LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

Bromford Bridge Station: mrbb643

Ex-LMS Garratt 2-6-0+0-6-2 No 47972 is seen near Bromford Bridge station at the head of a down Class J mineral train approaching Washwood Heath sidings on 22nd May 1952. Built by Beyer Peacock in September 1930 No 47972 remained in service until April 1957 when it was withdrawn from Hasland shed to be scrapped in May 1957 by Crewe works. With the Board of the LMS dominated by former Midland Railway Directors it was no surprise that the LMS pursued the Midland's 'small engine policy'. This blinkered approach resulted in most of the Toton to Brent coal trains being double-headed by 0-6-0 locomotives. In the late 1920s with the impact of the post 'Great War' recession forcing the company to look to making savings on the cost of labour the LMS explored other options.

In 1925 the LNER had introduced a solitary member of the Class U1 2-8-0+0-8-2 Garratt built by Beyer Peacock for banking work. The LMS followed suit and in 1927 ordered an initial three locomotives from Beyer Peacock and Company. Following the order of the three locomotives, the remaining 30 were built between August and November 1930. All were built with straight sided bunkers but from 1931 the 1930 locomotives and the last of the 1927 trio were fitted with revolving coal bunkers. These were conical in shape and were revolved or oscillated by means of a small two-cylinder steam engine. The revolving bunkers prevented coal dust from entering the cab and the oscillation facility made them self-trimming.

Instead of allowing Beyer Peacock to use their own proven design of fittings on the locomotives, Derby design office insisted on fitting their own Midland derived fittings. Many of the Midland designed fittings performed poorly in particular their standard axle boxes which frequently overheated on the LMS Class 4F 0-6-0s which had lighter axle loadings. Ultimately this was their principal weakness, resulting in the design not being successful as they were always heavy on coal and maintenance. In fact their consumption of coal on the Toton to Brent trips was equal to that used by a pair of LMS 4F 0-6-0s but whereas two 4Fs had two firemen the Garratts''s had only one fireman.

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