LMS: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth
LMS: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

Water Orton Station: mrwo1799

An unidentified ex-LMS Beyer-Garratt 2-6-0+0-6-2 locomotive is seen proceeding on the Kingsbury line to Washwood Heath Sidings. Designed for heavy freight a total of thirty-three were built from 1927, making them the most numerous class of Garratt in Britain. After Grouping the LMS continued the Midland Railway's 'small engine policy' of hauling trains using two or three locomotives of moderate power coupled together. This led to most of the Toton-Brent coal trains being double-headed by 0-6-0 locomotives. It was realised that double heading was uneconomical so a Garratt locomotive was ordered from Beyer, Peacock and Company. However the LMS Derby design office insisted on the fitting of their standard axleboxes to the design. These axleboxes were barely adequate for the LMS Class 4F 0-6-0 locomotives, on which they frequently overheated, and were a major weakness on the LMS Garratts. Other deviations by Derby from Beyer-Garratt's standard and proven practice meant they were also always heavy on coal and maintenance.

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