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London North Western
Railway:
Midland
Railway:
Stratford
Midland Junction Railway
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LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Nuneaton
Castle Bromwich Station: mrcb1031
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An unidentified British Railways built 5MT 4-6-0 'Black
Five' roars through the station on an up express service to Derby. The lower
running plate fitted to Caprotti locomotives emphasises the size of the outside
steam pipes and gives the locomotive a very ungainly look when compared to
other members of the class. The first Caprotti fitted Black Five, M4748,
emerged from Crewe in February 1948. Other modifications to the original design
included a boiler pitched 2 inches higher than previously, an extended
smokebox, a modified cab and a lowered running plate, necessitating the use of
splashers over the wheels. The locomotive's designated number, M4748, later
became 44748 as BR replaced the short-lived M prefix by adding 40000 to most
LMS numbers. Locomotives No 44748 to No 44757 were also fitted with Timken
roller bearings. The last three of these, No 44755 to No 44757, were also
fitted with a double chimney. Locomotives Nos 44738 to No 44747 were fitted
with plain bearings. In service, the Caprotti Black Fives were regarded by
railwaymen as being faster but less powerful than their Walschaerts
valve-geared classmates. The last two Black Fives to be built, No 44686 and No
44687, emerged in 1951 with Caprotti valve gear but with more detail
variations. Later BR built thirty of the closely related Standard Class 5MT
design which were also fitted with Caprotti valve gear.
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