LMS Route: Trent Valley Line

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Leamington

Nuneaton Station: lnwrns1658

British Railways Britannia class 4-6-2 No 70044 'Earl Haig' is seen on an up express service as it approaches platform four. The locomotive has been fitted with experimental airbrake equipment to the front of the smokebox resulting in the absence of the normal smoke deflectors. Built at Crewe works in June 1953 it was not named until February 1957 and remained in service until October 1966 when it was withdrawn from Edgeley shed in Stockport to be scrapped in February 1967 by TW Ward of Beighton. Derek Dean writes, 'This is a good image from AW Flowers and as I am researching same, I noticed that the front step is fitted, which means that the date is from between February 1956 to March 1957 when the smoke deflectors were added. In my estimation the excellent condition of the locomotive indicates that its close to March 1956, as the only time the engine was cleaned was in the Works.'

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