GWR 5400 Class

The GWR 5400 Class was a series of sixty outside-cylinder 0-6-0 pannier-tank locomotives built at Swindon Works from 1931 under Charles Collett's superintendency, designed as auto-trailer-fitted pannier tanks for the GWR's rural branch push-pull services on lines where a slightly larger and more powerful engine than the 1400 Class 0-4-2T was required. The 5400 Class was fitted with the GWR's auto-trailer push-pull equipment from new, allowing the locomotive to propel its passenger trailer from one end of the train and be controlled remotely from a cab in the leading trailer — the operational arrangement that made rural branch working economical by eliminating locomotive run-round movements at termini.

The 5400 Class used Collett's standard small pannier tank chassis with outside cylinders and pannier water tanks but was specifically fitted with the more powerful outside-cylinder specification suited to the heavier auto-trailer workings on busier rural branches where the lighter 1400 Class might be marginal. With 5 ft 2 in driving wheels it was equally capable of the somewhat faster running required on busier branch passenger services.

The 5400 Class worked GWR rural branch auto-trailer services across the Western Region alongside the 1400 Class, covering the busier branches in the West of England, South Wales, and the Midlands. Under BR the class continued on rural branch duties until branch closures and diesel unit replacement ended their role. One example is preserved on a heritage railway.