LMS Route: Trent Valley Line

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Leamington

Nuneaton Station: lnwrns3267

LNWR 0-8-0 Class A No 1836 stands in front of Nuneaton shed with an unidentified LNWR 0-6-0 'Coal Engine' behind the tender. LNWR No 1836 was built at Crewe works and entered service during July 1898. Rebuilt as a Class D locomotive, No 1836, re-entered service in February 1909. The LMS renumbered the locomotive as No 9061 in July 1927 which it carried when rebuilt as a Class G1 locomotive in August 1930. It was finally rebuilt as a Class G2A locomotive in May 1940. It became BR 49061 in March 1952 and was withdrawn in October 1961.

The development of the LNWR 0-8-0 locomotives is a history of continual development and constant rebuilding. The first locomotive of the 0-8-0 configuration was LNWR No 2524, a two cylinder simple locomotive. Then followed the Class A three-cylinder compounds and Class B four-cylinder Compounds. The Class C locomotives had two saturated cylinders and were in many respects similar to No 2534, the original LNWR 0-8-0 locomotive. The Class D locomotives were a development of the Class C being built with a larger boiler and cylinders. Superheated Class Ds were known as 'Super Ds', which came the generic name all of the 0-8-0s. Class G locomotives were initially rebuilds of the Compound Class B locomotives to be followed by Class G1 locomotives. These locomotives were Class Gs with superheated boilers. The Class G2 locomotives were a further development being fitted with a higher pressure boiler. Finally the Class G2A locomotives were G2 locomotives brought up the G2A standard. Class E and F locomotives were four cylinder compound 2-8-0s conversions from Class B locomotives, with Class F locomotives having been equipped with larger boilers. In addition to the rebuilds described above were new locomotives being built across all 0-8-0 classes. The original locomotive, No 2524, was rebuilt as a Class D locomotive in 1906, and then again as a Class G locomotive in 1925 to be finally withdrawn as BR No 49008 in December 1949. For full details of the LNWR eight coupled locos the essential book is Ted Talbot's 'The London & North Western Railway Eight Coupled Goods Engines'.

Charlie Verrall

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