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

Monument Lane Shed: lnwrmlsh2251

British Railways built 5MT 4-6-0 No 44687 is seen being serviced at Monument Lane on 4th August 1960. Allocated at the time to Longsight shed, No 44687 was one of two 'Black Fives' locomotives to be equipped with Caprotti valve gear and Skefko roller bearings together with a double chimney. The Caprotti valve gear changed the physical look of the locomotive as the design of the piston and its connecting valve gear caused the running plate to be placed much higher than on the standard engines. These developments were part of an ongoing programme to increase the mileage between services and to improve the consumption of coal. The other locomotive so equipped, No 44686, was to be allocated to Monument Lane shed early in 1960. Both locomotives were built at Horwich works with No 44687 being built in May 1951 and remaining in service until January 1966 when it was withdrawn from 8M Southport shed.

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