Completed at Swindon in July 1952 82003 was allocated to the Western region and sent to Tyseley, the former GWR's principal Birmingham area shed. The GWR was well supplied with capable tank engines, so the standard tanks moved around a lot, 82003 going to Barry in October 1953 and moving to Bristol Bath Road in March 1958. 82003 was sent to Chester in August 1958, being transferred to the Midland region as region boundaries were straightened out, but returned to the Western region and Bristol, at the former Midland Railway Barrow Road shed, in April 1961. Briefly allocated to Bristol St Philips Marsh shed in February 1962 82007 moved to Carmarthen in March, then moving to mid Wales at Machynlleth in June 1962 before a move to Patricroft in April 1965, where the engine was withdrawn from service in December 1966.
Model Features
- Die cast metal body and chassis
- Die cast wheels which are tapered from the rim inwards on both sides as per the prototype, with steel tyres
- Brake shoes in ABS plastic
- 5 pole skew wound precision motor
- Sprung centre driving wheel and pony trucks
- Die cast pivoted coupling and connecting rods, plated then blackened
- Fully working prototypical Walschaerts valve gear
- Easily removable cab roof (for adding a crew) by means of small magnets
- Working cab doors
- Wire handrails with stanchions in metal
- Sprung metal buffers and screw link couplings
- Full back head detail with reversing wheel in ABS
- Flickering firebox glow