton Abbot and Penzance, it was withdrawn in the 1960s and is now preserved at the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, where it operates in GWR Brunswick Green livery.

1. Construction and Design of tank engine 5552  (1928)

• Builder: GWR Swindon Works

• Year built: 1928

• Class: 4575 Class (Small Prairie)

• Wheel arrangement: 2‑6‑2T

• Designer: Charles Collett

• Purpose: Mixed‑traffic and branch‑line work

• Build cost: £3,578 (recorded for 5552 specifically)

Class characteristics

From the class specification:

• Boiler: Standard No. 5

• Boiler pressure: 200 psi

• Cylinders: 17 × 24 in

• Tractive effort: 21,250 lbf

• Water capacity: 1,300 gal

• Fuel: Coal

• Driving wheels: 4 ft 7½ in

The 4575s were a development of the earlier 4500 Class, with larger sloping‑top tanks and increased water capacity.

2. GWR & BR Service Career of tank engine 5552

Initial allocation of tank engine 5552

• Tyseley (upon completion in 1928)

BR Western Region allocations of tank engine 5552 (post‑1948)

The following allocations are recorded:

• January 1948: Newton Abbot

• February 1955: Penzance

• March 195… (source snippet truncated, but confirms multiple BR-era reallocations)

Role in service of tank engine 5552

As a 4575 Class engine, 5552 would have been used for:

• Branch‑line passenger services

• Local stopping trains

• Light mixed‑traffic work

• Occasional auto‑train duties (though 5552 is not listed among the auto‑fitted engines)

Withdrawal of tank engine 5552

The 4575 Class was withdrawn between 1956–1964.

5552 falls within this range, though the exact month is not given in the available sources.

3. Preservation History of tank engine 5552

Preservation site

• Current location: Bodmin & Wenford Railway

• Owner: Bodmin & Wenford Railway

• Status: Operational on heritage services

• Current livery: GWR Brunswick Green

The Bodmin & Wenford Railway is known for its strong GWR identity, making 5552 an appropriate and historically sympathetic locomotive for the line.

4. Technical Summary of tank engine 5552 (class‑standard)

(Technical data from class specification)

5. Why 5552 Matters (heritage significance)

For your comparative GWR locomotive work:

• It is one of 11 preserved 4575 Class engines.

• Represents the final evolution of the Churchward/Collett Small Prairie concept.

• Ideal for Cornish branch‑line recreation, matching the Bodmin line’s historical character.

• A strong example of a light, versatile GWR tank engine, contrasting with the larger 5101 and 6100 classes you’ve been studying.

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