The Pannier Papers No. 3 - the 57XX Engines : 57XX 67XX 77XX by Sixsmith, Ian & Derry, Richard - 2011

Clophill, Bedfordshire, England: Irwell Press, 2011. 1st Edition . Soft cover. New/No Jacket. 56 pages profusely illustrated b/w photos - Being a part of the Irwell Press 'The Book of the Pannier Tanks' Intended to Make Up into a Set as a Volume in the Famous 'Book - The vast army of modern (post Grouping) pannier tanks is thus dealt with over several volumes in a highly collectable series. The GWR had favoured Pannier Tank locomotives since 1911 when they had started rebuilding saddle tank locomotives built between 1870 and 1905 into this style. By 1929 these older locomotives were in need of replacement. The first 5700s were almost identical in appearance to several of the older converted locos (e.g. classes 645, 1701, 1854, 2721) and had round spectacles (windows) in the cab front, but those built after 1933 from 8750-onwards had rectangular windows and a slightly different cab profile virtually identical to the style introduced with the 5400 Class in 1931. Whilst they can be viewed as a simple update of the 2721 Class, the Collett improvements were worthwhile and the class became as synonymous with the GWR as Castles and Kings, lasting until the end of steam on the Western Region of British Railways. The size of the class demanded that the 5700 class locomotives were spread across several series of numbers. 3600 - 3699 3700 - 3799 4600 - 4699 5700 - 5799 6700 - 6779 7700 - 7799 8700 - 8799 9600 - 9682 9701 - 9799 Most were built at Swindon Works, but about 25% were built by private builders:- Armstrong Whitworth 7775 - 7799 (25) W. G. Bagnall 6700 - 6724, 8725 - 8749, 8400 - 8449 (100) Beyer, Peacock & Co. 8700 - 8724 (25) Kerr Stuart - 7700 - 7724 (25) North British 5700 - 5749, 7725 - 7749 (75) Yorkshire Engine Co. 6725 - 6749 (25)