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GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton
GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line
oor Street Station: gwrms2614
British Railways 2-6-2T 5101 class large prairie No 4171
leaves Snow Hill tunnel on the up main line descending past Moor Street Station
on the left with a class B headcode (single lamp in front of chimney)
indicating an ordinary passenger train. The lowered home and distant signals
indicate the next two block sections on the up main line from here to Bordesley
are clear. From the number of carriages this is believed to be a rush hour
local to Leamington Spa.
No 4171 was built in October 1949 at Swindon Works as part
of a lot 369. This was the last lot of twenty prairie locomotives, which were
all delivered to British Railways. The prototype No 99 (renumbered 3100 in 1912
and 5100 in 1929) had been design by George Churchward and built in 1903. The
antecedents of the class were intended to work heavy goods or passenger trains
not required to run at high speeds and over half were allocated to South Wales
Sheds where they were used mainly on goods traffic. Duties evolved over the
years as the locomotives became favoured firstly for banking duties and then,
with the introduction of the 5101 class variation in December 1929, the
locomotives became the main stay of the West Midlands suburban passenger
traffic, with three quarters of the class stationed there. Being able to
operate in either direction, achieve a good turn of speed and having excellent
acceleration with heavy loads, made them ideal for suburban passenger services
with their frequent stopping and starting, and reversals at locations without
turntables. The 5101 class had a standard No3 superheated long coned boiler
operating at 200 lbs, which produced a tractive effort at 85% of 24,300lb
(Power group D). The maximum axle weight was 17tons, 12cwt, which
allowed the locomotives to operate on all main lines and some branch lines
(Route colour Blue). An explanation of the Great Western Railways
classification system can be found on the Engine Map page
misc/misc_equip195.htm. The side tanks with their sloping front could hold
2,000 gallons. No 4171 was initially allocated to Leamington Shed (84D), but
was later allocated at Tyseley Shed (84E) for a period. With Diesel Multiple
Units taking over the suburban passenger duties, No 4171 was withdrawn from
Leamington Shed in October 1964 after just 15 years of service.
Behind the locomotive, the corridor side of a third class
brake coach can be seen. The deep picture windows providing a good view from
the four compartments, while the windows in the luggage van, guards
compartment and vestibule doors all finish at a higher level. This is typical
of the Great Western Railways diagram D121 brake third, of which
fifty-six coaches were completed in May 1936 (lot 1555). These coaches were
sixty feet, eleven and a quarter inches long by nine feet wide. The running
numbers were 4066 to 4069, 4073 to 4102 and 4104 to 4125. They were built to
cater for the increasing holiday traffic, being provided with large luggage
vans to hold the anticipated holiday makers baggage. With the start of
dieselisation, many suburban non-corridor coaches had been scrapped in the
early 1960s, but with steam locomotives lasting longer than anticipated,
main line carriages had to be employed on suburban services. The D121 coaches
were eventually condemned in December 1963.
The second coach is also a main line carriage. It appears to
be a Great Western Railway diagram C77 third class corridor coach with the
compartment side visible. These third class coaches were the same length as the
D121 coaches, but were an inch narrower. They had eight compartments and a
lavatory at each end (note the roof tank covers). Two lots were built as
follows:
Lot No. |
Date built |
Quantity |
Running Numbers |
1593 |
October 1938 |
70 |
1080 to 1089, 1091, 1093 to 1098, 1100 to
1116, 1118 to 1128, 1130 to 1134 and 1136 to 1155. |
1623 |
May 1940 |
95 |
501 to 595 |
Robert Ferris
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