Most websites about individual engines are either because they were famous or are today preserved.
5028 was “Unsung” and is long gone, but she was well liked by the Great Western footplate men who drove and fired her. She worked mainly in the Newton Abbot & Laira Areas.
The following pages trace her story from “Birth” in 1934 to her untimely “Death” in 1960.
Technical Details
Information on 5028’s construction and maintenance by The Great Western Railway at Swindon.
Superheating/Chimneys/Frames/Buffer Barrels.
All eleven boilers which 5028 carried during her lifetime had Two Row Superheaters.
When built she had a tall chimney, making overall height of the loco thirteen feet five & half inches.
From 1936 a shorter chimney was introduced which reduced overall height to thirteen feet two & half inches.
Upon overhauls chimneys were mixed & no records have been found of those fitted to 5028. The photo gallery shows different ones at different times.
She never carried a double chimney.
She was one of the first to receive Straight Frames from new (with 5-Glass sight feed lubricator). These were introduced from 1932 starting with No 5013.
Buffer Barrels when new in 1934 were of the Taper variety. By withdrawal in 1960 Parallel ones were carried.
Visitors didn’t usually see engines coming in and out on the traversers, so this photo is unusual. Here 5028 starts her journey out of A Erecting Shop after overhaul.