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GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Tyseley Shed: gwrt2320

Behind the two locomotive roundhouses at Tyseley shed on Wednesday 9th September 1964, rests ex-Great Western Railway 10xx (County) class No 1011 'County of Chester'

Behind the two locomotive roundhouses at Tyseley shed on Wednesday 9th September 1964, rests ex-Great Western Railway 4-6-0 10xx (County) class No 1011 'County of Chester' and an unidentified 78xx (Manor) class locomotive. In the background above the detachable snow plough can be seen the roof of the Tyseley carriage shed. According to the BR (WR) Regional Appendix issued in October 1960, Tyseley shed was one of 32 locations in the region where a snow plough was kept ready for immediate use. The appendix required that 'whenever possible six labourers with shovels should accompany the engine and plough to render assistance, and a suitable vehicle must be provided for the men to ride in if this can be done without causing undue delay.'

Locomotive No 1011 was built in January 1946 at Swindon Works as part of lot 354, but the locomotive remained unnamed until November 1947. When the name was first announced it was ‘County of Cheshire’, but this variant was never carried. The County class were the most powerful two cylinder locomotives to be built by the Great Western Railway. The standard No 15 boiler originally operated at 280lbs, which gave the locomotive a tractive effort at 85% of 32,580lb, but after trials in the early 1950s with a four row superheater and improved draughting, the boiler pressure was reduced to 250lb, which lowered the tractive effort at 85% to 29,090lb. This modification (W/SW/L/68), which included the fitting of a double chimney, was applied to No 1011 in November 1958. The general view is that the modification greatly improved the locomotives’ efficiency, but detracted from the appearance. No 1011 was initially allocated to Bath Road shed (BRD) in Bristol and the locomotive was finally withdrawn from Swindon just two months after this photograph was taken, in November 1964.

At the time this photograph was taken, there were two Manor class locomotives allocated to Tyseley shed. These included No 7818 ‘Granville Manor’ which had been used for the class’ draughting trials in 1952. The result of these trials was the issue of a modification (W/SW/L/41), which reduced the diameter to the blast pipe jumper ring and chimney, and increased air space through the grate. The new chimney was narrower with a flared copper cap and no deflector. No 7818 was built in January 1939 at Swindon works as part of lot 316 and was initially allocated to Worcester shed (WOS). In November 1962, No 7818 was allocated to Tyseley shed and withdrawn from there in January 1965 for disposal by Cashmores of Great Bridge.

Robert Ferris

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