GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Olton Station: gwro256

Ex-GWR 2-6-2T 'Large Prairie' No 5185 stands waiting to depart with local passenger service to Leamington. Observation of the platform surface shows that the edge of the left hand platform has two further sets of paving. This was because passengers would be advised to stand behind the paving when expresses were passing through the station at speed. As at many other stations - of all railways - the station staff clearly had a pride in keeping the station clean and tidy as is evident by the neat platform and flower beds. Built at Swindon works to Lot 259 in March 1931 No 5185 remained in service until March 1960 when it was withdrawn from Taunton shed for scrapping during June 1960 at Swindon works. This class of locomotives were medium-sized tank engines designed for stopping passenger work. As such they were to be found all over the Great Western Railway system. The original design was by George Churchward in 1903 as the '31xx' Class and was later modified by CB Collett.

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