Caerphilly Castle is a member of the GWR 4073 Class built in 1923.
The lead locomotive of its class, after a brief period of running-in service, between April and October 1924 the locomotive was exhibited at the British Empire Exhibition, which was held at Wembley. Its first shed allocation was Old Oak Common. Its August 1950 shed allocation was Bath Road, Bristol. Its last shed allocation was Cardiff Canton in March 1959.
Withdrawn in May 1960, it was made part of the National Collection. Refurbished for display purposes at Swindon Works, on 2 June 1961 she was formally handed over by Dr Richard Beeching at Paddington Station to the director of the Science Museum. Pickfords hauled the engine to the museum in Kensington, using Scammell Constructor units on Sunday June 4th. She was then placed on display in the new extension, in the transport section.
After the Science Museum decided to refurbish its displays, and focus on moving/intercative exhibits, it was decided to move the locomotive to Swindon Steam Railway Museum. After a period on display at National Railway Museum, York, she moved to Swindon on the museum's opening.
Famous quotes containing the words class and/or castle:
“We of the sinking middle class ... may sink without further struggles into the working class where we belong, and probably when we get there it will not be so dreadful as we feared, for, after all, we have nothing to lose but our aitches.”
—George Orwell (1903–1950)
“He that is born to be hanged shall never be drowned.”
—14th-century French proverb, first recorded in English in A. Barclay, Gringore’s Castle of Labour (1506)