LMS Route: Birmingham West Suburban Railway

Bournville Shed: mrb487

LMSR duplicate list veterans photographed together in the yard at Bournville on Sunday 29th June 1947. Tenders filled with coal, they have probably just been parked until needed again. Both have outside frames, but No 22630 is fitted with a Johnson boiler and cab whilst No 22846 is fitted with a Belpaire boiler and Deeley rounded eaves cab. One can see that the curves in the frames make the crank pins of the coupling rods more accessible. Both built by Dubs & Company of Glasgow, these outside framed goods engines were two of many built for the Midland Railway by Kirtley, all of which were subsequently rebuilt with Johnson boilers and cabs and placed in power class 1. In 1907 they were all allocated new numbers in the series 2300 to 2867. No 778, built in 1870, became No 2630 and No 1044, built in 1873, became No 2846. Both are usually referred to as 2Fs. For this to be true of No 2630 it must have been one of the few to be fitted with a higher pressure round topped boiler while retaining its Johnson cab. No 2846 was definitely rebuilt with a higher pressure round top boiler and Deeley rounded eaves cab. See image 'mrthl127'.

It was subsequently rebuilt again with a Belpaire boiler, as seen above. Both had 20000 added to their numbers in the LMSR duplicate list renumbering scheme of 1934. Still obviously running in 1947, they were two of the four taken over by British Railways in 1948. No 22630 became No 58110 in December 1948 and was the last Kirtley 0-6-0 in service, being withdrawn from Derby shed in November 1951. No 22846 was allocated No 58111 but never carried it, being withdrawn from Bournville in September 1949. It was the last Kirtley 0-6-0 in service at the shed. Both were cut up at Derby in the month following withdrawal.

John Dews

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