LMS Route: Water Orton to Walsall

Sutton Park Station: mrspk343a

Close up of image 'mrspk343' showing ex-LMS 'Stanier' 2-6-4T No 42604 of '3C' Saltley shed with the air shimmering from its chimney. Built by the North British Locomotive Company in December 1936 No 42604 lasted in service until it was withdrawn from Aston shed in May 1965. Designed by Sir William Stanier, this was a class of 206 steam locomotives of the two cylinder 2-6-4T configuration built between 1935 and 1943 . They were based on his LMS three cylinder design used on the Tilbury and Southend services. The LMS numbered them 2425 to 2494, and then 2537 to 2672. On nationalisation British Railways added 40000 to all LMS locomotive numbers which in this instance made them 42425 to 42494, and then 42537 to 42672. The LMS had classified them 4P whereas British Railways used the mixed traffic designation of '4MT'. They were the basis for the LMS Fairburn 2-6-4T. The first locomotive was withdrawn in 1960 whilst the last remained in service until 1967. None has been preserved (though the original of the three cylinder 2-6-4T version, number 2500, is preserved at the National Railway Museum, and two examples of the nearly identical LMS Fairburn 2-6-4T are also still in existence).

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