LMS Route: Birmingham West Suburban Railway

Bournville Shed: mrb1526

A noticeably clean looking ex-MR 2F 0-6-0, No 58143, is seen on one of the sidings behind the coaling stage at Bournville in the 1950s. Originally built by Dubs & Company of Glasgow, the engine had entered service as Midland Railway '1142' class No 1187 in 1875. The Midland subsequently rebuilt it with 18" cylinders in 1890, assigned it to power class 2 in 1905, renumbered it No 2955 in 1907, then rebuilt it again in 1912 (perhaps fitting the deeper frame). After the grouping, the LMS rebuilt it with Fowler 'G6' Belpaire boiler & 'RE2' cab in 1923, reclassified it as 2F in 1928, then renumbered it onto the duplicate list as No 22955 in 1934. Saltley was its home shed in 1945, but it had been reallocated to Bournville by December 1947. British Railways allotted it No 58143 in March 1948, renumbering it in February 1952. Bournville remained its home shed until February 1960, when it was reallocated back to Saltley. It was transferred from there to Toton in November 1961, then on to Coalville in March 1962. The latter depot became the final refuge of the class. No 58143 survived long enough to become one of the last three in use there, not being withdrawn from service until November 1963. It is believed to have been scrapped at Derby in January 1964. No 58138, its shed mate at Bournville in the 1950s, had a similar history in the 1960s - see 'mrb1522'.

John Dews

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