LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Tamworth High Level Station: mrthl1832

Ex-Midland Railway 3F 0-6-0 No 43294 is on a northbound Class 5 express freight service seen in 1952. The LMS (and at this date British Railways Midland Region) categorised a Class 5 service as being an 'Express freight or cattle train with the continuous brake on less than one-third the vehicles, but in use on four vehicles connected to the engine indicated by [a Maltese Cross] in the Working Timetables or Express freight or cattle train not fitted with the continuous brake, or with the continuous brake in use on LESS than four vehicles'. This is an excellent view showing that the short siding to the cattle dock (now lifted) caused the High Level up platform to be much shorter than the down platform. This was rectified by the platform being extended southwards as seen in image 'mrthl1829'. The bench seat hasn't been moved outwards so the gentlemen could be included in the photograph (although he might be posed to do so) its because the station staff have used it as a rudimentary barrier to stop passengers proceeding beyond this point. See image 'mrthl1831' for the bench seat being used in exactly the same manner when the siding was still extant.

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