GWR Locomotives: The Prairies

Known as the Prairies, these tank engines of the 2-6-2T variety were some of Churchward’s earliest designs and were the precursor for successful variations of one of the classes – numbered 51XX until 1949. There were two basic types, the smaller type for branch lines and the larger type mostly for outer suburban work in London and Birmingham, but also used as banking engines at Sapperton, Rattery,...