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LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton
LMS Route: Rugby to Leamington
LMS Route: Rugby to Tamworth
LMS Route: Rugby to Leicester
LMS Route: Rugby to Market Harborough

Rugby Shed: lnwrrm345

LNWR Southern Division 2-2-2 'Small Bloomer' No 602 seen outside Rugby's first shed circa 1868

LNWR Southern Division 2-2-2 'Small Bloomer' No 602 seen outside Rugby's first shed circa 1868. The most famous engines on the Southern Division were McConnell's ‘Bloomers’. They were introduced in 1851 and were inside-cylinder inside-frame single-wheelers. In 1854 the ‘ Small Bloomer’ as seen above were introduced. The were basically similar to the ‘Large Bloomer’ but had smaller boiler and 6'-6" driving wheels instead of 7'-0" driving wheels. In 1861 McConnell produced three enlarged ‘Bloomers’ at Wolverton Works which had 7ft 6in driving wheels and boilers with various McConnell patent features.

A member of the class, LNWR No 249, suffered a severe boiler explosion north of Rugby whilst working the down Irish Mail on 4 July 1861. The boiler had run 336,368 miles in 9¾ years.

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