GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Leamington Spa - GWR Locomotives: gwrls199

GWR 2-6-2T Prairies No 5179 and No 5134 arrive at Leamington's down platform with empty coaching stock circa 1936. Built at Swindon in February 1931 as part of the 5101 class of locomotives No 5179 was withdrawn in July 1960 from 83A Newton Abbot Shed to be scrapped at Swindon in November 1960. These were an updated 51xx class and can be physically distinguished from this earlier class by the curved drop ends at the front, outside steam pipes and enlarged bunkers. Class member, No 5134 was built at Swindon in February 1906 as a 31xx class locomotive with the number No 3134. All 31xx class engines were subsequently altered to improve their weight distribution and following this modification were renumbered with No 5134 being renumber in September 1928. Withdrawn from Stourbridge Shed in April 1951 No 5134 was scrapped at Swindon later that year. Large numbers of 51xx and 5101 class engines were allocated to the GWR's Wolverhampton Division in the 1930s where they became the main stay of the Birmingham suburban passenger services.

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