LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton

Berkswell and Balsall Common: lnwrberk3092

Ex-LNWR 0-6-0 'Cauliflower' No 8614 heads an up express service near Berkswell in April 1927. The first vehicle behind the tender still in its LNWR livery is a ex-LNWR six-wheel brake van followed by what is thought to be an ex-LNWR Brake Composite with a headboard on the roof. The other coaching stock is thought to be ex-LNWR too. The 'Cauliflowers' were designed by FW Webb as express goods locomotives. Their nickname deriving from the class being the first to have the LNWR coat of arms displayed on the splasher, which from a distance looked like the vegetable. Built as LNWR No 1298 by Crewe works in July 1901, No 8614 received the above LMS number in September 1926 which it carried until March 1943 when it was placed on the duplicate by having 20,000 added to the number. It was therefore as No 28614 when it was withdrawn from service in May 1947 but with a belpaire boiler which was fitted in 1935.

back