GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Acocks Green & South Yardley Station: gwrag2440

Ex-GWR 5101 class 2-6-2T No 4118, in unlined black livery, hauls a class F (7) freight past Acocks Green Signal Box on the down relief line on 29th August 1961. The train classification was indicated by the positioning of the head lamps, in this case on the right of the buffer beam and in front of the chimney. Class F indicated that the train was an express freight, livestock, perishable or ballast train not fitted with automatic brake. The maximum speed of a class F train was 40 m.p.h.

No 4118 was built in November 1936 at Swindon Works as part of lot 292. The 5101 class was an updated version of the 51xx (ex 31xx) class locomotives that had been introduced in 1903. Their external appearance could be distinguished by their curved drop frames, motion plate and outside steam pipes. Internally the No 2 standard boiler was superheated and the pressure raised to 200 lb, producing a tractive effort at 85% of 24,300 lb (power class C). To increase the range the coal bunker was enlarged to hold four tons and the water tanks had their capacity increased to 2,000 gallons. An additional balancing pipe was provided between to side tanks to reduce the tank filling time. The modifications had slightly increased the locomotive's total weight by six tons, but the maximum axle weight was calculated at exactly 17 tons, 12 cwt, which just placed them in the route colour Blue category and limited them to main lines and some branch lines.

Most of the 5101 class locomotives were like their predecessors allocated to the Wolverhampton Division for use on fast Suburban passenger traffic and No 4118 was initially allocated to Tyseley shed (TYS). Prior to nationalisation in December 1947, No 4118 was identified as being allocated to Shrewsbury shed (SLP) and in September 1962, No 4118 was withdrawn from Leamington shed (84D). By this time the 2-6-2T locomotives were being replaced by the first generation of diesel multiple units (DMUs).

According to the Railway Clearing House Station Handbooks there were no goods facilities at Acocks Green and South Yardley station, but parallel to the Down Relief Line was a Down Goods Loop, which had been constructed in June 1913 with a facing connection to the Down Relief Line and trailing connections to both Up and Down Relief Lines. This line was certainly used hold slow down goods trains during the morning peak passenger train activity and was also used to reverse the passenger stock of suburban trains which terminated here. It has been suggested that there were some facilities here for unloading with a short loading platform being present in at least one of the buildings seen on the right of this photograph.

The following information regarding the Down Goods Loop is contained in the British Railways (Western Region) Sectional Appendix for Birmingham Traffic District (October 1960). The Down Goods Loop has capacity for a maximum of 59 wagons, plus engine and brake van (note GWR Service Time Tables prior to 1930 specify a maximum of 60 wagons plus engine and brake van). Trains leaving the Down Goods Loop for Hatton and Bearley Line should use the following Engine Whistles to indicate their proposed route:

• Up Main – 1 long 2 short
• Up Relief – 2 long, 2 short

To facilitate shunting operations between the Down Relief Line and Down Goods Loop at Acocks Green, two electric horns are provided alongside Down Relief Line, operated by a push button fixed on the parapet wall of Bridge on the Tyseley side of Acocks Green between Down and Up Relief Lines. The Standard Code of Signals apply for controlling Shunting Operations by Shunting Horns, Gongs, Bells, etc., as shown in Rule 117:

• One - Go ahead
• Two - Set back
• Three - Stop
• Four - Ease couplings

Robert Ferris

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