A very curious locomotive shunting at Taunton

Image: © Ben Brooksbank Taken: 16 Jul 1949

View westwards, towards Taunton station, Exeter etc.: ex-GWR London/Bristol - Taunton and the South-west main line. Taken on impulse from a passing train - hence the poor quality, the scene shows an ex-GW 0-6-0T with an unusual history. This is No. 5 'Portishead', a London, Brighton & South Coast Stroudley 0-6-0T built at Brighton in 1877 as class A1 No. 43 'Gipsey Hill', rebuilt to A1X in 1919, purchased by the Weston, Cleveland & Portishead Light Railway in 12/25 as their No. 2 'Portishead'. The impecunious WC&P Railway was closed abruptly in 5/40 and its stock acquired by the GWR, which found only two (GWR Nos. 5 and 6) of its engines serviceable. They were first put to work on the Bristol Harbour lines but No. 6 lasted only until 1/48: No. 5 was then sent to work at Taunton (later Newton Abbot) until 1/50 when it was put in Store at Swindon and eventually withdrawn in 3/54. On the left is one of Taunton's several '2251' 0-6-0s, No. 2267 with an ex-ROD tender.

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