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LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Tamworth High Level Station: mrthl1113

British Railways Type 4 1Co-Co1 D83 is seen passing through the rebuilt station on the 4:45pm Bradford to Birmingham express on 11th May 1965

British Railways Type 4 1Co-Co1 D83 is seen passing through the rebuilt station on the 4:45pm Bradford to Birmingham express on 11th May 1965. It is unusual to see the station's name boards being in the style of the early corporate totem signs using cream/straw lettering on a maroon background rather than modern square signs with black lettering on a white background. The class of the locomotive was later classified by British Railways as Class 45 and were built by British Railways at their Derby and Crewe Works between 1960 and 1962. Along with the similar Class 44 and Class 46 locomotives they became known as "Peaks". The Class 45s became the main traction on the Midland mainline from 1962 and their introduction allowed considerable acceleration of the previous steam powered service. The Class 45s remained the main source of power on the Midland mainline up to 1982 when they were relegated to secondary services following introduction of HSTs on the route. When initially put into service, the locomotives were fitted with multi-unit working and steam heating boilers for passenger service. The great majority of Class 45s were withdrawn between 1981 and 1988 and the last was withdrawn from service by 1989.

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