Mystery Photograph

Mystery Photograph: mrb14

Does anyone have any idea where this was taken? The original caption was "Midland Railway 1F 0-6-0 No 2627 stands in a line of engines at Bournville shed on Sunday 31st August 1919." This was rejected as the location as there are a lot of photos of Bournville and this one does not fit in with them at all. Hawkins and Reeve record it as a Birmingham based engine in 1920. Could this be Saltley looking across the main line? Another candidate would be Bromsgrove. It does seem likely to be a motive power depot as the evidence of blocks on the tender indicates that the firebox's arch has been or is about to be rebuilt. The goods yard in the background and the junction signal are obvious clues and a section of the vegetation on the far side of the main line looks suspiciously like allotments. No 2627 was originally built by Dubs & Company of Glasgow in 1870 as one of Kirtley's 700 class. It was subsequently rebuilt by Johnson with his type of boiler and cab. The number carried here was given to it in the 1907 renumbering scheme. It was typical of the many double framed 0-6-0s in service circa 1920, apart perhaps for the vacuum brakes fitted. It was withdrawn in November 1930.

John Dews

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