LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Saltley Shed: mrsalt109

LMS 2-6-0+0-6-2 Garratt No 7994 stands alongside Saltley shed's coaling tower on its way to one of what were known as the 'back roads' on 1st December 1946 . Bob Essery writes in DJ Norton's pictorial survey of Railways in West Midlands, one of the problems encountered at Saltley was the lack of space, wherever possible Garratts would be dealt with at Bromford but when they did arrive at Saltley, the usual practice was to stand them on what was known as 'the back roads', which were between the arrival line onto the coaling plant and the Camp Hill lines. Built by Beyer Peacock in November 1930, No 7994 was part of the second batch produced with a revolving instead of a fixed bunker, and was the last to survive being taken out of service from Hasland shed in April 1958 to be scrapped by Crewe works in May 1958.

The Garratts were a typical example of how the design team at Derby continued applying flawed MR design to many early LMS designs. Ignoring Beyer Peacock's advice based on years of experience building this type of locomotive many MR components and concepts were incorporated. Besides the insistence that the MR 8'0"- 8'- 6" axle spacing was maintained the 4F axle boxes were employed as well as short travel valves and convoluted steam passages. Consequently the performance of the locomotive was seriously lacking and coal consumption was no better than the two locomotives it was supposed to replace. The only difference being was that the coal was put in the box by one man not two!

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