LMS: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth
LMS: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

Water Orton Station: mrwo1748

An unidentified ex-WD 2-8-0 locomotive approaches Water Orton from the Derby line on a Class F express freight service. Often referred to as an 'Austerity' this 2-8-0 heavy freight steam locomotive was introduced in 1943 by the War Department for war service. A total of nine hundred and thirty-five were built, making this one of the most produced classes of British steam locomotive. Based on the LMS Class 8F, which until 1943 had been the government's standard design, various modifications were made to the 8F design by RA Riddles in order to prioritise low cost production over design life. These included a boiler of simpler construction which was parallel rather than tapered and a steel round-topped firebox instead of a copper Belpaire firebox. The North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow built five hundred and forty-five locomotives, split between their two works at Hyde Park and Queen's Park, whilst the Vulcan Foundry of Newton-le-Willows in Lancashire built a further three hundred and ninety locomotives.

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