LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Saltley Shed: mrsalt435

Midland Railway 2F 0-6-0 No 697, a member of Kirtley's 700 class, is seen inside Saltley shed under repair with buffers removed. The locomotive had inside cylinders and for fitters to gain access it was necessary for the bufferbeam to be removed. The locomotive has obviously been repainted as its resplendent in its Midland Lake livery although the chimney has yet to see a painters brush. Built by the Vulcan Foundry Company in 1870, No 697 was later allocated the No 2697 by LMS which it carried until it was withdrawn in November 1930 to be scrapped by Derby later that year.

This is an interesting photograph as it shows Saltley was able to carry out significant levels of maintenance work to its allocation locomotives without recourse to sending them back to Derby. The locomotive has had her buffers removed, has no coupling rods and alongside and in front is evidence of instruments designed to check for square etc. when realigning axles with pistons etc.

Another item of note is the freshly painted body, but is that a new fabricated unpainted chimney? Within the shed there is a turntable in the foreground, one of a series located internally, and used to maximise space. To the right high on the wall is a shaft driving via a 'twisted' belt, in all probability a lathe or grinding machine. The 'twist' was a technique that aided the belt to be kept taught.

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