GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Handsworth & Smethwick: gwrhs1968

Ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 No 48312 is seen about to run tender first through Handsworth & Smethwick station on 26th September 1964. Locomotive No 48312 was built as LMS No 8312 by Crewe works in December 1943 and remained in service until February 1965 when it was withdrawn from 6C Mollington Street shed in Birkenhead.

This is believed to be the same train photographed in image 'gwrhs1969', as it was necessary for trains travelling from the Wolverhampton direction to reverse in Queen's Head Sidings if they wished to gain access to the Stourbridge extension line via Handsworth Junction. The locomotive would be run round to the other end of the train, so it would remain at the front, but would have to run tender first for the remainder of its journey, because there was no turn table at Queens Head yard. It is suspected that this block oil train had probably travelled loaded from Shell's Stanlow Oil Refinery on Merseyside and was destined for the Shell Mex & BP Fuel Distribution Centre adjacent to Blackheath & Rowley Regis Station. There are brake vans at both ends of this train, which will have saved shunting time during the reversal.

back