LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton
LMS Route: Birmingham - Soho - Perry Barr - Birmingham
LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Harborne

Monument Lane Shed: lnwrmlsh2239

Ex-LNWR 0-6-2T 'Coal Tank' No 7742 stands in front of the new mechanical coaling plant still being built on 23rd September 1934. The LMS had implemented a major programme to mechanise the servicing and disposal of locomotives, two significant activities which required high numbers of personnel and therefore high costs. Whereas prior to the First World War labour was predominantly cheap and therefore intensive use of labour not an issue, the 1920s and 1930s saw the recessionary winds blow hard making it a number one priority to substantially increase productivity on the railways. Built as LNWR No 183 at Crewe works in August 1886 No 7742 remained in service until October 1947 when it was withdrawn from 2A Rugby shed.

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