LMS Route: Rugby to Leamington Spa (Avenue)

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Leamington

LMS Route: Leamington to Weedon

Warwick (Milverton) Shed: lnwrwar_shed1443

View from the cab of an unknown locomotive along its tender towards the junction of the shed with the Leamington to Coventry line. The photograph must have been taken on a Sunday when the foreman was not on duty and his deputy was sympathetic to the photographer's request to 'cab' the locomotive. The coal on the tender is of all sizes and gives the viewer a better understanding of the task facing a fireman. The large lumps would have been manhandled into the firebox but only after the fire was well lit. Enginemen were often tasked with giving coal to staff alongside the line at signal boxes and P & W huts in out of the way places. Bob Essery recounts a story when he was firing a locomotive on the Birmingham to Evesham route when they were tasked in dropping off coal to a P & W gang on the line. They dropped a large lump of coal at speed just as they were passing the lineside hut. Unfortunately Bob missed timed the drop and instead of it landing besides the hut it hit it fair and square demolishing it in a cloud of dust and amid much shouting from the gang who Bob recalls were last seen waving angry fists at the disappearing locomotive.

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