LMS Route: Trent Valley Line

Shilton Station: lnwr_shil1108

LNWR 4-6-0 No 2368 is seen piloting an unidentified LNWR 4-6-0 Claughton class locomotive on the down 'Lakes' express service near Shilton circa 1919-22. Built at Crewe works in September 1917 No 2368 was renumbered by the LMS in May 1927 as No 5957 and remained in service until February 1936 when it was withdrawn for scrapping at Crewe works. The LNWR Claughton class were 4-cylindered express passenger locomotives introduced in 1913, the first of the class being No 2222 'Sir Gilbert Claughton' with a total of 130 being built up to 1921. As was common practice with other types of locomotives the LNWR reused numbers and names from withdrawn locomotives, with the result that the numbering was completely haphazard. The LMS renumbered them into the more logical series Nos 5900-6029. An exception was made for the LNWR's war memorial engine, 1920 built No 1914 'Patriot', which acquired the number of a Renown Class.

Twenty were rebuilt by the LMS with larger boilers, and some of these had Caprotti valve gear. Twelve others were rebuilt as the initial engines of the LMS Patriot class, though in reality not much material was reused. From 1927 with the introduction of the LMS Royal Scot Class, the Claughtons' main work had been taken away and many were transferred to the Midland Division. At the end of 1939, all but one, No 6004 had been withdrawn. The Second World War caused such a motive power shortage however that No 6004 soldiered on in terrible condition on local freight duties in the Wolverhampton area. Acquired by British Railways in 1948, she was allocated the BR number No 46004 but she was withdrawn in 1949 without it being applied.

An original photograph by Henry L Salmon

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