GWR Route: Stratford on Avon to Honeybourne

Sancta Lane: gwr-smjsa1545

Ex-GWR 0-6-0 2251 class No 2211 is seen at the head of the 'Tiddly Dyke' as it gets ready to leave the former SMJ station via the exchange lines for the GWR station. In earlier years when goods trains ran between the GWR's Birmingham Road goods yard and the former SMJ's Stratford upon Avon station it was official practice to couple the exchange goods train to the rear of a train proceeding to Honeybourne with a second engine at the rear. When the train arrived at the junction the goods train was split with the front section proceeding on to Honeybourne. The rear section with the locomotive at the rear would then propel its load of wagons into the SMJ's goods yard. By the 1950s this practice was long abandoned and the exchange goods was a direct service and as the former SMJ shed had closed, the GWR locomotive shunted the wagons in the exchange sidings before attaching the brake van to return to Birmingham Road. The trip was known as the Tiddly Dyke and officially timed to depart at 4pm but usually was earlier. Built at Swindon works to Lot 337 in May 1940 No 221 remained in service until November 1964 when it was withdrawn from Leamington Spa shed to be scrapped during December 1964 by J Cashmore of Great Bridge.

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