GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Tyseley Station: gwrt1053

An unidentified British Railways Standard class 9F 2-10-0 is seen at the head of an up coal train bound for the south on 2nd September 1964. The British Railways BR Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 is a class of steam locomotive designed for British Railways by Robert Riddles. The Class 9F were the last in a series of standardised locomotive classes designed for British Railways during the 1950s, and were intended for use on fast, heavy freight trains over long distances. It was one of the most powerful locomotive types ever constructed in Britain, and successfully performed its intended duties. At various times during the 1950s, the 9Fs worked passenger trains with great success, indicating the versatility of the design, sometime considered to represent the ultimate in British steam development. Several variants were constructed for experimentation purpose in an effort to reduce costs and maintenance, although these met with varying degrees of success. The total number built was 251, with production being shared between Swindon (53) and Crewe Works (198) with the last, 92220 Evening Star, constituting the final steam locomotive to be built by British Railways in 1960. Withdrawals began in 1964, with the final locomotives removed from service in 1967. Several examples have survived into the preservation era in varying states of repair, including 'Evening Star'.

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