LMS Route: Birmingham West Suburban Railway

Bournville Shed: mrb6

LMSR 3P 0-6-4T No 2036 is stabled in a siding hard against the buffers at Bournville on Saturday 15th June 1935. It was probably out of use like the other "Flatirons" photographed on 15th June. The telegraph pole behind it suggests that it was on the short spur beside one of the shed's two coal stacks. The pole can be seen in a similar view taken in 1922. The spur can be seen on the shed plan of 1939. Both are shown in another photograph taken in 1957. No 2036 was built at Derby works in September 1907. It was officially withdrawn from Saltley shed in August 1936. All built in 1907 with Deeley 'H1' saturated boilers, the 0-6-4Ts replaced the smaller 0-4-4Ts on the heavier commuter trains of the period. Known as "Flatirons" for obvious reasons, all forty were rebuilt with the 'G7S' superheated boiler between 1920 and 1926. They unfortunately developed a bad name for being involved in derailments. The nineteen allocated to the Birmingham area were replaced on local services by former LTSR 2P 4-4-2Ts, drafted in as short term replacements before the arrival of the new LMSR standard tank classes. The Birmingham "Flatirons" were only used when no other power was available. They were all withdrawn between 1935 and 1938.

John Dews

back