A Dean Goods with pannier tanks?

[Heather Kay]

I found this on the British Pathé YouTube channel earlier.

Am I seeing right? Is that a WD Dean Goods with tender, plus condensing gear and pannier tanks slung on the boiler? What a lash-up!

 

[AJC]

Yep, that's exactly what it is. One of ten, apparently and presumably lost with much of the BEF's kit post Dunkirk.

Adam

 

[Heather Kay]

Fascinating. Pathé date the film - it’s a segment from a longer feature entitled "Jack and Jill" looking at various jobs and trades doing their bit for the war effort - to 1942. I suspect this may have stock footage from prewar, although the Pathé YouTubers can often be a bit off with their dating.

 

[Geoff]

Not sure if this is the same loco Heather. but WD 179 (Ex 2466) was sent to China in the late 1940's. It was fitted with condensing gear so that smoke couldn't be spotted by enemy aircraft. I think an article appeared last year in Steam Days / World, can't remember which?

Geoff

 

[PhilH]

Author R.Tourret in "War Department Locomotives" published in 1976 gives full details of the GWR Dean Goods locos transferred to the WD. 32 went overseas in the 1914-18 war. In the Second World War a total of 108 out of the then 180 survivors were taken over by the WD. Ten of the locos were fitted with condensing gear and pannier tanks and all were fitted with Westinghouse brake gear with pumps mounted on the right hand side of the smokebox.

Most saw wartime service in France and others went to Italy or North Africa. After the war a total of 22 in service on the SNCF in France were sent to China in 1946/7. Another 4 including WD 179 were sent abroad possibly again to China from Longmoor in late 1947, and three of those had been fitted with pannier tanks but they were removed at Longmoor before they were sent. Many were returned to Britain in 1948/9 for scrap, the last one surviving at Longmoor until 1959 in a derelict state and used for rerailing practice.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

One Dean goods loco 2435/WD188, not fitted with pannier tanks but did have Westinghouse air brakes, was captured by German troops near Dunkerque in WWII and ended up in Austria after an overhaul at Cottbus. It was scrapped in 1952.

At least six ended up in Italy in 1946 and were withdrawn in 1953.

 

[PhilH]

The aforementioned book includes a photo of WD 188 derelict at Breitenlee in Austria in 1951. Its fitted with a larger cab and air cylinder on the left hand side.

The book also has a detailed history of the six locos that went to Italy, brief extracts as follows.
The six were WD 100/167/168/171/172/174 (ex GWR 2521/2463/2548/2545/2478/2451). They had the Westinghouse brake removed leaving them with steam brake only and shipped from Faslane to North Africa in February 1943. They were named in white letters on the centre splashers "Virginia", "Margaret", "Rosemary", "Voiara", "Wavell" and "JeanAnn", but the names did not survive after the locos had been shopped in Africa. The locos were used on various duties (detailed in the book) including two on loan to American Forces but by early 1944 all six were at Bone (now known as Annaba) in the northeast corner of Algeria. From Bone they were shipped to Taranto in March 1944, the first WD engines to be landed in Italy. By July 1945 all had been overhauled at Foligno and repainted unlined black with red-brown wheels and frames. They were taken over by FS in July 1946 and renumbered 293.001-6, but by March 1947 they were stored out of use and were officially withdrawn in 1953.

 

[DavidB]

A few years ago I took the Missenden stand to Telford. I borrowed a few 7mm models from a friend to put on the stand (I only had my 4mm stuff) Amongst them was this, made by said friend using some of his time at Missenden to complete it.