GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Henley in Arden: gwrha761

Another view of the derailed Atbara class locomotive and the coaching stock being attended by Tyseley shed's breakdown crane. The 4-4-0 Atbara class express locomotive No 3382 ‘Mafeking’ had been built in Swindon in May 1900. In a sense of national pride several of this class were named after famous battles, sieges, warships and personalities associated with the Boer War. When built, this locomotive had a Belpaire firebox with a parallel boiler, but in April 1908 the boiler was changed for a three quarter length tapered type, which increased the water surface and allowed the boiler pressure to be increased from 180lb/sq in to 200lb/sq in. In August 1910 the locomotive was reboilered again and a superheater fitted. At the time of the crash, No 3382 Mafeking was based at Bath Road in Bristol. A few years previously, this engine had been timed at 75 m.p.h. near Little Sommerford, while pulling a load of 175 tons on the 12.0 noon Bristol to Paddington Express. Supplanted from most express duties by the more powerful 4-6-0 locomotives the remainder of the Atbara class gave good service running secondary main line services until the late twenties/early thirties.

Robert Ferris

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