GWR 3700 Class “Cities”

Description

HISTORY OF THE CITIES

The Great Western Railway 3700 Class, or City Class, was a series of twenty 4-4-0 steam locomotives, designed for hauling express passenger trains.

In September 1902 a member of the Atbara Class, no. 3405 Mauritius, was reboilered with a tapered domeless boiler and Belpaire firebox. The locomotive was the first GWR 4-4-0 to be fitted with a tapered boiler; the boiler became the prototype for Churchward’s Standard No. 4 boiler. In March 1903 the first of the City Class, no. 3433 City of Bath, was completed. It was fitted with the final form of the Standard No.4 boiler, with slightly curved sides and a tapered top to the firebox. Another nine locomotives were completed in May 1903. Between February 1907 and December 1908, nine Atbaras were rebuilt with this boiler and incorporated into the City Class. All members of the class were withdrawn between October 1927 and May 1931.

Superheating of the boiler was first applied to no. 3702, Halifax in June 1910. All of the class had been fitted with superheaters by 1912. Boiler feed was originally by clack valves fitted to the underside of the barrel. Top feed was introduced in 1912 and new cast iron chimneys in 1921. The slide valves were replaced by 8 in (20.3 cm) semi-plug piston valves from 1914. The Dean suspension bogie was replaced by a bogie developed from the type used on the de Glehn Atlantics. Four retained the Dean bogies until withdrawal.

The most famous locomotive in the class, 3440 City of Truro (later renumbered 3717), is reputedly the first steam locomotive to travel in excess of 100 mph, on 9 May 1904. It was the 2000th locomotive to be built at Swindon, leaving the works in April 1903.

Withdrawal of the class began in 1927 with 3718 City of Winchester which was withdrawn in October 1927, the engines working life being only just over 24 years. Regular withdrawal of the class began in August of the following year and by July 1930 only two engines were left in service on the GWR, these being 3712 City of Bristol and 3717 City of Truro. 3717 was the first of the final two engines to be withdrawn as it was withdrawn in March 1931 & 3712 followed two months later in May of the same year.

Only one member of the class has survived into preservation, this being 3440/3717 City of Truro. Historically significant because of its famed 1904 run, City of Truro was a prime candidate for preservation, whereas the rest of the class were scrapped. It is owned by the National Railway Museum, York. It was last restored to full working order in 2004 and, as of 2009, was frequently loaned for operation on UK main lines and heritage railways.

As of 2025, ‘City of Truro’ is on static display.