THE oldest genuine Great Western engine at Didcot is our saddle tank, 1363, built at Swindon in 1910.

1363 is one of our two Churchward engines, built while George Jackson Churchward was the Great Western Railway’s chief mechanical engineer; the other being 5322.

She spent most of her life in the West Country and during the First World War she was based on the Caradon Branch in Cornwall, built to carry copper and tin ores from the Caradon mining and quarrying district.

The line never had a regular passenger service, though passengers were sometimes carried and there were school parties and the occasional excursion.

There are no surviving photographs of the line during the First World War and very few local records, possibly due to the Defence of the Realm Act which introduced measures forbidding trespass on railway lines or bridges, and loitering near bridges and tunnels.

1363 was perfect for the Caradon Branch as she has a short wheelbase and was built for hauling heavy loads around exceptionally tight curves. She was one of five in her class based on a class of steam engines built for the Cornish Mineral Railways.

1363 spent most of 1915 and 1916 at Moorswater Engine Shed along with two other steam engines, Lady Margaret and Cheesewring. She transferred to St Blazey in Cornwall in September 1916 and remained there for the following year.

The Caradon Branch closed in 1917 and sadly the last train is more likely to have been hauled by Cheesewring than 1363. 1363 spent most of her remaining working life in Plymouth working in the sidings serving Millbay Docks and the wharves at Sutton Harbour.

After the Second World War she also worked on the quay at Weymouth where trains ran along public roads and for this she was fitted with a warning bell – the mounting holes can still be seen today.

1363 was withdrawn from service in 1962 and stored in Plymouth.

Members of the Great Western Society bought her in working order and presented her to the society. She moved to Totnes in 1964 where she was restored to full working order.

Five years later she moved to Bodmin and when Bodmin Depot closed in 1363, she came to Didcot.

We are proud to have 1363 at Didcot Railway Centre: she is perfect for our site with its relatively tight curves and is currently being restored in our Loco Works.