LMS Route: Nuneaton to Leamington

Old Milverton Lineside Views: lnwr_oldmil1454a

In this close up of image 'lnwr_oldmil1454', ex-LNWR 0-8-0 'G2a' No 8921 is seen with an original round top firebox rather than the later version with a Belpaire (visually a square) firebox. Whilst the LNER, under Gresley, Thomson and Peppercorn, continued to use the round top firebox throughout its entire existence, most other railway companies had accepted the Belpaire offered significant advantages despite the initial extra building cost.

On the LNWR pre-grouping locomotives that were originally built with round top fireboxes were over time to receive the Belpaire configuration as they went into the shops. However, as the LNWR operated a 'waste not' philosophy and boilers were only scrapped after they were life expired, locomotives could over the course of their operational lives have several changes of boilers of both configurations.

Number 8921 was built at Crewe in May 1902 and lasted in service until April 1958 when it was withdrawn from Shrewsbury shed being scrapped by Crew Works in the same month.

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