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.
David Rouse’s Diaries.
Extracts from David Rouse’s Diaries - Ref 5028,
2nd Jan 1950 to 1957 when he worked at Newton Abbot, first as a cleaner and then as a fireman.
4/01/50 cleaned (C)side
26/01/50 C all over, copper top
08/02/50 C all over, gear
14/02/50 C scouring and gear
20/02/50 C side
28/02/50 C tender and scouring
06/03/50 C side
08/03/50 C half gear, tender, half scouring ,side
17/04/50 C top
23/05/50 C top
01/06/50 C all over, gear
21/06/50 C top
24/06/50 C tender
31/07/50 C scraped side
11/09/50 C side
13/09/50 C half of tender
15/09/50 C both sides
25/09/50 C top
28/09/50 C tender
09/11/50 C gear
20/11/50 C tender
01/12/50 C side
12/12/50 C top
15/12/50 C tender
At the back of the diary he comments “7 firing turns this year”
(The first was 30/09/50)
1951
14/01/51 First 1951 Firing turn
26/04/51 5028 on its light to WES then on to SDN at 9.30am Note - it was going for a HG)
05/06/51 50th FIRING TURN
16/06/51 5028 Back
(Note - with Hawksworth tender)
20/06/51 C top, scouring
02/08/51 75th FIRING TURN
03/08/51 MADE FIREMAN
10/08/51 C framing
13/08/51 First Day as fireman
27/08/51 Went to EXE on 2.37. Ret’d on Devonian behind 5028
16/09/51 FIRST DAY ON PASSENGER TRAIN
17/09/51 PROMOTED TO PREP LINK
15/10/51 Prep 5071, 5028, 5024, 6907, 6934
19/10/51 Prep 5047, 5028, 4099, 5998, 5140
1952
** 13/01/52 6.0 Prep Lionel Luscombe.
Prep,d 5028. No Steam.
05/02/52 King Died.
** 20/03/52 6.0 Cleaning(C) with Ginger.
5028 (side)
** 21/03/52 6.0 C with Ginger.
C 5028 (top)
17/04/52 2.0 C 5028 (All over- did scouring & wheels).
07/05/52 2.0 C 5028 (top - did paint)
30/06/52 15 weeks since I was put back on cleaning & last with Bob Gill.
01/10/52 2.0 C 5028 (top)
04/10/52 2.0 C 5028 (top)
10/10/52 6.0a.m. C 5028 (tender)
1953
15/01/53 Enrolled for National Service.
(Royal Engineers)
1955
13/01/55 DEMOB
07/02/55 Commence work with the Western again
29/05/55 STRIKE COMMENCED - on Picket line from 10.0pm - 12.0
14/06/55 STRIKE ENDED. Settled at 6.0pm
16/11/55 Learning Auto
**07/12/55 2.38 AP to Exeter on 2.53. Walked up to he city and looked around the shops.
Took 6995 to shed. 5028 6.50 Exeter - K’wr & 9.40 Kwr - NA. Turned.
Very good trip again.
1956
** 17/04/56 5028 11.40 - K’wear Bernard Watts.
** 21/04/56 5028 11.40 - K’wear Fred Green.
08/05/56 Royal train at Goodrington.
** 25/06/56 TN - NA 8.15 5028
18/07/56 82005 Bob Nicks (Drove this)
(Note - In 1957 he left to go to the Festiniog
Railway as a Driver.)
