BR Standard Class 4 No. 80079

No, 80079 is a BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T tank engine designed by R.A. Riddles and was built at Brighton Works in March 1954. It was based on the Eastern Region working on the London, Tilbury and Southend Line (LT&S) working commuter services out of London until that route was electrified in 1962.
==Incidents==
On January 30, 1958, No. 80079 was hauling a passenger train that overran signals and was in a rear-end collision with another passenger train at Dagenham, Essex. Ten people were killed and 89 were injured.
==Aftermath==
80079 was repaired and returned to working on passenger trains for the remainder of its working life. It was eventually withdrawn from service in July 1965 whilst based at Croes Newydd which by this time was a London Midland Region after being transferred to the London Midland from the Western Region in September 1963.
==1965-1999==
80079 was then sold for scrap to Woodham Brothers at Barry. It arrived in 1966 and stayed there until 1971 when it was moved to Bridgnorth following its purchase by members of the Severn Valley Railway. Fourteen members of the class were sent to Barry to be cut up and 80079 was the first to leave since it was considered to be in the best condition of the Standard class 4 tanks at Barry at the time of its purchase.
After restoration, 80079 returned to service in early 1977 on the Severn Valley Railway.
80079 has made a significant number of appearances on the main line. It first ran on the main line in April 1980 when it double headed a train from Hereford to Manchester Victoria along with Stanier Black Five No. 5000. It performed a few more until 1983 when it hauled a train from Hereford to Newport and back along with Ivatt 2-6-0 43106.
In early 1987 work was undertaken on the boiler in an attempt to extend the ten year boiler certificate. This was partly achieved with the locomotive remaining in service until early 1989 when it was withdrawn due to loose/thin flue tube ends.
An overhaul was started in 1990 with the work mainly comprising new bunker platework, new pipework, reconditioned cab fittings and repairs to the tanks. Some work was also undertaken on the frames.
After a gap of ten years it returned to main line activity in May 1993 when it hauled a number of trains in the Carmarthen and Swansea areas.
In 1994 80079 joined up with fellow class member No. 80080 to work a number of steam specials including a run over the Cambrian Coast Line. One notable incident was when 80080 with 80079 banking from the rear worked the climb up the 1 in 37 to Exeter Central. When near to the summit, 80080 lost its footing on the climb and stalled the train. The resulted continuous wheelspin from 80080 resulted in damage to both the track and the locomotive. It was only after the crew had hand-sanded the rails for both engines that they managed to get the train over the summit past Exeter Central.
In 1998, 80079 became the first steam locomotive to work a steam special down the Conwy Valley Line to Blaenau Ffestiniog since 1967. On the first run however, 80079 stalled with six coaches, and as a result, a second attempt was made with only four coaches, which was successful.
80079 returned to Blaenau in 1999 with 80098. Despite only hauling 4 coaches 80079 again stalled resulting in assistance being given from 80098, which had been waiting at Llanwrst with the second portion of the train. 80098. was therefore uncoupled, ran light engine up to Pont Y Pant, and helped bank the first portion up to Blaenau. The pair then returned to Llanwrst for the other four coaches, which they double headed up to Blaenau. The train was then reformed to eight coaches, and the combined service returned to Llandudno Junction in the dark.
==No. 80079 in the 2000's==
By 2002 80079 had been out of service and spent a period of time on static display at Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Swindon and in the Engine House at Highley on the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) before undergoing restoration again.
In 2018 80097 had completed its restoration but suffered a cracked small boiler tube which put it out of action until it was replaced.
After completing its restoration, the locomotive underwent trials and was restored to service in 2019 at Bury on the East Lancashire Railway. 
Due to Covid restrictions the locomotive was unable to run between 2020-2021.
A final steam inspection was then carried out and 80097 returned to traffic in 2022 just over two months since it failed.
In November 2022, 80097 was withdrawn from service after it failed with a blown large boiler tube is now not due to return to traffic until Spring of 2023.
== Trivia ==
* 
* 80079 was the first locomotive of the BR standard range to leave Woodham's for preservation.
*80079 appeared on an episode of ITV’s Game for a Laugh In 1981.
* 80079 took part in the Rocket 150 celebrations in 1980.
* By the time it was taken out of service in 2002 80079 had run for about 103,509 miles whilst in preservation.
* One of 15 BR Standard Class 4 locomotives to have survived into preservation.
== Gallery ==
* Gallery
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