GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Tyseley Shed: gwrt2397

GWR 2-8-0 30xx 'ROD' class No 3001 is seen after being prepared for another turn of work in 1932. The locomotive was built in 1919, as ROD Locomotive No 2009 by the North British Locomotive Company Ltd at their Hyde Park Works for the Railway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers. Needed to transport men and materials in France during the First World War, the G Robinson 8K class locomotives had been introduced on the Great Central Railway in 1911. By the time No 3001 had been built, the war had ended and vast number of the engines become surplus to requirements and were offered to British and Overseas Railway Companies at knock down prices. This locomotive was one of twenty bought by the Great Western Railway under their Lot 215 in May 1919. The locomotive underwent a degree of swindonisation before being added to the Great Western Railway stock in July 1919. In April 1927 further work was carried out on No 3001 including replacement of the original boiler, which had a steel firebox, with a 'MB' type boiler with a copper firebox. These new 'MB' type boilers also had Swindon superheaters, top feed and Great Western safety valves. All the 30xx class had steam brakes, so were unsuitable for vacuum fitted trains, but they found plenty of work on the heavy unfitted freight trains. In January 1921 No 3001 was allocated to Tyseley shed (TYS) and could also be found allocated there in January 1934. No 3001 was withdrawn in August 1946.

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