GWR Mogul 7325

The Churchward 43XX 2-6-0s were introduced in 1911; they were used on both passenger and freight duties over most routes of the Great Western Railway system, and 342 examples of the type were constructed up until 1932. In addition to activities in Britain, some locos were requisitioned by the Government, and used in France during the First World War.

Constructed as No. 9303, the locomotive was one of the final batch of 20 locomotives, Nos. 9300-19, completed at Swindon in February 1932. With earlier batches of these 2-6-0s, difficulties were experienced on secondary lines in the West Country with excessive wear of the leading driving wheels due to ‘hunting’, and the 93XX engines were weighted with a slab of steel behind the front buffer beam to minimise this tendency. Design features of the Collett era incorporated in the 93XX series included the larger side-window cab and screw-operated instead of lever-operated reversing gear.

9303 led a varied 32-year career on the G.W.R. system. It was allocated to the following depots, in order: Penzance, Old Oak Common, Oxford, Reading/Basingstoke, Tyseley, Chester, Pontypool Road, Newport Ebbw Junction, Severn Tunnel Junction, and Pontypool Road. The front bufferbeam steel slab was removed in June 1958, and the engine was renumbered 7325, back into the standard series. As 7325, the engine was withdrawn from service in April 1964.

After ten years at Woodham Brothers Barry scrapyard, No. 7325 was bought in May 1974 through the fund-raising activities of the G.W.R. (S.V.R.) Association. The restoration project was a long term one involving great thoroughness, and work progressed at Bewdley and Bridgnorth. The loco initially assumed the original identity of 9303 when first steamed on 25th June 1992, but six months later reverted to 7325, in B.R. green livery. It was a prolific performer on the SVR, in addition to main line work. Places visited include the London Underground steam route from Watford to Amersham, also Hereford, Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol, Plymouth, Buckfastleigh, Meldon, and Weymouth. The highlights were two spectacular assaults of the Lickey Incline, in late 1997 and early 1998.

In 2000, it was withdrawn from use due to a severely leaking boiler, and following cosmetic restoration, was placed on exhibition at the Steam Museum in Swindon.

It returned to the SVR for display in The Engine House when it opened in 2008, being replaced there in 2019 by 7819.

After some time stored in Kidderminster Carriage Shed, it was moved to Bridgnorth for an assessment of the work required for it to steam again, though there are no immediate plans for an overhaul.