GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Birmingham Snow Hill - Pre-grouping locomotives: gwrbsh1202

GWR 2-2-2 'Queen' class No 1132 'Prince of Wales' stands at the North end of Snow Hill station's down platform at the head of an express to Wolverhampton. Robert Ferris writes, 'Dean Single No 1132 was one of the last of the 'Queen' class express engines to be built in July 1875 to Lot 34. When first built No 1132 originally had a domeless boiler, but is depicted here following the boiler change of December 1884, which left the engine with a distinctive brass dome - note too the copper capped chimney. Originally built without a name No 1132 was named 'Prince of Wales' in 1896 at the same time as No 1119 was named 'Princess of Wales'.

The 'Queen' class engines were often used to pull the Royal Train, a duty which often feel to the lead engine of the class No 55 'Queen'. This engine was specifically decorated with extra ornate brass work and provision for attaching the large plaque displaying the Royal Coat of Arms. Two other members of the class received their 'royal' names in 1893 to celebrate the Royal Wedding of that year - these were No 1128 'Duke of York' and No 1129 'Princess May', however these names were subsequently removed in 1897. The engines with the Welsh names retained theirs until they were finally withdrawn, which in the case of No 1132 was September 1905.

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