Lima Prairie Tank 4589 GWR Green Livery 20 5111m. Used. OO Gauge

The 45XX Class Prairie Tank was a development of Churchward’s earlier 44XX Class locomotives. Almost identical to the 44XX Class, the only major differences of note were the 45XX’s larger diameter driving wheels and the profile of the running plate at the front end, which was changed from a square drop to a curved drop from No. 4530 onwards. The increased wheel diameter made the 45XXs generally a more useful engine due to the resulting increase in speed. They were employed mainly on branch line duties hauling both passenger and freight trains.

Built originally at Stafford Road Works, Wolverhampton between 1906 and 1908, the first batch of 45XX locomotives were numbered 2161-80 (these became Nos. 4500-4519 following renumbering in 1912). These 20 were the final locomotives to be built at Stafford Road Works and all subsequent examples came from Swindon. Swindon built four batches, with the last entering traffic in 1924, and in total 75 Class 45XXs were built. The locomotives found particular favour on the hilly lines of Wales and the West Country, and the entire Class was transferred to BR ownership following Nationalisation in 1948. The first withdrawals occurred in early 1950, although the last remained in service until 1964. Three examples are preserved.