#GWR 85xx

[hazel-of-sodor]

Presenting the Great Western Railway 85xx Stone Circle class. This engine came from a discussion with a friend about a 'what if' next step for Great Western Express Locomotives had nationalization not occured.  It's not a Cathedral, but a further design. Some history on these giants.

 8500 Ring of Brodgar was the prototype, and would be purchased by a private owner before being officially being withdrawn from service. Upon her owner's death in 1982, she was donated to the National Collection. 

8501 Mitchel's Fold was the first production 85xx. She would be rescued from Barry's Scrapyard in 1973 by a preservation group dedicated to saving and restoring her. While the group would go on to save other engines after her restoration, she remains their pride and joy.

8502 Avebury was included in the purchase of the  Kingsbridge Branchline from British Railways by the Kingsbridge Preservation Group. She would serve as the line's main attraction until the late seventies, when she was withdrawn from service for overhaul. It wouldn't be until 1998 that she would return to service. Since then she has spent the majority of her time in service, although she is currently awaiting overhaul.

8503 Callanish Stones would be purchased directly from British Rails by the Great Western Society.

8504 Castleriggs Stones would be wrecked in 1965 on an embankment. British Rails determined it would cost more to recover the stricken engine then she was worth in scrap, so the engine was left abandoned.  In 1968 the Severn Valley Railway Society approached BR for permission to recover the engine. After negotiations they were given a 24  hour window to bring Castleriggs Stones back to the rails. In the waning hours of May 13th, 1969, Wrexham Cathedral pulled her newly righted cousin back onto the rails. She was found to be in shockingly good condition, having been mostly sheltered from the weather by the embankment. She would steam for the first time in 12 years in 1977.

8005 Boscawen-Un was purchased for testing by the London North Eastern Railway. Upon Nationalization she remained with the Eastern Region. When Gywneth Amari purchased the former Great Central line in 1966, 8005 was allocated to the line, and transfered to her ownership. It is hard to say which angers Great Western purists more, that she is in LNER Apple Green, or that is historically accurate.

8006 Nine Ladies would the last withdrawn from service. The workers at Swindon hid her on unused sidings, moving her evertime she was discovered, until BR just gave up and donated her to the Dart Valley railway in late 1969 just to be rid of her. Donated her as in dumping her in their yard with ownership papers left in the cab.

8007 Merry Maidens was allocated to the Midland region in 1962, and was painted in their maroon livery. Less than a year later she was scheduled for immediate withdrawl, the first of the class to be withdrawn, only for the engine to disappear. In 1973 she would be found by volunteers on the Coleford Preservation Railway in an abandoned shed during an expansion project, hidden by her old crew