The 1076 Class were 266 double framed0-6-0T locomotives built by the Great Western Railway between 1870 and 1881; the last one, number 1287, was withdrawn in 1946. They are often referred to as the Buffalo Class following the naming of locomotive 1134.
History
These large tank locomotives, with their 4-foot-7+1⁄2-inch (1,410mm) wheels and 17-by-24-inch (432mm ×610mm)dia × stroke cylinders were capable of working trains on the main line. They followed on from George Armstrong's 1016 Class built from 1867, themselves derived from the earlier 302 Class of Joseph Armstrong, and were perpetuated by his successor William Dean until 1881. Modernised saddle tank locomotives of similar size were then produced in the 1813 Class.
The first six were built with side tanks. The following locomotives had saddle tanks covering their boilers and fireboxes, but from 1874 longer saddle tank extending to the front of the smokebox were the norm. All the earlier locomotives were eventually fitted with these larger tanks. Most were reconstructed with pannier tanks from 1911 onwards.
The first locomotives had just a spectacle plate to give protection for the crew, but then small cabs, open at the back, were fitted. Later on most of the surviving locomotives were given full cabs so that there was protection when running in reverse.
Other changes to various locomotives over their long lives were Belpaire fireboxes, enlarged coalbunkers, and even superheaters. One or two were fitted with spark-arresting chimneys. 21 were fitted for working autotrains.
Table of orders and numbers
Year
Quantity
Lot No.
Works Nos.
Locomotive numbers
Notes
1870
6
22
245–250
1172–1177
renumbered 1076–1081 in 1870
1872–73
30
30
402–431
727–756
1874
20
37
523–542
947–966
1874–75
20
39
543–562
1134–1153
1875
20
40
603–622
1166–1185
1876–77
20
43
663–682
1228–1247
Ran as broad-gauge locomotives from new (nos. 1228–37) or from 1887–88 (remainder) until 1891–93, see later
1877
20
44
683–702
1248–1267
Nos. 1248–57 ran as broad-gauge locomotives from 1887–88 until 1892–93, see later
1877–78
30
45
703–732
1268–1297
1878–79
20
48
754–773
1561–1580
Ran as broad-gauge locomotives from new (nos. 1561–5) or from 1884 (remainder) until 1892–93, see later
1879
20
49
774–793
1581–1600
1879–80
20
50
794–813
1601–1620
1880
20
52
824–843
1621–1640
1880–81
20
55
846–865
1641–1660
Broad gauge conversions
Locomotive 1256 with the last broad gauge service at Truro in 1892
Ten locomotives were built in 1876 with broad gauge wheels outside the standard double frames. Five more broad gauge locomotives were built in 1878, while from 1884 another 35 were converted from standard gauge to broad. All were eventually converted back to standard gauge.
1256 was one of a pair of locomotives that worked the last broad gauge train from Penzance back to Swindon for conversion on 20 May 1892.
Locomotives built new as broad gauge are denoted in this list by an asterisk*.
1228 * (1876–1892)
1229 * (1876–1892)
1230 * (1876–1892)
1231 * (1876–1892)
1232 * (1876–1892)
1233 * (1876–1892)
1234 * (1876–1892)
1235 * (1876–1892)
1236 * (1876–1892)
1237 * (1876–1893)
1238 (1888–1892)
1239 (1887–1892)
1250 (1888–1893)
1251 (1887–1891)
1252 (1887–1892)
1253 (1888–1892)
1254 (1888–1892)
1255 (1888–1893)
1256 (1887–1892)
1257 (1887–1892)
1258 (1887–1892)
1259 (1887–1892)
1260 (1888–1892)
1261 (1888–1892)
1262 (1888–1893)
1263 (1887–1892)
1264 (1887–1893)
1265 (1888–1893)
1266 (1887–1892)
1267 (1887–1893)
1561 * (1878–1892)
1562 * (1878–1893)
1563 * (1878–1892)
1564 * (1878–1893)
1565 * (1878–1892)
1566 (1884–1892)
1567 (1884–1892)
1568 (1884–1892)
1569 (1884–1892)
1570 (1884–1892)
1571 (1884–1892)
1572 (1884–1892)
1573 (1884–1892)
1574 (1884–1892)
1575 (1884–1892)
1576 (1884–1892)
1577 (1884–1892)
1578 (1884–1893)
1579 (1884–1892)
1580 (1884–1893)
Named locomotive
1134 Buffalo
The reason this locomotive was given a name is unclear. It was certainly named within a few years of construction but there was already a Buffalo0-6-0ST which gave its name to the South Devon Railway Buffalo class. The nameplate was removed from 1134 in 1914 when it was fitted with its pannier tanks. The name itself is that of a strong animal, the Buffalo.
Allcock, N. J.; Davies, F. K.; le Fleming, H. M.; Maskelyne, J. N.; Reed, P. J. T.; Tabor, F. J. (1968) [1951]. White, D. E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part one: Preliminary Survey. Kenilworth: RCTS.
le Fleming, H. M. (April 1958). White, D. E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, part five: Six-coupled Tank Engines. RCTS. ISBN0-901115-35-5. OCLC500544510.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ignored ISBN errors (link)
Aves, W.A.T. (1998). "The Pre-1923 GWR Pannier and Saddle Tank Locomotives". Locomotives Illustrated (118). RAS Publishing. ISSN0307-1804.
Casserley, H.C.; Johnston, S.C. (1966). Locomotives at the Grouping: Great Western Railway. Shepperton: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN0-7110-0555-9.
Reed, P. J. T. (February 1953). White, D. E. (ed.). The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, Part 2: Broad Gauge. Kenilworth: RCTS. pp.B44–B45. ISBN0-901115-32-0. OCLC650490992.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ignored ISBN errors (link)
Russell, J.H. (1975). A Pictorial Record of Great Western Engines, Volume 1. Oxford: Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN0-86093-398-9.