GWR locomotive numbering and classification

The GWR was the longest-lived of the pre-nationalization railway companies in Britain, surviving the 'Grouping' of the railways in 1923 almost unchanged. As a result, the history of its numbering and classification of locomotives is relatively complicated. This page explains the principal systems that were used.
*For information about individual classes and locomotives, see: Locomotives of the Great Western Railway
==Numbering==
===Broad Gauge Era===
From the start, the GWR gave names only to its broad gauge locomotive stock. However, many classes carried 'themed' names, e.g. stars or signs of the zodiac, which aided identification of locomotives to some extent. See List of 7-foot gauge railway locomotive names
The exception to this rule was that any broad gauge locomotives the GWR absorbed from other railways (in particular, the South Devon Railway and Bristol and Exeter Railway) were given numbers in the 2000-2199 series. This applied even where locomotives had carried names under their previous owner (indeed, these names were usually removed by the GWR) and even when the locomotives had originally belonged to the GWR and had been sold out of stock.
Towards the end of the broad gauge era, a number of locomotives were built to a design that enabled them to be easily converted from one gauge to the other (hence the term 'convertibles' used for these locomotives). These engines also carried numbers in the standard gauge series, whether or not they were running in broad gauge form.
===Standard Gauge 1854-1875===
Initially standard gauge locomotive numbering was a simple sequential system, starting from 1. Numbering in this series, which included new locomotives and those absorbed from other railways, eventually reached 1297. New locomotives were identified as being paid from either revenue or capital account. Initially an effort was made to treat the numbering of locomotives bought out of revenue differently from those out of capital, including by re-using old numbers left vacant following withdrawal, using a duplicate number system (unusually, giving the new locomotives an A suffix - other railways tended to apply such notation to the old locomotive being replaced) and, for a few years, using the series 1000 (later 1001) upwards. In 1875, the sequential system starting at 1 reached 1000 and then jumped to 1116, the other side of the latter range of numbers still carried.
===Standard Gauge 1875-1902===
Under William Dean's leadership, blocks of numbers were allocated for different locomotive types, as follows:
Numbers 	Types
1298 to 1400	Absorbed standard and narrow gauge locomotives
1401 to 1500	Passenger tank locomotives
1501 to 2000	Goods tank locomotives
2001 to 2200	Absorbed broad gauge locomotives (later reused for goods tank locomotives)
2201 to 3000	Goods tender locomotives
3001 to 3200	4-2-2 express passenger locomotives
3201 to 3500	2-4-0 and 4-4-0 express passenger locomotives
3501 to 3600	Passenger tank locomotives
The only exceptions to these principles under Dean were use of the 20xx, 21xx, and 27xx series for goods tank engines after the end of broad gauge operations. Experimental locomotives and other small classes continued to be numbered in gaps left following withdrawals in the number series below 1000.
===Standard Gauge 1902-1912===
Under George Jackson Churchward, the system applied by William Dean broke down, and new classes simply took the next free block of hundred numbers starting at xx01, with experimental engines numbered in odd gaps in the earlier series of numbers, usually below 110.
===1912 Renumbering===
In December 1912 (the official date being 28 December), the GWR undertook a renumbering of some of its locomotives — mainly 4-4-0 classes — so that locomotives of the same class were numbered consecutively. This desirable aim was made more important following the rebuilding of some Duke and Atbara locomotives to Bulldog and City class designs. A few of the changes were connected with a decision that blocks of numbers for each class should start at xx00 rather than xx01 as previously.
4-4-0 classes
Class 	Original Numbers 	New Number Range	Notes
Atbara 	3373-3412 	4120-4148 	3382 scrapped 1911;3400-3409 rebuilt to City
Badminton 	3292-3311 	4100-4119 	
Bird 	3731-3745 	3441-3455 	
Bulldog (ex-Duke) 	Various (from 3253-3331) 	3300-3319 	
Bulldog (new build)	3332-3372, 3413-3432, 3443-3472, 3701-3730	3320-3440 	
City (ex-Atbara) 	3400-3409 	3700-3709 	
City (new build) 	3433-3442 	3710-3719 	
County 	3473-3482, 3801-3830 	3800, 3831-3839 	3801-3830 not renumbered
Duke 	3252-3291, 3312-3331 (various, total 40) 	3252-3291 	others rebuilt to Bulldog
Flower 	4101-4120 	4149-4168 	
Other classes
Class 	Wheel arrangement	Original Numbers	New Number Range
455 (Metro) 	2-4-0T 	3600 	3500
2600 (Aberdare) 	2-6-0 	33 	2600
2721 	0-6-0T 	2800 	2700
2800 	2-8-0 	97 	2800
2900 (Saint) 	4-6-0/4-4-2 	98,100,171-190 	2998,2900,2971-2990
3100 	2-6-2T 	99 	3100
3600 	2-4-2T 	11 	3600
4000 (Star) 	4-6-0 	40 	4000
4400 	2-6-2T 	115, 3101-10 	4400-10
4500 	2-6-2T 	2161-90 	4500-29
Cornwall Min. Rly	0-6-0T 	1400 	1398
===Standard Gauge 1912 onwards===
From the time of the 1912 renumbering, a system was adopted for new locomotives where the second digit indicated the broad type of locomotive. For example, express passenger locomotives had x0xx numbers and large mixed traffic tender locomotives were x9xx. When a class numbered more than 100 locos, rather than continue the numbers consecutively the second digit remained constant (e.g. 4900 Class included 4900-4999, 5900-5999, and 6900 onwards).
At the same time, a change was made so that new classes usually commenced from the number xx00. There was a certain amount of renumbering so that the prototype locomotives for existing classes took the appropriate xx00 number before the series used by production locomotives. Thus, from this time on, numbers below 2000 were mainly occupied by old, absorbed or otherwise non-standard locomotives.
The steam rail motors, diesel railcars and the diesel shunters were each numbered into their own sequences, all beginning at 1. (The 1911 petrol-electric railcar was numbered 100.)
===1923 Renumbering===
In 1923, the GWR absorbed a number of small railway companies as part of the Grouping. The locomotives that it inherited were renumbered into gaps in the number series below 2199 left vacant by the withdrawal of older locomotives. Many of these engines were withdrawn after a short period of time, but those that survived in 1946 were subject to another renumbering to rationalise the system further (see below).
The bulk of the locomotives absorbed were renumbered into gaps in broad number ranges according to their wheel arrangement. Locomotives from the following railways were included in this scheme: Alexandra Docks Railway, Barry Railway, Cambrian Railways, Cardiff Railway, Midland and South Western Junction Railway, Port Talbot Railway, Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway, Rhymney Railway, South Wales Mineral Railway, Taff Vale Railway, Vale of Rheidol Railway, and Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway.
Locomotives from the Brecon and Merthyr Railway, Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway and Neath and Brecon Railway were also renumbered according to their wheel arrangement, but used a different set of number ranges.
The number ranges used for all these locomotives are set out below, but note that those engines that had previously been sold out of stock by the GWR regained their original GWR numbers, and were not allocated new numbers in these ranges:
Wheel Arrangement	Main Number Range	BMR, BPGVR and NBR Range
0-4-4T 	2-23 	
2-6-0 	24 	
4-4-4T 	25-27 	
0-6-2T 	30-603 	11-1375, 1668-1833
0-6-0T 	604-843 	2161-2199
0-6-0 	844-1013 	
4-4-0 	1014-1128 	
4-4-0T 	1129-1184 	1392
2-4-0T 	1189-1197 	1400-1458
2-6-2T 	1199-1213 	
4-4-2T 	1301-1306 	1391
2-4-2T 	1307-1326 	
2-4-0 	1328-1336 	
0-4-0T 	1338-1343 	
0-6-4T 	1344-1357 	
0-8-2T 	1358-1386 	
0-8-0 	1387-1390 	
The locomotives inherited by the GWR from other concerns were renumbered as follows:
*Ex-Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway 0-6-0T engines became 28-29.
*Locomotives from the Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway, Powesland and Mason and Swansea Harbour Trust were absorbed after the original numbering series had been drawn up, and these were fitted into available gaps without reference to the original number ranges. In some case they took the numbers of other absorbed engines that had already been withdrawn.
*In the 1940s, the Corris Railway and Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway were absorbed. The four engines inherited from these two concerns took GWR numbers 3-6.
===1946 Renumbering===
By 1946, the majority of the locomotives inherited at the 1923 Grouping had been withdrawn, as had most of the older GWR engines numbered below 2000. In order to tidy up the gaps in this number range, it was decided to renumber the surviving locomotives from each pre-Grouping company together. The series used were:
*1: ex-Ystalyfera Tin Works
*7-9: ex-Vale of Rheidol Railway
*30-96: ex-Rhymney Railway
*193-399: ex-Taff Vale Railway and Barry Railway
*421-436: ex-Brecon and Merthyr Railway
*1140-1147: ex-Swansea Harbour Trust
*1150-1153: ex-Powesland and Mason
===Oil burning locomotives===
In 1946/7 a number of locomotives were converted to burn oil, and some were renumbered in the process. Eleven 4900 Hall Class locos were renumbered into the 3900 range. Twelve 2800 Class 2-8-0s and eight of the 2884 Class were renumbered into the 4800 range. To make way for these, the 4800 Class 0-4-2Ts were renumbered to the 1400 range. (In addition, five 4073 Castle Class and one 4300 Class 2-6-0 were converted, but not renumbered.) All engines were converted back to coal firing by 1950, and regained their original numbers. However, the 1400s were never renumbered back to 4800s.
===Application by British Railways===
When the GWR was nationalized as part of British Railways in 1948, its steam locomotives retained their numbers unchanged and new steam engines built to GWR designs continued to be allocated numbers in the same way as the GWR had done. However, its diesel locomotives were completely renumbered. They took numbers 15100-15107 in the 15xxx series allocated to pre-Nationalization design diesel shunters.
*see: British Rail locomotive and multiple unit numbering and classification
===Summary of post-1902 class numbering===
GWR locomotive class numbering arranged by first and second digits
 	Legend 	Legend 	Legend 	Legend 	Legend 	Legend 	Legend 	Legend 	Legend 	Legend
 	NN00-NN99 	Each section has a title showing the range of one hundred locomotive numbers it covers 	Each section has a title showing the range of one hundred locomotive numbers it covers 	Each section has a title showing the range of one hundred locomotive numbers it covers 	Each section has a title showing the range of one hundred locomotive numbers it covers 	Each section has a title showing the range of one hundred locomotive numbers it covers 	Each section has a title showing the range of one hundred locomotive numbers it covers 	Each section has a title showing the range of one hundred locomotive numbers it covers 	Each section has a title showing the range of one hundred locomotive numbers it covers 	Each section has a title showing the range of one hundred locomotive numbers it covers
 	 	If any locomotive classes used numbers in that range, there will be a section for each class, as follows 	If any locomotive classes used numbers in that range, there will be a section for each class, as follows 	If any locomotive classes used numbers in that range, there will be a section for each class, as follows 	If any locomotive classes used numbers in that range, there will be a section for each class, as follows 	If any locomotive classes used numbers in that range, there will be a section for each class, as follows 	If any locomotive classes used numbers in that range, there will be a section for each class, as follows 	If any locomotive classes used numbers in that range, there will be a section for each class, as follows 	If any locomotive classes used numbers in that range, there will be a section for each class, as follows 	If any locomotive classes used numbers in that range, there will be a section for each class, as follows
 	5700 	First there is the number the class is known by (not necessarily in this range) linked to the appropriate article or article section 	First there is the number the class is known by (not necessarily in this range) linked to the appropriate article or article section 	First there is the number the class is known by (not necessarily in this range) linked to the appropriate article or article section 	First there is the number the class is known by (not necessarily in this range) linked to the appropriate article or article section 	First there is the number the class is known by (not necessarily in this range) linked to the appropriate article or article section 	First there is the number the class is known by (not necessarily in this range) linked to the appropriate article or article section 	First there is the number the class is known by (not necessarily in this range) linked to the appropriate article or article section 	First there is the number the class is known by (not necessarily in this range) linked to the appropriate article or article section 	First there is the number the class is known by (not necessarily in this range) linked to the appropriate article or article section
 	2161 ( > 4500) 	If the class was later renumbered away from this range, the later number range will be bracketed after the number following a > sign, and the section will be shaded pink	If the class was later renumbered away from this range, the later number range will be bracketed after the number following a > sign, and the section will be shaded pink	If the class was later renumbered away from this range, the later number range will be bracketed after the number following a > sign, and the section will be shaded pink	If the class was later renumbered away from this range, the later number range will be bracketed after the number following a > sign, and the section will be shaded pink	If the class was later renumbered away from this range, the later number range will be bracketed after the number following a > sign, and the section will be shaded pink	If the class was later renumbered away from this range, the later number range will be bracketed after the number following a > sign, and the section will be shaded pink	If the class was later renumbered away from this range, the later number range will be bracketed after the number following a > sign, and the section will be shaded pink	If the class was later renumbered away from this range, the later number range will be bracketed after the number following a > sign, and the section will be shaded pink	If the class was later renumbered away from this range, the later number range will be bracketed after the number following a > sign, and the section will be shaded pink
 	(4800 > ) 1400 	If the class was renumbered into this range, the earlier number range will be bracketed before the number preceding a > sign, and the section will be shaded blue 	If the class was renumbered into this range, the earlier number range will be bracketed before the number preceding a > sign, and the section will be shaded blue 	If the class was renumbered into this range, the earlier number range will be bracketed before the number preceding a > sign, and the section will be shaded blue 	If the class was renumbered into this range, the earlier number range will be bracketed before the number preceding a > sign, and the section will be shaded blue 	If the class was renumbered into this range, the earlier number range will be bracketed before the number preceding a > sign, and the section will be shaded blue 	If the class was renumbered into this range, the earlier number range will be bracketed before the number preceding a > sign, and the section will be shaded blue 	If the class was renumbered into this range, the earlier number range will be bracketed before the number preceding a > sign, and the section will be shaded blue 	If the class was renumbered into this range, the earlier number range will be bracketed before the number preceding a > sign, and the section will be shaded blue 	If the class was renumbered into this range, the earlier number range will be bracketed before the number preceding a > sign, and the section will be shaded blue
 	4-6-0 County (1945) 	Next will come the wheel arrangement, with any name that the class (or sub-class) was known by 	Next will come the wheel arrangement, with any name that the class (or sub-class) was known by 	Next will come the wheel arrangement, with any name that the class (or sub-class) was known by 	Next will come the wheel arrangement, with any name that the class (or sub-class) was known by 	Next will come the wheel arrangement, with any name that the class (or sub-class) was known by 	Next will come the wheel arrangement, with any name that the class (or sub-class) was known by 	Next will come the wheel arrangement, with any name that the class (or sub-class) was known by 	Next will come the wheel arrangement, with any name that the class (or sub-class) was known by 	Next will come the wheel arrangement, with any name that the class (or sub-class) was known by
 	1901–1966 	Finally there is the date range during which any of the class was numbered in this range 	Finally there is the date range during which any of the class was numbered in this range 	Finally there is the date range during which any of the class was numbered in this range 	Finally there is the date range during which any of the class was numbered in this range 	Finally there is the date range during which any of the class was numbered in this range 	Finally there is the date range during which any of the class was numbered in this range 	Finally there is the date range during which any of the class was numbered in this range 	Finally there is the date range during which any of the class was numbered in this range 	Finally there is the date range during which any of the class was numbered in this range
 	x0 	x1 	x2 	x3 	x4 	x5 	x6 	x7 	x8 	x9
0x	0000–0099 	0100–0199111 
4-6-2 The Great Bear
1908–1924 	0200–0299 	0300–0399 	0400–0499 	0500–0599 	0600–0699 	0700–0799 	0800–0899 	0900–0999
1x	1000–109910004-6-0 County (1945)1945–1964 	1100–119911010-4-0T1926–1964 	1200–1299 	1300–139913610-6-0ST1910–196213660-6-0PT1934–1964 	1400–1499(4800 > ) 14000-4-2T1946–1964 	1500–159915000-6-0PT1949–1963 	1600–169916000-6-0PT1949–1966 	1700–1799 	1800–1899 	1900–1999
2x	2000–2099 	2100–21992161 ( > 4500)2-6-2T1906–1912 	2200–229922214-4-2T County Tank1905–193522510-6-01930–1965 	2300–2399 	2400–2499 	2500–2599 	2600–269926002-6-0 Aberdare1901–1949 	2700–279927210-6-0ST/PT1897–1950 	2800–289928002-8-01903–196528842-8-01938–1965 	2900–299929004-6-0-Saint1903–1953
3x	3000–309930002-8-0 ex-ROD1919–1958 	3100–21993100 ( > 5100)
2-6-2T
1903–19273150 
2-6-2T
1906–19583100 (1938) 
2-6-2T
1938–1960 	3200–32993292 ( > 4100)4-4-0 Badminton1897–19123200 ( > 9000)4-4-0 Earl (Dukedog)1936–194622510-6-01946–1965 	3300–33993300 ( > 4100)4-4-0 Badminton????–19123373 ( > 4120)4-4-0 Atbara1900–191233004-4-0 Bulldog19–19 	3400–34993400 ( > 4120)4-4-0 Atbara19??–19123400 ( > 3700)4-4-0 City1901–19123400 ( > 3800)4-4-0 County1904–1912(3700 > ) 3400)4-4-0 Bird1912–195194000-6-0PT1955–1964 	3500–359935214-4-01887–193435710-4-2T1895–1949 	3600–369936002-4-2T 'Birdcage' 1902–193457000-6-0PT1938–1966 	3700–37993700 ( > 3400)4-4-0 Bird1909–1912(3400 > ) 37004-4-0 City1912–193157000-6-0PT1936–1966 	3800–3899(3400 > ) 38004-4-0 County1906–193328842-8-01938–1965 	3900–399939012-6-2T1907–1934(4900 > ) 3900 ( > 4900)4-6-0 Hall1946–1950
4x	4000–409940004-6-0 Star1906–195740734-6-0 Castle1923–1964	4100–41994101 > 41494-4-0 Flower1910–1931(3292,3300 > ) 41004-4-0 Badminton1912–19??(3373,3410 > ) 41204-4-0 Atbara1912–193151012-6-2T1935–1965 	4200–429942002-8-0T1910–1965 	4300–439943002-6-01911–1959 	4400–449944002-6-2T1905–1955 	4500–4599(2161 > ) 45002-6-2T1912–196445752-6-2T1927–1964 	4600–469946004-4-2T1913–192557000-6-0PT1940–1966 	4700–479947002-8-01919–1964 	4800–48994800 ( > 1400)0-4-2T1932–1946(2800 > ) 4800 ( > 2800)2-8-01946–1950(2884 > ) 4800 ( > 2884)2-8-01946–1949 	4900–499949004-6-0 Hall1928–1965
5x	5000–509940734-6-0 Castle1926–1965 	5100–5199(3100 > ) 51002-6-2T1927–195951012-6-2T1929–1964 	5200–529942002-8-0T1922–196552052-8-0T1923–1965 	5300–539943002-6-01916–1964 	5400–549954000-6-0PT1930–1963 	5500–559945752-6-2T1927–1964 	5600–569956000-6-2T1924–1966 	5700–579957000-6-0PT1929–1963 	5800–589958000-4-2T1933–1959 	5900–599949004-6-0 Hall1931–1965
6x	6000–609960004-6-0 King1927–1962 	6100–619961002-6-2T1931–1965 	6200–6299 	6300–639943002-6-01920–1964 	6400–649964000-6-0PT1932–1964 	6500–6599 	6600–669956000-6-2T1927–1965 	6700–679957000-6-0PT "6700"1930–1965 	6800–689968004-6-0 Grange1936–1965 	6900–699949004-6-0 Hall1940–196569594-6-0 Modified Hall1944–1965
7x	7000–709940734-6-0 Castle1946–1965 	7100–7199 	7200–729972002-8-2T1934–1965 	7300–739943002-6-01921–1964 	7400–749964000-6-0PT1936–1965 	7500–7599 	7600–7699 	7700–779957000-6-0PT1930–1964 	7800–789978004-6-0 Manor1938–1965 	7900–799969594-6-0 Modified Hall1948–1965
8x	8000–8099 	8100–819951002-6-2T "8100"1938–1965 	8200–8299 	8300–839943002-6-0 "8300"1927–1948 	8400–849994000-6-0PT1949–1965 	8500–8599 	8600–8699 	8700–879957000-6-0PT "8750"1930–1966 	8800–8899 	8900–8999
9x	9000–9099(3200 > ) 90004-4-0 Earl (Dukedog)1946–1960 	9100–9199 	9200–9299 	9300–93994300 ( > 7300)2-6-01932–1959 	9400–949994000-6-0PT1947–1965 	9500–9599 	9600–969957000-6-0PT1943–1966 	9700–979957000-6-0PT "9700"1933–1966 	9800–9899 	9900–9999
==Classification==
A very simple system was adopted, whereby the name (for broad-gauge locomotives) or number of the first locomotive in a class became the classification for all locomotives in that class (e.g. 'Sun Class', '4000 Class'). After the end of the broad gauge, names were applied to principal passenger and mixed-traffic standard-gauge locomotives. These were often based on a single theme, which could also lend its name to describe a class, for example 'Stars', also known as the '4000 Class', whose names included 'North Star', 'Rising Star' etc.
However, the classes of locomotives inherited at the Grouping in 1923 continued to be referred to by the classification allocated to them by their original owner.
==See also==
*Great Western Railway Power and Weight Classification
Category:Lists
Category:Great Western Railway locomotives
Category:Locomotive classification systems
Category:Numbering and Classification