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LMS Route: Stratford Midland Junction - The Shakespeare Route

E&WJR and SMJ - Locomotives and Rolling Stock: smjsa341

Ex-E&WJR 0-6-0 No 18 now carrying SMJ livery, stands opposite Stratford upon Avon's goods yard

Ex-E&WJR 0-6-0 No 18 now carrying SMJ livery, stands opposite Stratford upon Avon's goods yard. Still carrying its original simplified E&W number plate on the cab side, the E&W plate on the tender has been removed to be replaced by the letters SMJ painted on the sides. E&WJR No 18 was the second of the last two locomotives ordered by the E&WJR although they did not arrive until after the SMJ was formed. The two locomotives were fitted from new with Isaacson's valves gear and initially were extremely problematic and unable to pull the loads for which they were designed. Following their withdrawal in April 1909 they were subject to remedial work by the manufacturer's staff which led to their reintroduction into service and following satisfactory performance savings of 15% were achieved in coal usage. This locomotive and classmate No 18 were, according to Dick Riley and Bill Simpson, 'the heaviest engines and were used mostly on goods work at night between Broom and Olney'.

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