LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton
LMS Route: Birmingham - Soho - Perry Barr - Birmingham
LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Harborne

Monument Lane Shed: lnwrmlsh2240

LMS 5XP 4-6-0 Patriot class No 5551 stands inside Monument Lane's former coaling stage on 18th January 1948. It is presumed that the mechanical coaling plant was out of service and that the unnamed Patriot class locomotive had been coaled by hand, a very hard and laborious job. This involved stabling the locomotive on the lower of the two sets of tracks and then a wagon with coal being positioned on the higher track. The shed labourers would then shovel or lift large lumps of coal from the wagon and throw it into the tender or bunker of the locomotive. After the Second World War the quality of the coal used on Britain's railways was often of poor quality and the railways therefore tried to ensure that passenger locomotives received the best that was available. This meant that for many freight locomotives the quality was very poor resulting in poor steaming. Built at Crewe works in May 1934 No 5551 was to remain in service for another fourteen years being withdrawn from 8A Edge Hill shed in June 1962. Courtesy of FA Wycherley Collection.

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