LMS Route: Birmingham West Suburban Railway

Bournville Station: mrb19

Ex-MR 2P 4-4-0 No 365 is photographed heading a seven coach train near Bournville on Wednesday 2nd October 1929. The engine was one of forty-four Belpaire boilered Midland Railway 4-4-0s which passed to the LMSR in saturated rather than superheated condition. Ten of these engines had seven foot driving wheels, including No 365. The number is carried on the cab's side, indicating that it must have been recently repainted, as before 1928 the number would have been carried on the tender's side. The Ramsbottom safety valves on the firebox would not have survived the 1930s. The shed plate number looks like "4" which was the code for Worcester, an LMSR shed operational until the end of 1932. The train itself looks interesting, as it is made up of at least two different types of suburban type compartment stock, both probably pre-grouping in origin. Compare with the view of sister engine No 369 on shed at Bournville in 1938.

John Dews

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