Guest Book: Page 24

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The photos and captions brought back so many memories, especially the ones of Small Heath and Sparkbrook. Thank you for a very enjoyable link to yesteryear. BRILLIANT!

P Battey

Hi Mike - Had a look at your pictures of the gun barrels being moved on the Foleshill Railway. The shot on the bridge was I believe over Widdrington Road - the brick abutments of which are still there. Also, when I was an apprentice at Coventry Gauge and Tool Co., one of the old boys who taught us in the apprentice school was, in his turn, an apprentice in Coventry Ordnance Works and reckoned that because of the very tight curves, especially under Foleshill Road, the barrels had to be slewed across the trolley wagons to prevent them hitting the retaining walls. He was a little chap, even then, and was actually sent down the 15 inch gun barrels with a brush, to sweep out the swarf!

Dave Walker

Well done - a very useful resource.

J E S Bradshaw

Great site for the railway fan, love it!

Tony Kosarew

I have just obtained a copy of Tony Higgs excellent book on Monument Lane. I have a particular interest in this shed because my Granddad Joe Simmons (mentioned in the list of drivers at the shed in 1951) and my uncle George Simmons were both footplate men there. My granddad started work there in 1906 as a cleaner and retired in the early 1950's because of ill health. My uncle started in 1934 as a cleaner and became a registered fireman before going off to war in 1939.

He was seriously wounded at Dunkirk and never returned to the railway. In the late 1960s my uncle recorded his life on the railway but unfortunately he was never able to get it published. It's a very detailed account of the times and makes compelling reading but because of its length and lack of photographs the publishers never considered it commercially viable. A great pity. Ironically he died last year at the age of 89, I'm sure he would have liked to have contributed to Tony's book.

Bruce Morgans

An invaluable website for the train enthusiast. Congratulations!

Kevin Parrish

It is good to see these interesting photographs. Tamworth is no longer the fascinating place it once was!

Firstly, No. 1676 'The Nile' (image 'lnwr_tam1261' is not a ‘Newton’ but an ‘Improved Precedent’ or ‘Big Jumbo’. The original ‘Newtons’ and ‘Precedents’ were replaced by ‘Improved Precedents’ between 1889 and 1901, No. 1676 being replaced in 5.1891. Secondly, the date ‘circa 1919-1923’ must be, at best, a wild guess, as there can be no evidence for it whatsoever, and several features of the engine and tender enable the date to be determined more precisely at an earlier period. Firstly, so far as I can see from the computer screen, the engine has no centre lamp socket on the bufferbeam. This fitting was required from 1st February 1903, when the LNWR, along with most other companies, adopted the Railway Clearing House head lamp codes. So the date must be before that. Secondly, another early feature is the stanchion by the tool box on the front of the tender. This supported the communication cord on its way to the second whistle on the cab roof. This system was done away with over time in the early twentieth century but had certainly gone by the post-war period. Thirdly, coal rails were first fitted to tenders in May 1895, so the date must be after that. In fact, The Nile was scrapped in 9.1906.

Incidentally, some writers on LNWR locomotive history have used lurid language about the scrapping of the Webb three-cylinder compounds – ‘the slaughter of the Webb compounds’ and even ‘the slaughter of the innocents’ – but in fact all the Problems and Jumbos that were scrapped before the Great War were newer engines than the compounds. Finally, two more points: in view of the head lamp code, the train is likely to be an up express, rather than a Stafford to Rugby local, and LNWR engines were only coded by the LMS as ‘1P’ or whatever after the Grouping. Perhaps a better caption would be: LNWR ‘Improved Precedent’ 2-4-0 No. 1676 The Nile at Tamworth with an up express sometime between May 1895 and February 1903.

The second photograph ('lnwr_tam1243') requires fewer comments. Although the class was originally known as the Alfred the Great class, they were all soon modified with separate valve gear for the outside cylinders, as seen here, and with the long splasher above it. The first to be so modified was No 1952 Benbow on 22nd September 1903, and for that reason the modified engines were generally known as ‘Benbows’. The head lamp code, ‘one on the right’, is that adopted in May 1919, replacing ‘three on the bufferbeam’, and denotes a ‘through goods’. In later years the three cattle wagons would have been vacuum-fitted but the entry in ‘LNWR Wagons Volume One’ makes this unlikely, though perhaps a wagon specialist will comment. Finally, may I suggest that Prospero (Mike Musson's pen name) acquires two books which between them contain all the above information. Both are out of print but almost certainly available second-hand: ‘British Locomotive Catalogue 1825-1923 Volume 2A and 2B London and North Western Railway and its constituent companies’ compiled by Bertram Baxter and edited by David Baxter, and ‘An Illustrated History of LNWR Engines’ by Edward Talbot

Ted Talbot

Ted - Many thanks for the information it was very informative. I have also added the books to my want list for future reference. I did have both books years ago but when I went to Spain I had to reduce my books to a handful because there was just no space for storage.

I'm just a browser with good memories of train spotting down south years ago, but I greatly appreciate the efforts you have made.

Mike Barham

Further information for you image 'Inwrrm 1056' the locomotive behind No 41909 is No 41902. I know because when I lived in Rugby I went on both locomotives' footplate whilst they were being stored. In 1959, the probable date of this photo, I was aged 12.

With best regards Dane Garrod, Abingdon, Oxon

Thanks Dane for the information which is now added to the page - Mike

A very good website. I found you looking for information on the GWR '2021' Class pannier tanks. You have a great picture of 'No 2036' outside Tyseley roundhouse. Do you know when the photograph was taken as I wish to build one in Gauge '3' with the open cab as in your picture?

Ian Norman

Ian the date on the reverse of the photograph taken by Leslie Good is 21st June 1931 - Mike

Congratulations on a superb site. I've just been browsing the photos of the old MR shed at Bournville, which brought back many memories. However, I was intrigued by the reference to the MR 'Flatirons' as being 0-6-2T's in a number of the shots. This should surely be 0-6-4T.

David E. Whittington

David - You are absolutely correct they are 0-6-4T's - I have booked an appointment with Specsavers and started my medication for senility!

Great site - keep up the good work! I wish there were sites like this for all counties - what a resource that would be! One suggestion I would have to add to the site would be a link to locations on to some mapping software, such as Google maps... For example, I was looking at Leamington Shed and wondering where it was - this is where the link would be perfect! Feel free to get in touch if you need assistance - I'll help out if you choose to implement such a thing... Anyway, keep up the good work!

Kind regards, Chris Allen

Chris - Coincidentally I have added a Google map to a photo of Atherstone. Your idea is a good one and perhaps we can liaise off-line regarding your kind offer of help.

Mike - May I offer a possible correction to Michael Byng’s comments on the dates of the photograph of No 5579 at Canley Crossing as seen in image 'lnwrchg544'. The photograph was taken on 23rd August 1936 when No 5579 was at that time on a three months loan to Camden from Aberdeen Ferryhill. Also the credit for the photo should be given to HW Robinson copy right 'Steam Archive'.

Regards John Hyde

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