| In 1955, tests were carried out on the Western Region using Stanier Coronation class pacific 46237 City of Bristol. The trains selected for the tests were the down "Cornish Riviera Express" from Paddington to Plymouth, returning on the following days up "Cornish Riviera". On the Birmingham line, the trains chosen were the 9.10am Paddington to Birkenhead, as far as Wolverhampton, returning to Paddington on an up service from Birkenhead which left Wolverhampton at 2.35pm. I recall seeing 46237 on the up service, though I do not have the date. | ||||
| Early in 1956, the Western Region Kings were in trouble with front bogie problems, and it was necessary to take the locomotives out of service for rectification work. And three pacifics came over from the Midland Region to fill the gap. The locomotives were Princess Royal class no 46210 Lady Patricia, and Coronation class 46254 City of Stoke on Trent and 46257 City of Salford. And once again, it was the 9.10am Paddington to Wolverhampton, 2.35pm Wolverhampton to Paddington, and the down and up Cornish Riviera Express, which were the trains to be Pacific worked. | ||||
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And so, on 25th January 1956, I travelled behind 46254 City of Stoke on
Trent, from Snow Hill to Leamington Spa, on the 3.00pm service, and
returned on 6006, which presumably had already been rectified. Three
days later, I repeated the trip, and had both 46254 and 6006 again. Then
on 8th February, I had 46210 Lady Patricia to Leamington, and on the
return the 2.10pm Paddington had 5097 and 6934 double heading (on a 10
coach train). Then finally, on 18th February, I did two round trips
again, getting 46210 in each direction, the supporting cast being 40076,
and a 5045 & 5047 double header.
From a performance point of view, all of the Pacific runs were modest. 46210 could only manage 29mph at Hatton summit, and all of the southbound runs lost a little time to Leamington. |
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Below: Replica 46210 Nameplate mounted on my Lounge Wall (My wife's name is Patricia) |
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To the best of my knowledge, the next visit of a Stanier 4-6-2 to
Birmingham Snow Hill was on 17th November 1963, when 46245 City of
London passed throug at 4.27pm on the Locomotive Club of Great Britain "Stanier
Pacific Railtour", which it worked from Crewe to Paddington, via
Wellington and Wolverhampton. Then on 21st June 1964, 46251 City of Nottingham made a short stop whilst working the L.C.G.B "North & West Railtour", from Coleham (Shrewsbury) to London Paddington. And in the recent past, on 2nd September 2007, 46233 Duchess of Sutherland worked two Sunday "Shakespeare Express" return services between Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon. |
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