GWR 6959 Class

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 6959 Class or Modified Hall Class is a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotive. They were a development by Frederick Hawksworth of Charles Collett's earlier Hall Class

The Modified Halls marked the most radical change in Swindon practice since the Churchward era. Hawksworth's use of plate frames throughout the design was a daring break with the Churchward gospel. The cylinders were cast separately from the smokebox saddle and bolted to the frames on each side. A stiffening brace was inserted between the frames and extended to form the smokebox saddle. The exhaust pipes leading from the cylinders to the blastpipe were incorporated into this assembly.

Additionally Churchward's bar framed bogie which had been adapted for the original Hall in 1924 was replaced by a plate frame structure with individual springing. There were changes too above the running board. Hawksworth decided that the declining quality of coal reaching the Great Westerns depots necessitated a higher degree of superheating. A larger three-row superheater and header regulator were fitted into Swindon No.1 boiler. Improvements were subsequently made to the draughting on some engines, while others were fitted with hopper ashpans.

The first of the Modified Halls was outshopped from Swindon in 1944. It carried plain black livery and was unnamed. In total 71 of the class were built at Swindon before construction ceased in 1950.

Some of them were also equipped with flat, high-sided Hawksworth tenders, but once he became Chief Mechanical Engineer many earlier locomotives received these tenders also, so a Hawksworth tender does not necessarily mean a Hawksworth locomotive.

They were numbered 6959-6999 and 7900-7929.

Preservation

A total of 7 locomotives have survived to preservation.

External links

* [http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_hal_hall69b.htm Great Western Archives - Modified Hall Class.]