LMS Route: Trent Valley Line

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Leamington

Nuneaton Station: lnwrns1686

Ex-LMS 2-6-4T 4MT No 42331 is seen standing at Nuneaton whilst at the head of a passenger service. In publications this photograph carried a caption describing the train as being the return leg of a Leicester Railway Society special to Leicester on 30th December 1961. Vic Smith wrote to me to correct my repeating thisinformation. He wrote 'Reference photograph lnwrns1686. Described as “Ex-LMS 2-6-4T 4MT No 42331 is seen at the head of a Leicester Railway Society special on the return leg to Leicester on 30th December 1961”. I have recently been researching this rail tour and have great doubts about this photograph being the train described, based on the following facts:

• Rail tour ticket was printed Leicester (London Road) to Rugby (Midland) and back.
• On 30 December 1961 Britain was covered with a thick blanket of snow resulting in 33 football matches cancelled and no matches were played in the Midlands.
• Photo of No 42331 at Broughton Astley Station in deep snow, with head board and train reporting number.
• Why is the train at Nuneaton?
• No snow visible in photo
• No headboard or train number.
• Front coupling hanging down, not on drawbar hook as other photos.
  

I may be wrong, but the facts seem stacked against this being the LRS Rail tour.

The electrification of the West Coast mainline required most bridges to be rebuilt to provide sufficient clearance to install overhead catenary as can be seen by the rebuilt Leicester Road bridge above the third coach. Built at Derby works in March 1929 No 42331 remained in service until August 1962 when it was withdrawn from Leicester (Midland) shed to be scrapped in May 1963 by J Cashmore of Great Bridge.

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