LMS Route: Water Orton to Walsall

Sutton Park Station: mrspk470

Ex-Midland Railway 0-6-4T No 2038 is seen running bunker first on a New Street to Walsall service circa 1924. Built by Derby works in September 1907 No 2038 remained in service for twenty-eight years before being withdrawn from Saltley shed in August 1935 to be scrapped by Derby works in the same year. A member of the MR's 2000 class, a class which also was known as 'Flatirons' because the side tanks looked like a housewife's solid irons, No 2038 was allocated to Saltley shed at the time of the photograph. Designed by Richard Deeley, a total of forty were built numbered from 2000 to No 2039. They were originally developed from the smaller 0-4-4T classes being designed for commuter work by including an extra set of driving wheels. Acceleration and stability, however, were poor and after a derailment they were quickly withdrawn. Some later acquired superheated boilers with Belpaire fireboxes. The superheated engines had slightly longer boilers which extended slightly in front of the side tanks.

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