GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Leamington Spa - GWR Locomotives: gwrls206

GWR 36xx class 2-4-2T No 3621 stopped at Leamington after running tender first on a local passenger train from Stratford upon Avon. Notice one of the footplate staff disconnecting the clerestory carriage. Number 3621 was built at Swindon in October 1903 and was the first of the final batch of 36xx class engines. This batch had the rear overhang increased slightly to provide extra coal capacity. No 3621 was withdrawn from Llanelly shed (LLY) in January 1933 and scrapped at Swindon Works later that year. Number 3621 is seen here with a long taper extended No 3 boiler. This boiler type had been fitted to this engine since August 1912, but previously two other types of boiler had been fitted. No 3621 had superheating installed in July 1927 and has a tall safety valve cover and a copper capped chimney fitted with a deflector. A small mushroom shaped air vent can be seen protruding from the top of the side water tank. This replaced much larger headed vents, which were introduced following an accident with the steam operated two-way water pick up apparatus on the experimental engine No 11 (later No 3600).

As this engine picked up water at speed the small vents could not relieve the internal pressure and the water tank side sheets split. The small vents were only reintroduced following the removal of the water pick up apparatus about 1921, but some of the class retained the larger vents - see 'gwrls200'. The power group letter on route colour disc can be seen on the cab. This means of indication had been GWR practice since 1919. As seen here these 36XX class engines were normally classified power group A (but some had their boiler pressure raised from 180lb to 195lb and were classified power group B). Their route colour was Blue and they were employed mainly on suburban passenger duties with about half the class being allocated to sheds in the Birmingham area. They were displaced by the 2-6-2T large prairies (51xx, 5101 and 61xx classes) in the early 1930’s and the entire 36xx class was withdrawn between 1930 and 1934.

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