Great Western Railway Churchward '1361' class 0-6-0 Saddletank No. 1362. Built at Swindon in June 1910 and withdrawn in May 1961. George Jackson Churchward will rightly be remembered for his 'Cities', 'Saints', 'Stars', 'Atbaras', 'Counties', 'Bulldogs' and other shining examples of his genius. Humble tank locomotives produced during his tenure have not received similar attention, yet 1361 went quietly about its modest role for over 50 years. Pictured in April 1933 at Newton Abbot MPD, 1362 has another 28 years of life to serve both the GWR and British Railways. p.s. The design of the five '1361s' was actually credited to Harold Holcroft, Churchward's assistant and a fine engineer in his own right.

Peter Kerslake adds "The 1361 class saw service at Taunton , Bridgwater , Newton Abbot and Swindon but it was within Plymouth's Millbay docks and the surrounding areas such as Devonport and Keyham that they were mainly engaged , their design permittiing them to work within confined dockside areas for which they were intended."



© Les Hanson-David Hanson Archive