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Steam at Worcester Shrub Hill -12th July 1964
Ex-LNER (and indeed LNER locomotives during World War Two) were not infrequent visitors to Worcester often in the shape of 'B1' class 4-6-0s as can be seen for instance in this photograph of No.61303 of York shed supplied by Mick Rock.
However the arrival of No.60114 (of Doncaster Shed) on a Derbyshire Railway Society railtour that had originated in Sheffield was the first known visit by a Peppercorn designed 'A1' to Worcester. No.60114 worked only as far as Worcester where it was replaced by Worcester based 'Castle' class 4-6-0 No.5054 'Earl of Ducie' for the second leg of the tour to Hereford, Pontypool Road and Cardiff. As was to be expected from a Worcester engine the 'Castle' performed faultlessly but the ex-LNER Pacific was failed at Worcester and did not work the return leg.
This photograph shows the special which had travelled via the former Birmingham & Gloucester Railway and down the Lickey Incline before using the former Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway built spur line to Droitwich Spa and on to Worcester Shrub Hill Station.
As recounted by Adrian Booth No.60114 did not work the train back to Sheffield and its place was taken by Saltley based Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No.45269. After lengthy repairs the 'A1' headed back to Yorkshire on 7th August 1964 with Worcester's driver Don Edwards and fireman Howard Griffiths at the controls for the journey from Worcester Shrub Hill to Birmingham New Street.
Click here for more on Worcester Shrub Hill
Click here for more photographs from the Pete Wilcox collection