41123 - The Western Region's Last Compound

41123 - The Western Region's Last Compound 

41123 in all its glory at Gloucester Central station in the summer of 1959. The loco has worked in on the Newcastle - Cardiff express, having assisted the up working as far as Birmingham New Street in the morning.( See Runpast Book Covers section for the colour version of this photo.)

As a result of BR boundary adjustments the ex-Midland Railway Gloucester Barnwood motive power depot was transferred from the London Midland Region to the Western Region on 23 February 1958 with its shed code altered from 22B to 85E.

At the changeover date the following 34 locos were allocated to Barnwood:

Class 2P 4-4-0 40489, 40540

Class 4P Compound 4-4-0^: 40933, 41049,41090,41093,41123

Class 0F 0-4-0T: 41535, 41537

Class 2P 0-4-4T: 41900

Class 3F 0-6-0: 43337, 43373,43520,43645,43754

Class 4F 0-6-0: 43853,43887,43924,44035,44045,44123,44167,44209,44264,44272,44296, 44567

Class 2MT 2-6-0: 46401

Class 3F 0-6-0T: 47417, 47422,47506,47539,47623

Class 2F 0-6-0: 58165

With this traditional Midland roster, probably only 46401, the most modern loco in the fleet, would have found a ready welcome at ex-GWR Western Region sheds.

Not on the list was Compound 4-4-0 41095, withdrawn earlier in February, having been at Barnwood since April 1957; and three Midland class 3F 0-6-0s 43213, 43258 and 43506 - Barnwood engines since LMS days - which were hastily transferred just before the changeover to Sutton Oak shed, 10D.

It was noteworthy that Barnwood still had five 1920s built ex-LMS Compound 4-4-0s, the only Western Region shed to have an allocation of the class. This continued the depot’s long association with Compounds, which had been allocated there since the early 1930s. When BR came into existence at the start of 1948, eight Compounds were allocated, including five built by the Midland Railway, with 7ft. 0in coupled wheels. One of these, 41025, was the last working ex-Midland example, active on main line trains at Gloucester until December 1952, being withdrawn the following month.

Nevertheless seven other Compounds remained at the beginning of 1953. They were mainly engaged on stopping passenger trains between Derby, Birmingham and Bristol; assisting on expresses, particularly the daily Cardiff – Newcastle and return working; and station pilot at Gloucester Eastgate. They had a regular turn to Leicester, also a through working on summer Fridays,12.51pm Gloucester Eastgate - Manchester London Road via Derby, a relief to the 'Pines Express' - a train I recall seeing in the mid-1950s whilst at school". Documents* from August 1954 record Gloucester's Compounds visiting loco depots at Bristol Barrow Road, Bournville, Saltley, Derby, Leicester Midland, Sheffield Millhouses, Leeds Holbeck and Manchester Longsight.

By 1956 the allocation was reduced to five Compounds, but whenever one was withdrawn or transferred away another was drafted in, though other depots usually received newer loco types as replacements.

The shed still had a three day diagram for them in 1956/57, as follows:

The first day started with a passenger service from Eastgate at 6.53am to Birmingham New Street, due 9.27am – pretty well stopping at all stations en route  via Worcester. At 1.45pm the loco had the class 'A' Birmingham - Yarmouth passenger working as far as Leicester, arriving at 2.58pm. The return left Leicester at 6.55pm, back in New Street at 8.46pm. After taking the empty stock to Kings Norton carriage sidings it shunted there until 11.30pm before retiring to the nearby Bournville loco depot, 21B. 

Next morning saw it off shed at 6.35am, coupled to another loco as far as Kings Norton where it ran on to Northfield. From there, the loco had the 7.16am passenger to New Street and Derby, getting in at 9.22am. Then on shed at the latter before hauling the 6.45pm passenger to New Street, due 8.29pm. At New Street it swopped to the 10.5pm parcels, which got to Gloucester at 12.41am. But the engine carried on to Bristol with the parcels, due at 1.55am.

On this third day of the turn, after collecting carriages from Bristol sidings, the loco worked the 10.52am passenger to Gloucester, there at 12.18pm. But it still did not go to Barnwood, instead taking the 1.50pm passenger to Birmingham New Street, arriving at 3.57pm. The final part of the diagram was the 5.45pm passenger from New Street to Gloucester, due in at 8.1pm. Then off to shed after a busy three days. 

The above applied Monday to Friday, with variations over the weekend including a Saturday passenger train between Birmingham and Walsall. Apart from Barnwood men, crews from 21A Saltley, 21B Bournville,17A Derby and 22A Bristol Barrow Road also worked the engine on this diagram.

None of the five in residence at the changeover in 1958 - 40933, 41049, 41090, 41093 and 41123 – had much of a history here with 41049 arriving in 1956, 40933, 41093 and 41123 in 1957, while 41090 was surprisingly transferred to Barnwood on 15 February 1958, just a week before the change, so may never have carried a 22B shedplate, going straight to an 85E one. The loco had spent long periods in store at its former depot, 3E Birmingham Monument Lane. Transfer to Barnwood was recorded on the 'Engine History Card', but went unreported in the monthly lists published by the likes of 'Trains Illustrated' and 'Railway Observer'. H C Casserley photographed it on 23 April at Bromsgrove and Barnt Green working an up stopping passenger, clearly displaying an 85E shedplate.

Surprisingly transferred to Barnwood when the Western Region took over in February 1958, 41090 heads an up stopper at Barnt Green on its way from Gloucester to Birmingham. The 85E shedplate can be clearly seen. Photo taken 23 April 1958, copyright R M Casserley.

The reason for 41090's arrival even as the Western Region was taking over Barnwood could lie in the fact that 41123 was taken out of traffic on 27 February and went to Derby Works. With remaining Compounds rapidly being withdrawn from service, there must have been a good chance that 41123 would suffer the same fate. It spent four days awaiting a repair decision, which went in its favour, another six days waiting Works, before entering the Works on 12 March for a heavy intermediate overhaul, being returned to traffic on 27 March. The loco’s previous Works visit was in February 1956 when it had a heavy general overhaul including a boiler change. After that it was stored serviceable for several months at its home shed, Trafford Park, Manchester, and was only in traffic for about five months before allocation to Gloucester in early May 1957. The loco’s mileage between 1956 and 1958 works visits was 44,516, including 30,560 in 1957 when it was mostly a Barnwood engine. This was the highest annual total since 1950, indicating Barnwood was making plenty of use of the loco.

41123 heads a down evening stopper at Ashchurch on 21 June 1958, possibly the 5.45pm ex Birmingham New Street to Bristol, which was here for five minutes from 7.27pm. A typical Gloucester Compound duty until BR Standards arrived on the local scene. By this date 41123 was just about the last working Compound allocated to Barnwood depot. Compounds from other sheds still appeared on these duties such as 41143 of 17A Derby the following month. Photo Roger Shenton.

Despite 41123’s good fortune, the Western Region seemingly wanted rid of its Compounds as soon as possible. A recent arrival, in December 1957, 40933 figured in the April 1958 withdrawal lists – the loco was photographed at Derby on 13 April still carrying a 22B shedplate, so probably never carried an 85E plate. The next to go was 41093, allocated to Barnwood in November 1957 and surviving until the end of  June before withdrawal. A photo has been published showing 41093 assisting a 'Black Five' on the  St Pancras - Manchester 'Palatine' express said to be in May 1958. 41093 might have a 22B or even 85E shedplate, it is not quite clear enough to make out. (It was noted on the scrap line at Crewe in mid September 1958 according to the 'Railway Observer'.)

Meantime 41049 which had been at Barnwood since May 1956 and recent arrival 41090 were transferred back to the London Midland Region in June, going to 17A Derby. That left 41123 as the sole representative of the class at Gloucester and also thereby the last Compound in the Western Region’s fleet of engines.

London Midland Region based Compounds were still regular visitors to Gloucester in this period. 41143 of 17A Derby went through to Bath Green Park in May assisting a pigeon special and in July was photographed on a stopping passenger train. On 14 June 21B Bournville's 41156 headed the 12 noon passenger to Bristol while 41078 of 21A Saltley (a Barnwood loco until June 1955) was seen light engine.

41123 remained a regular feature in the area, working local stopping passengers, assisting on expresses or being station pilot at Gloucester Eastgate. On 21 June it was photographed at Ashchurch with a typical turn, the 5.45pm from Birmingham New Street to Bristol Temple Meads, via Worcester Shrub Hill, which stopped at most stations en route. (On this date station pilot at Eastgate was 0-4-4T 41900.)

An unusual working occurred on 2 July. Due to operating difficulties in the area that day 41123 was requisitioned (perhaps after arriving at 3.57pm with the 1.50pm from Gloucester) for the 4.50pm class 'A' Birmingham New Street - Cleethorpes, normally headed by an Eastern Region B1 4-6-0. The loco worked through to Cleethorpes after the Immingham crew who took it over at Lincoln St Marks were given what the Railway Observer called 'a hurried exposition of Compound driving'! 41123 spent the night on Immingham shed, 40B, returning next day with the 6.57 class 'A' passenger from Cleethorpes to New Street, due at 11.13am.  

It was August before replacements for Barnwood’s withdrawn and transferred Compounds arrived in the shape of BR Standard class 4 4-6-0s 75009 and 75023, both coming from 85A Worcester. One more would almost certainly have rendered 41123 redundant, but that did not happen immediately as might have been anticipated and 41123 carried on working the same diagrams as the Standards.

On 11 September, 41123 headed the 5.18pm Nuneaton Abbey Street - Birmingham New Street passenger, usually worked by a Saltley or Bournville class 4 engine. The diagram included the 7.26am Birmingham New Street - Leicester passenger, then empty stock at 3.43pm from Leicester to Nuneaton and the 6.18pm New Street to Evesham passenger plus a late night appearance at Birmingham Central on a parcels train, finished off by an early hours freight from Bournville to Washwood Heath.

41123 was well away from its usual duties on Saturday 27 September, heading a 7-coach special from London Paddington as far as Shrewsbury for the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society AGM at Towyn. (The previous year's Talyllyn AGM special had another 4-4-0, 3440 City of Truro.) It was an unusual sight at Paddington, although it was of course a Western Region engine! The return journey was scheduled to leave Towyn near midnight on the Saturday and travel through the night with arrival in Paddington at 6.50am on Sunday. Later that day the loco was observed at Swindon heading back to Gloucester.

41123 made an unfamiliar sight at Ruislip on the Great Western & Great Central Joint Line when it hauled the annual Talylynn Preservation Society special from Paddington to Shrewsbury on 27 September 1958. The special returned to London overnight, still with 41123 as motive power.

The loco was also a stranger at Swindon next day,returning to Gloucester.It appears to have performed very well, a credit to Barnwood.

In October 1958 three more BR Standard class 4 4-6-0s appeared on local services, but they were allocated to the ex-Midland shed at Bristol Barrow Road and replaced Midland 2P 4-4-0s – though interestingly another 2P, 40537, was transferred to Barrow Road in February 1959^^. Barrow Road had not had any Compounds allocated for some years.

The Midland Railway and the LMS built 240 Compounds which all became part of BR stock in 1948, but there were just nineteen remaining at the start of 1959. 41123 was one of them and I saw it at Bristol on 31 March 1959, arriving about 5.30pm on the 4pm Gloucester Eastgate to Temple Meads slow, a regular turn for the engine, whose return working was the 9.35pm Bristol - Gloucester. But my train home to Cheltenham Lansdown was the 6.30pm Bristol Temple Meads to Birmingham New Street taking nearly four hours to cover the complete journey, stopping at most stations. This had another Compound, 40925 of 17A Derby, which worked in earlier that day from the LMR. All these years later, I can still hear the loco starting away from the various station stops. Two Compounds at Temple Meads in one evening - not bad for 1959.

Another Derby allocated Compound, 41157, was specially provided to work passenger turns from Birmingham New Street to Ashchurch via Evesham for two days in April in connection with filming for the 'Railway Roundabout' series shown on BBC Television**. On Friday 10 April I was fortunate to see it heading tender-first through Cheltenham Malvern Road station on its way to the ex-GWR terminus at St James to use the turntable after working the 12.56pm from New Street, due Ashchurch at 3.11pm. Locos could no longer turn on the triangle at Ashchurch which had been removed in May 1957. The loco came back through Malvern Road, again tender-first, crossed over at Cheltenham Lansdown Junction then back to Ashchurch for the return train, due away at 4.20pm. I also saw 41123 working through Cheltenham on this day, most likely doubleheading the Cardiff-Newcastle express. Both engines were again seen by me at Cheltenham on Monday 13 April.

I had a number of sightings of 41123 at Cheltenham and Gloucester over the next few months as it remained very active on local passenger turns between Birmingham and Bristol via Worcester or assisting on expresses. 41123 or another Compound regularly acted as pilot engine on the 8.30am Cardiff – Newcastle, 10.5am off Gloucester Central, as far as Birmingham returning on the down service due Gloucester at 2.36pm. At an earlier date, I recall the Newcastle - Cardiff arriving at Gloucester on three consecutive days with the memorable combination of Compound 41100 – a long-time Leeds Holbeck,55A, engine - piloting 45500 Patriot and inspecting both locos while they were on Barnwood shed for servicing.

By summer 1959 there were only nine Compounds left including 41123 but not all were in traffic. In the RCTS booklet 'The Midland Compounds' David Tee noted that 40907,41123 and 41157 were all quite active.

According to a 2007  magazine article 41123 headed the 3.20pm London St Pancras to Bedford semi-fast on Saturday 20 June 1959  - Bedford based Compounds were regularly in charge of these services until the mid-1950s, whilst a Facebook comment in 2023 stated that it was seen at Harpenden on the Midland main line  in mid July 1959 piloting a St Pancras - Sheffield express.

40907 of 41C Sheffield Millhouses shed was at Gloucester on Saturdays 4 and 18 July assisting with the Cardiff - Newcastle while the corresponding down working had 41123 piloting Jubilee 4-6-0 45663 Jervis on Saturday 11 July and Derby's 40925 doubleheading a 'Jubilee' on Tuesday 4 August. (Barnwood's 2P 4-4-0s were also active on the duty during this period.) The Compound off the down train sometimes hauled the previously mentioned 4pm Gloucester - Bristol and 9.35pm (10.15pm Saturdays) return, certainly 41123 was regularly noted on these turns during July, including 9 July when it was photographed at Berkeley Road by H C Casserley. The return working had added interest, being extended from Gloucester Eastgate to Cheltenham Spa St James on Monday - Saturday in the summer timetable, with the engine running back light to Barnwood shed. I wonder if this was ever worked by 41123 or one of the other Compounds, similarly the 7.12am St James - Temple Meads which also ran Monday - Saturday (and 8.20am Sunday) throughout the summer, for which a loco came off Barnwood shed. Apart from 41157 mentioned earlier, the RCTS recorded that Compound 1058 of Barnwood shed was used for an excursion from St James to Weston-Super-Mare on 10 July 1948. 

H C Casserley also photographed 41123 in the shed yard at Bromsgrove on 18 July displaying an express headcode, facing north,  a bit of a mystery there. 

An excellent view taken on 12 August 1959 of 41123 on shunting duties while acting as station pilot at Gloucester Eastgate. The long footbridge between Eastgate and Central stations is prominent. 41123 is shunting on the site of the original Birmingham & Gloucester/Midland Railway terminus station, which closed in 1896 to be replaced by Eastgate. Photo Sid Rickard

41123 was still on station pilot duties at Gloucester Eastgate in August, such as on the twelfth of the month when I saw it. In the event of an engine failure, the pilot was sometimes called upon to take over or assist an express. This could explain the appearance of 41123 at York one day in August on a local train from Sheffield – how it got to Sheffield on this occasion is not known.

After August, my own sightings of 41123 in Cheltenham ceased, but it could still be spotted working at Gloucester and out on the main line.

On 24 September I was lucky enough to 'cop' preserved Compound 1000 at Cheltenham heading for Gloucester - possibly 41123 was active that day as well, making two Compounds there together. 1000 was allocated to Barnwood between July and October 1930, remaining for some years. It was the first Compound built in 1902 and, upon withdrawal in 1951, was set aside for preservation. (The second Compound constructed, which became BR 41001, came to Barnwood with 1000 and stayed until withdrawal in late1951.) After languishing in store for some years, 1000 was overhauled at Derby Works and by August 1959 was fully restored and resplendent in Midland Red livery, being employed on enthusiast railtours and inspection saloon duties.

I saw 41123 in steam at Gloucester on 24 October, possibly station pilot, a duty it performed on 1 November too when it was photographed by Chris Baldwin. 

Going back to 24 October, one of its regular workings, the 4pm Gloucester Eastgate – Bristol passenger, was hauled by Ivatt 2-6-0 46401. It was perhaps a touch ironic that 46401 was transferred away from Gloucester the following month, thus leaving the area before 41123! However 46401 was only a class 2 loco, so apparently Barnwood still needed a class 4 to replace its last Compound. Whilst local services such as Cardiff-Cheltenham on the ex-GW lines were increasingly handled by DMUs, the ex-Midland stopping trains on the Birmingham – Worcester – Gloucester – Bristol route remained steadfastly steam.

Local railway enthusiast and photographer John Goss has written about his memories of 41123 during 1959: ‘Practically the last operating Compound, 41123, used to haul me regularly from Gloucester to Bredon ( on the Midland line to Birmingham), where I toiled one summer in chicken coops and plum trees to earn enough money for my first serious camera. On the very day that I finally made it to the shop, the Compound was withdrawn. Such is life.’ (The train on which John travelled is likely to have been the 7.52am Gloucester Eastgate - Worcester Shrub Hill - Birmingham New Street stopper.)

41123 was withdrawn in the week ending 12 December 1959, having run over one million miles. Just six other Compounds - 40907, 40936,41063,41157,41162,41168 - survived but some of those were in store, such as 40936 and 41168 at Monument Lane depot which had not worked for some time and never went back into traffic.

The loco's replacement arrived in January 1960, another BR Standard class 4 4-6-0, 75002, latterly of 82C Swindon. Had it been available when classmates 75009 and 75023 came to Barnwood in August 1958, 41123's active existence at Gloucester would quite likely have been reduced by 16 months or so and I for one am thankful the Western Region's last Compound enjoyed this extended lease of life.

Still looking respectable stored on the back road at Barnwood on 24 April 1960, despite being withdrawn since December 1959.

The shedplate has gone, but there is a worksplate on the splasher. Photo Brian Miller.

41123 was photographed inside Barnwood roundhouse on 24 January 1960 displaying a 'NOT TO BE MOVED' sign. On 7 February the loco was parked on the back siding at the depot and was still there on 24 April looking capable of further work, with coal in the tender. I last saw it at Barnwood on 1 May; the very next day it was photographed outside Derby Works still with coal in the tender. Interestingly, the word 'SHOPS' was chalked on the cabside - wishful thinking surely!

On 1 May 1960, it was still at Barnwood, but by the following day had moved - presumably dead - to Derby. The loco appears intact,

even has coal in the tender.The legend 'SHOPS' is somewhat optimistically chalked on the cabside! Photo P H Groom.

There is a further photo of the loco at Derby on 31 August 1960, bereft of front number plate and works plate and without coal in the tender. It seemed reluctant to leave, but was eventually taken away and cut up at BR's Gorton Works in Manchester, perhaps appropriate for a loco which had spent much of its life in the north-west and was built at Horwich Works in November 1925, works number 1392. BR number 41123 had been applied in the week ending 30 April 1949.

40907 was the last active Compound, whose final duty was a morning Sheffield - Derby slow on Sunday 21 August 1960, while 41123 was still standing withdrawn at the latter place. 40907 was shedded at Sheffield Millhouses, 41C, on the Eastern Region, though of course an ex-Midland Railway depot.

41123’s withdrawal did not end Barnwood’s association with 4-4-0s however, as it retained two Midland 2Ps, 40489 and 40540, which saw some activity in 1960 on station pilot and other duties. When 40489 was taken out of service another one, 40501, was transferred from store at Bristol Barrow Road in June 1960 and worked for a month or two before being withdrawn, but long enough to sport an 85E shedplate.

In any event, preserved Compound 1000 made at least one more journey on the Birmingham - Gloucester line, with a railtour on Saturday 27 May 1961. It came down to Gloucester light engine before heading north on the special++. A Compound on the Western Region again...

Footnotes:

^ In BR days, from1948 to 1959, 26 Compounds were allocated to 22B/85E Barnwood:

40930/40932/40933/40934/40935/41001/41019/41025/(4)1027+/41028/41039/41047"/41049/

41058/41069/41074/41078/41090/41093/41095/41097/41117/41123/41140/41181/41195.

* 'No Repairs' tickets put in by drivers when a loco arrived at the depots listed and forwarded to Barnwood, the loco's home shed.

^^ 40537 later spent time stored at Barnwood - it was there in the early part of 1962 (see photograph in Introduction section).

** Can be viewed on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSV3ctIPpOM&feature=channel

Right at the beginning, this film clip shows the arrival at Barnt Green of the 11.30am stopping passenger from Gloucester Eastgate to Birmingham New Street with a BR Standard class 4 4-6-0, which had replaced 2P and Compound 4-4-0s on this train.

++ Gloucestershire Railway Society special to Derby,out via the Evesham loop from Ashchurch and return via the SMJR (Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway) and Honeybourne line.

+ Withdrawn in 1948 as 1027, never carried its BR number.

" 41047 was withdrawn in February 1954 after BR Standard 73003 ran into it at Birmingham New Street.

The loco that replaced 41123 at Barnwood was BR Standard class 4 75002, seen on an up stopper at Hatherley. In turn, the three members of this class at Barnwood were replaced in autumn 1961 by BR Standard class 5 4-6-0s. Photo Robin Stanton