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GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Moor Street Station: gwrms1727

Ex-Great Western Railway large prairie 2-6-2T 81xx class No. 8109 on the central railroad of the traversing table

Ex-Great Western Railway large prairie 2-6-2T 81xx class No. 8109 on the central railroad of the traversing table at the end of No 1 and 2 bay platforms in 1956. The sixty foot long traversing table had three railroads and could travel sideways on nine transverse rails, allowing a locomotive to move across to the parallel track. A gap constructed under both of the adjacent platforms facilitated the movement of the table by one railroad in either direction. Control was by a lever between the buffer stops, which could be remotely released by the Signalman. There is more detail of; the construction in GWR Article - Traversing Tables and the operating instructions in GWR Service Time Table – Instructions.

Rebuilt at Swindon Works, No 8109 was one of ten locomotives rebuilt from withdrawn 51xx locomotives, as part of lot 320. No 8109 was the last of these rebuilds, being constructed in November 1939, using the frames from No 5115. Fifty rebuilt locomotives had been ordered in lot 320, but the Second World War intervened and the programme was suspended. The 81xx class had a new boiler capable of higher pressure (225 lb.) and two inch smaller diameter coupled wheels (5 foot, 6 inch), which improved the locomotive's acceleration. The tractive effort increased to 28,165lb at 85%, giving the locomotive a group D classification. The load was well distributed, with each of the three coupled wheels having an axle weight of 17 tons, 12 cwt, which allowed the locomotives to operate on Blue as well as Red routes. British Rail power class was 4MT. No 8109 was originally allocated to Leamington shed (LMTN) for use on suburban passenger duties and was known to have been there prior to nationalisation in December 1947, as well as under British Railways ownership in August 1950 and March 1959. Displaced by the introduction of DMU’s No 8109 was finally withdrawn from Tyseley shed (2A) in June 1965, with disposal in December 1965 to Birds at Long Marston.

Robert Ferris

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