GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Birmingham Snow Hill - Grouping Period Locomotives: gwrbsh1693

Great Western Railway 4-6-0 40xx (Star) class No 4058 Princess Augusta entering Snow Hill Up Platform No 7 with the 11.00 a.m. Shrewsbury to Paddington parcels train on 4th September 1934. The first eight coaches are empty stock and include a Brake Third coach, two clerestory coaches and a Royal Mail van, behind these are several passenger brake vans (PBVs) and Siphon G’s into which were loaded the parcels.

The semi Gantry signal on the right has three electric route indicators, each associated with a signal. The short (three foot) signal arms with two large holes through them were called a ‘Backing Signal’ as they were used to control backing operations over the line in the wrong direction. These were usually installed for shunting purposes at Stations, and when lowered indicated that the correct route was set, but did not indicate that the line was ‘clear’ or give permission for drivers to proceed, as this was the responsibility of the guard or shunter. From left to right the Signals on this Semi Gantry had the following route indications:
1) The Up Relief Backing Signal for engine movement working in the wrong direction back to the:
Down Main (North Signal Box lever 177)
Down Main or Northwood St Sidings (North Signal Box lever 127)

2) The Up Main Backing Signal for engine movement working in the wrong direction back to the:
Down Main (North Signal Box lever 181)
Down Main or Northwood St Sidings (North Signal Box lever 123)
No 1 New Yard (North Signal Box lever 73)

3) The Bay Platform 9 Starting Signal controlling movement to the:
Down Main (North Signal Box lever 223)
Up Sidings or Down Main (North Signal Box lever 204)

Locomotive No 4058 was built at Swindon Works in July 1914 as part of lot 199. The four cylinder Star class were designed by the Great Western Railway’s C.M.E. Jackson Churchward as crack express locomotives. They were allocated a D power class, derived from the 15 inch cylinders which gave a nominal tractive effort of 27,800 lb., but because of their eighteen ton axle weight they were limited to Red routes. Introduced in 1906 the Star class totalled seventy three superb locomotives. Their exhorted position was superseded in the 1920s by the Castle class, but even then a total of sixteen Stars were rebuilt as Castles. No 4058 was amongst the first locomotives to receive Churchward’s top-feed apparatus, which significantly improved the boiler efficiency.

It is known that No. 4058 was allocated to Swindon Works in January 1921, but by May 1922 was allocated to Tyseley shed (TYS), where the locomotive operated Birmingham to Paddington expresses. Following the introduction of the Castle class duties changed and No. 4058 was allocated to Shrewsbury shed (SLP) in January 1934 and Stafford Road shed (SRD), Wolverhampton in January 1938. In October 1944 No. 4058 was modified with the fitting of outside, elbow type, steam pipes to reduce maintenance. At Nationalisation in December 1947, No. 4058 was identified as allocated to Tyseley shed (TYS), but was back at Stafford Road shed (84A), Wolverhampton by August 1950. This was the shed from which No. 4058 was finally withdrawn in April 1951.

Robert Ferris

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