GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Birmingham Snow Hill Station: gwrbsh2485

Great Western Railway 2-4-0 ‘481’ class No 486 on the up platform at the north end of Snow Hill Station circa 1900. Locomotive No 486 was built in October 1869 at Swindon Works (Works No 200) as part of lot 20. As built, the parallel boiler had a centrally placed dome (type S3), open splashers and a spectacle plate, although side plates and then cabs were subsequently fitted. In October 1887, No 486 was renewed at Swindon Works, with virtually all the remainder of the class being similarly treated over the following four years. The frames and forward wheelbase were extended from 7 foot 6 inches to 8 foot 3 inches allowing a ‘Metropolitan’ class locomotive boiler (group 30b) with a forward large brass dome (type S2) to be fitted. The driving wheel splashers were enclosed with a small aperture left for oiling. Although astatically pleasing and neat locomotives, they lacked the necessary power and by the turn of the century the class had been relegated to secondary passenger duties. No 486 was withdrawn in November 1906, but the last of the class (No 487) survived until March 1921.

Robert Ferris

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