Peter kerslake says "No.7200, the first GWR 2-8-2T, was converted from ‘42xx’ 2-8-0T No. 5275 in 1934 when the Great Western decided to increase the operational usefulness by increasing their fuel capacity by two tons of coal and 700 gallons of water to almost that of a tender engine. The frames were lengthened by over four feet to accommodate the greatly enlarged bunker which also needed the addition of a rear radial truck. No.7200, pictured on 18th February 1962, was shedded at Llanelly from November 1960 until withdrawn in July 1963.

Following withdrawal in July of 1963 , the pioneer "7200" class member, 7200 herself was eventually spared the cutters 'torches and spent some while from September of 1981 at Quainton Road, on the former Great Central Heritage line, but restoration was put on hold until 2002 when the frames were sent to Swindon's Heritage Railway Engineering facility.
In her later years in service 7200 had beeen a resident at Newton Abbot , Saint Blazey , Landore , Duffryn Yard and Llanelly Motive Power Depots .
Regarded in their heyday as first class locomotives , with virtually the whole class except a handful being based within the South Wales network of Motive Power Depots, and working coal traffic to London and the South West , the later decline in demand for Welsh steam coal saw these large locomotives instead handling iron ore traffic to the Welsh steel foundries" .