GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Leamington Spa - GWR Locomotives: gwrls904

GWR 4073 'Castle' class 2-6-0 No 4090 Dorchester Castle waits at the up platform in 1928 with 11:45am Birkenhead to Paddington. Built at Swindon in July 1925 as part of the second batch of ‘Castles’ (lot 232) No 4090 was withdrawn from Cardiff East Dock Shed (88L) in June 1963 and scrapped at J Cashmore, Newport in June 1964. Designed as a compromise to keep within the 20 ton axle load restrictions, the ‘Castles’ proved to be the most power passenger locomotives of their day. No 4090 Dorchester Castle was built at Swindon in July 1925 as part of the second batch of ‘Castles’ (lot 232). Designed as a compromise to keep within the 20 ton axle load restrictions, the ‘Castles’ proved to be the most power passenger locomotives of their day.

The locomotive was originally allocated to Old Oak Common and like the remainder of the class, was used on the prestigious West of England expresses until the introduction of the ‘King’ class. The class was then dispersed for use on other principle express routes. Altogether 130 ‘castle’ class engines were built and they proved to be a very successful design. All saw service with British Rail. The route between Birkenhead and Paddington was 210 miles, which the 11:45 express covered in 5 hours and 20 minutes. It stopped at Chester, Wrexham, Ruabon, Gobowen, Whitehurst, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Leamington (arr.15:25, dep.15:28), Banbury and finally arrived at Paddington at 17:05. North of Wolverhampton this train did little to deserve the term express with a coach attached at Ruabon and a further two at Shrewsbury, where two were also detached. From this point the train normally comprised eight coaches including five 70' coaches and a restaurant car.

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