GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Birmingham Snow Hill - British Railways Period Locomotives: gwrbsh1247

British Railways 4-6-0 Standard Class 5MT No 73030 is seen running light engine on Snow Hill's up through road on its way to Tyseley shed. The Standard Class 5MT was one of the standard classes of steam locomotives built by British Railways in the 1950s and were based upon the best features of the 'big four' following the locomotive exchanges in 1948. Essentially a development of the LMS Stanier Class 5 locomotive known to enthusiasts as a 'Black Five' in total 172 Standard Class 5MTs were built. The first of the class, No 73000, was outshopped from Derby in April 1951 and by January 1952 some thirty locomotives were in service. There was then a gap in construction before Derby resumed building its remaining 100 locomotives whilst Doncaster, commencing in August 1955, built a further forty-two locomotives. The last of the Doncaster locomotives was constructed in May 1957 whilst the last of Derby's one hundred locomotives was completed the following a month.

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