Bank Hall Locomotive Depot in 1948: two ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire engines outside the smaller through Shed: ex-L&Y 1F 0-6-0T No. 11535, fitted with dumb buffers and swinging spark-arrestor for working in the Docks; behind it is Class 30 6F 0-8-0 No. 12782. (Beyond can be glimpsed an 8F 2-8-0 with the unusual combination of 'M' as well as the BR initial '4' added to its number). Photo: 20 June 1848 by Ben Brooksbank, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.

Recording Locomotive Sightings 1943 - 1968
A generation of enthusiasts recorded the movements of locomotives around the railway system. These records of visits to locomotive depots have been collected and carefully analysed to provide an overall portrait for the period 1943 to 1968. During that period of steam's final years, there was a marked change from the pre-grouping types that still found work at a few depots, to the modern BR designs that worked until the end in 1968. The handling of freight and passenger services was a major undertaking from town and cities, ports, coal mines and factories. All of it traversed the labyrinth of lines that criss-crossed the country. There were numerous 'sheds' spread throughout the length and breadth of the land that provided and serviced the vast army of steam locomotives (20,000 in 1948). Here is just a taste of that history.

Saturday 27 September 2014

Walsall Ryecroft 1937 - 1958

A Johnson 5'3" 2F 0-6-0 58277 seen in nearby Bescot yard on 24 March 1951.  This class of locos could be seen at Walsall up to closure in 1958. Photo: Ben Brooksbank Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike license 2.0

Walsall Ryecroft
Pre Grouping Ownership - London, North Western Railwayopened:1878
type: A brick-built 12TS dead-ended shed.closed to steam:1958
location: In the fork of the Lichfield and Cannock lines, north of the station.code prior to 19583C

Sunday 25 July 19373C5.25pm - 5.40pmtotal:36
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)cl 8F 2-8-0cl 6F 0-8-0cl 1P 2-4-0 (K)
918260566376685810582579017917320008
1119cl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)664367418189859291389230cl 1P 2-4-0 (J)
1745338635026661675582468594cl 2F 0-6-0 (Wb)20157
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)341066798251859728088cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
69143cl 4F 0-6-022907
4512
Alloction - December 1945 (53)cl 3MT 2-6-2T (F)LMS7cl 2P 4-4-0LMS2
cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)LMS5cl 3F 0-6-0 (J)Midland2cl 3F 0-6-0 (D)Midland1
cl 4F 0-6-0LMS10cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)LNWR4cl 6F 0-8-0LNWR8
cl 7F 0-8-0LNWR4cl 2F 0-6-0 (Wb)LNWR8cl 2F 0-6-0 (Clf)LMS2
Sunday 6 October 19463Ctotal:38
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)cl 6F 0-8-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (Wb)
23D4623C41153C66613C90153C280883C
113C5013C43393C66793C90403C280933C
173Ccl 5MT 4-6-043453C66893C92223C282463C
183C53083C45073Ccl 2F 0-6-0 (Clf)92483C282473C
193Ccl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)45123C284293C93803C282513C
453C34103Ccl 8F 2-8-0285943Ccl 7F 0-8-0282563C
cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)37863C808215A285973C90453C283133C
26273C93253C
Shed Codes3C Walsall3D Aston15A Wellingborough
Sunday 5 October 19473Ctotal:39
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (Clf)cl 6F 0-8-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (Wb)
113C4623C40693C284293C90403C280933C
173C5013C41153C285943C90563C281053C
183Ccl 4P 2-6-4T (St)44543C285973C92363C282463C
423C24523Ccl 3F 0-6-0 (J/D)cl 7F 0-8-092483C282563C
453C24663C34103C90483C92833C283093C
693C26043Ccl 5MT 4-6-093253C93643C
cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)26273C48733C93883C93803C
66613C53953Ccl 4F 0-6-0 (F)
66893C396518A
Shed Codes3C Walsall18A Toton
Sunday 25 July 19483Ctotal:35
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 6F 0-8-0cl 7F 0-8-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (Wb)
113C24443C40693C89133C90033C281053C
cl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)24523C41153C90153C90483C282463C
4133C24663C43453C90403C90663C283133C
4623C24823C43523C91933C91983C
5013C26043C45123C92223C493252D
cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)cl 5MT 4-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T92833C493523C
67123C453953C74133C93263C
67573C93643C
Shed Codes2D Nuneaton3C Walsall
Sunday 27 March 19493Ctotal:30
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)cl 5MT 4-6-0cl 6F & 7F 0-8-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
113C424523C453083C90403C90313C581163C
400193C425863C453443C91933C91983C581223C
cl 2P 2-6-2T (I)26043C453953C92223C493253C229783C
412263C26273Ccl 4F 0-6-093263Ccl 3F 0-6-0 (J)
cl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)40783C93643C435023C
404623C467123C43523Ccl 3F 0-6-0Tcl 3F 0-6-0 (D)
5013C67573C474133C437863C
Alloction - September 1950 (57)cl 3MT 2-6-2TLMS3cl 2P 4-4-0LMS2
cl 2MT 2-6-2TLMS1cl 4MT 2-6-4TLMS10cl 3F 0-6-0 (J)Midland3
cl 3F 0-6-0 (D)Midland2cl 4F 0-6-0LMS6cl 5MT 4-6-0LMS5
cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)LNWR2cl 3F 0-6-0TLMS1cl 6F & 7F 0-8-0LNWR17
cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)Midland5
Sunday 2 September 19513Ctotal:32
cl 3P 2-6-2T (F)cl 2P 2-6-2T (I)cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 6F & 7F 0-8-0
400193C412263C424443C4431617B489433C493003C
400513D412793C424483C443453C490483C493263C
cl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)cl 5MT 2-6-0 (H/F)424703D444883C91933C493733C
405013C4289617B424883Ccl 3F 0-6-0 (J)92133Ccl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
405313Ccl 3F 0-6-0T425623C434103C492413C581163C
cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)474133C425783Dcl 3F 0-6-0 (D)581573C
467123C426273C437863C582833C
Shed Codes3C Walsall3D Aston17B Burton-on-Trent
Sunday 15 June 19523Ctotal:29
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)cl 5MT 4-6-0cl 6F & 7F 0-8-0cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
400733C424823C448733C489073C467123C581573C
400803C425623C453443C489173Ccl 3F 0-6-0T582793C
400843C426043C453953C489433C474133C582883C
401493C426273Ccl 3F 0-6-0 (J)490203C
cl 2P 2-6-2T (I)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)434103C490663C
412263C405013C435023C491983C
412793C405313C494545B
Shed Codes3C Walsall5B Crewe South
Sunday 19 April 19533Ctotal:36
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)cl 6F & 7F 0-8-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
400733C424823C404013C489053C491623C581233C
400803C425383C405013C489073C491983C581573C
400853C425863C405313C489173C493013C582793C
401083C426043Ccl 2P 2-6-2T (I)490663C493263C582833C
401733Ccl 5MT 4-6-0412263Ccl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0 (J)582883C
401803C448733Ccl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)441153C434103Ccl 3F 0-6-0T
402063C453083C467123C444883C435023C474133C
Sunday 28 March 19543Ctotal:36
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)cl 7F 0-8-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
400733C424883C405013C489053C489433C581223C
400803C425623C405313C489073C490203C581233C
400853C426043Ccl 3F 0-6-0 (J)489223C490483C581253C
401733C426273C435023Ccl 5MT 4-6-0490663C581573C
401803Ccl 2P 2-6-2T (I)cl 4F 0-6-0448733C493013C582793C
cl 1P 2-4-2T (Wb)412263C441153C453083Ccl 3F 0-6-0T582833C
467123C413205A444483C453953C472963C582883C
Shed Codes3C Walsall5A Crewe North
Sunday 16 January 19553Ctotal:37
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 7F 0-8-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
400733C405013C441153C489053C491083C581223C
cl 4P 2-6-4T (F)405313C443453C489073C491983C581233C
423095Ccl 2P 2-6-2T (I)444443C489173C493013C581253C
cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)412263C444483C489223C493543C581573C
424823Ccl 2P 0-4-4T (St)444883C490203C493733C582793C
426273C419023Ccl 5MT 4-6-0490483C0-6-0 diesel582833C
cl 2MT 2-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T451953C490663C12093582883C
4649422A472963C453083C
Shed Codes3C Walsall5C Stafford22A Bristol Barrow Road
Sunday 22 July 19563Ctotal:30
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 4P 2-6-4T (F)cl 5MT 4-6-0cl 4F 0-6-0cl 7F 0-8-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
400803C423455C448733C440783C489053C581223C
401733Ccl 4P 2-6-4T (St)453953C443855D489433C581233C
cl 2P 2-6-2T (I)424823Ccl 8F 2-8-0444443C490663C581573C
412133C424883C484232E444483C492295C581743C
412233C425863Ccl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)444883C493013C582833C
412793C426273C405313Ccl 3F 0-6-0T
472963C
Shed Codes2E Northampton3C Walsall5C Stafford5D Stoke-on-Trent
Sunday 3 November 19573Ctotal:26
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)Jubilee 4-6-0cl 7F 0-8-0
400803C424945D456723B Anson489053C493013C
401733C425863Ccl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)cl 5MT 4-6-0490203C493733C
cl 2P 2-6-2T (I)426043C404213C448733C490213Acl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
412233C426273C405013C453953C490475C581693C
412243Ccl 5MT 2-6-0 (St)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 3F 0-6-0T492783C582033C
429826B440783C472963C582833C
Shed Codes3A Bescot3B Bushbury3C Walsall5C Stafford5D Stoke-on-Trent
Sunday 11 May 19583Ctotal:27
cl 3P 2-6-2T (St)cl 4P 2-6-4T (St)cl 4F 0-6-0cl 5MT 4-6-0cl 7F 0-8-0cl 2F 0-6-0 (J)
400803C424293B444443C454193C489053C581223C
401733C424413C445123Ccl 2P 4-4-0 (J/F)490485C581743C
cl 2P 2-6-2T (I)425603Ccl 3F 0-6-0 (J)406923C491143C581813C
412133C425863C434103Ccl 3F 0-6-0T492493C582833C
412233C426043C472963C493013C
426273C493433C
493733C
Shed Codes3B Bushbury3C Walsall5C Stafford
Walsall shed was closed to steam on 9th June 1958
Updated and revised - October 2021.