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LNER Route: Leicester to Marylebone

Rugby Central Station: gcrcs280

Ex-GWR 'Modified Hall' 4-6-0 No 6976 'Graythwaite Hall' stands in Rugby Central's goods yard having just shunted a single fish van

Ex-GWR 'Modified Hall' 4-6-0 No 6976 'Graythwaite Hall' stands in Rugby Central's goods yard having just shunted a single fish van into the Explorator warehouse. To carry out this working No 6976 has stabled its train on the main line, crossed over to the goods yard which was situated on the down side of the main line. It would then rejoin its train crossing the line between paths of trains working both north and south through Rugby. The reason No 6976 had stabled its train on the mail line not the relief line was because no through passenger train was due at this time, and through freights would be routed around the obstruction via the loop - as they typically would be to avoid the manoeuvering of the Nottingham-Rugby local as it prepared to return northward. Alan Hogg writes, 'O42 is the headcode of the 1O:42 York to Bournemouth service'. Tony West writes, 'according to the last Stationmaster at Rugby Central, Ivor Jones, it was common practice to drop off fish vans at Rugby, usually between 2 to 5 vans. The goods shed was by this time used as a distribution centre for fish deliveries by Findus. As most of the staff had clocked of by the time the fish vans arrived the SM oversaw the proceedings...being amply rewarded with a quantity of fresh fish every week!.' Built by Swindon works in October 1947, No 6976 was to remain in service until October 1965 when it was withdrawn to be scrapped by J Cashmore's of Great Bridge.

Tony Newman

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