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BRITISH RAILWAYS LONDON MIDLAND REGION LOCOMOTIVE DEPOTS 1948-59

 
               
  In the heyday of steam on British Railways, it was possible to see locomotives from all over the nationalised network passing through Gloucestershire. Most of these had originated from the former Great Western or London, Midland and Scottish Railways or were British Standard types although ex London North Eastern and Southern engines also appeared on special workings.

In each case - at any given time - every steam locomotive would be allocated to a specific depot. On the Great Western Railway up to 1947 this allocation would be identified by a three latter code painted in white letters just behind the buffer beam. Gloucester Horton Road, for example, was GLO.

Upon Nationalisation however, the LMS system of alphanumeric shedplates attached to locomotive smokebox doors was adopted. Gloucester Horton Road thus went from GLO to 85B while Gloucester Barnwood stayed as 22B until becoming part of Western Region during 1957 and being recoded as 85E. Barnwood was further recoded 85C by 1962 after the closure of Hereford depot.

The chart below shows the hierarchical relationships between different locomotive depots and the way - during the 1950s -in which they moved from one family group to another as British Railways regions reorganised. From the 1960s onward locomotive depots diminished in number as the traditional labour-intensive practices of steam locomotive maintenance gave way to the more centralised care of a smaller fleet of diesel and electric units.

Main district depots are shown in bold with their sub sheds listed beneath alongside each shedcode.

 
 
  Pioneering LMS designed diesel electric Bo-Bo 10800 was first allocated to Willesden (1A) and then Brighton (75A) and Plaistow (33A) before withdrawal from Rugby (2A).  
     
  After testing on Scottish Region, pioneering LMS designed diesel electric Bo-Bo 10800 was first allocated to Willesden (1A) and then Brighton (75A) on Southern Region and Plaistow (33A) on Eastern Region before withdrawal from Rugby (2A).

Click on picture for more about this locomotive.

 
     
 

1950

1957

1959

 
               
  1A Willesden 1A Willesden 1A Willesden  
  1B Camden 1B Camden 1B Camden  
  1C Watford 1C Watford 1C Watford  
  1D Devons Road 1D Devons Road (Bow) 1D Devons Road (Bow)  
      1E Bletchley 1E Bletchley  
        Leighton Buzzard   Leighton Buzzard  
               
               
  2A Rugby 2A Rugby 2A Rugby  
        Seaton      
  2B Nuneaton 2B Nuneaton 2B Nuneaton  
  2C Warwick 2C Warwick 2C Warwick  
  2D Coventry 2D Coventry 2D Coventry  
      2E Northampton 2E Northampton  
      2F Market Harborough 2F Woodford Halse  
               
               
  3A Bescot 3A Bescot 3A Bescot  
  3B Bushbury 3B Bushbury 3B Bushbury  
  3C Walsall 3C Walsall 3C Walsall  
  3D Aston 3D Aston 3D Aston  
  3E Monument Lane 3E Monument Lane 3E Monument Lane  
               
               
  4A Bletchley          
  4B Northampton          
               
               
  5A Crewe North 5A Crewe North 5A Crewe North  
            Whitchurch  
            Crewe Gresty Lane  
  5B Crewe South 5B Crewe South 5B Crewe South  
  5C Stafford 5C Stafford 5C Stafford  
  5D Stoke 5D Stoke 5D Stoke  
  5E Alsager 5E Alsager 5E Alsager  
  5F Uttoxeter 5F Uttoxeter 5F Uttoxeter  
               
               
  6A Chester 6A Chester 6A Chester (Midland)  
  6B Mold Junction 6B Mold Junction 6B Mold Junction  
  6C Birkenhead 6C Birkenhead 6C Birkenhead  
  6D Chester Northgate 6D Chester Northgate 6D Chester Northgate  
  6E Wrexham 6E Wrexham 6E Chester (West)  
  6F Bidston 6F Bidston 6F Bidston  
      6G Llandudno Junction 6G Llandudno Junction  
      6H Bangor 6H Bangor  
      6J Holyhead 6J Holyhead  
      6K Rhyl 6K Rhyl  
               
               
  7A Llandudno Junction          
  7B Bangor          
  7C Holyhead          
  7D Rhyl          
               
               
  8A Edge Hill 8A Edge Hill 8A Edge Hill  
  8B Warrington 8B Warrington 8B Warrington Dallam  
        Warrington Arpley   Warrington Arpley  
  8C Speke Junction 8C Speke Junction 8C Speke Junction  
  8D Widnes 8D Widnes 8D Widnes  
  8E Brunswick (Liverpool) 8E Brunswick (Liverpool) 8E Northwich  
  8F Warrington     8F Springs Branch Wigan  
          8G Sutton Oak  
               
               
  9A Longsight 9A Longsight 9A Longsight  
  9B Stockport Edgeley 9B Stockport Edgeley 9B Stockport Edgeley  
  9C Macclesfield 9C Macclesfield 9C Macclesfield  
  9D Buxton 9D Buxton 9D Buxton  
  9E Trafford Park     9E Trafford Park  
            Glazebrook  
  9F Heaton Mersey     9F Heaton Mersey  
            Gowhole  
  9G Northwich 9G Northwich 9G Gorton  
            Ardwick  
            Dinting  
            Guide Bridge  
            Mottram  
            Reddish  
               
               
  10A Springs Branch (Wigan) 10A Springs Branch(Wigan)      
  10B Preston 10B Preston    
  10C Patricroft 10C Patricroft    
  10D Plodder Lane      
  10E Sutton Oak 10D Sutton Oak      
  10F Wigan Low Level          
               
               
  11A Carnforth 11A Carnforth      
  11B Barrow 11B Barrow 11A Barrow  
        Coniston 11B Workington  
  11C Oxenholme 11C Oxenholme 11C Oxenholme  
  11D Tebay 11D Tebay 11D Tebay  
               
               
          12A Carlisle Kingmoor  
  12A Carlisle Upperby 12A Carlisle Upperby 12B Carlisle Upperby  
  12B Carlisle Canal          
  12C Penrith 12B Penrith   Penrith  
  12D Workington 12C Workington 12C Carlisle Canal  
  12E Moor Row     12D Kirkby Stephen  
               
               
  14A Cricklewood 14A Cricklewood 14A Cricklewood  
  14B Kentish Town 14B Kentish Town 14B Kentish Town  
  14C St. Albans 14C St. Albans 14C St. Albans  
          14D Neasden  
            Aylesbury  
            Chesham  
            Marylebone  
            Rickmansworth  
          14E Bedford  
               
               
  15A Wellingborough 15A Wellingborough 15A Wellingborough  
  15B Kettering 15B Kettering 15B Kettering  
  15C Leicester 15C Leicester 15C Leicester Midland  
  15D Bedford 15D Bedford 15D Coalville  
          15E Leicester Central  
          15F Market Harborough  
            Seaton  
               
               
  16A Nottingham 16A Nottingham 16A Nottingham  
  16C Kirkby 16B Kirkby 16B Kirkby in Ashfield  
  16D Mansfield 16C Mansfield 16C Mansfield  
          16D Annesley  
            Nottingham Victoria  
            Kirkby Bentinck  
               
  17A Derby 17A Derby 17A Derby  
            Derby Friargate  
  17B Burton 17B Burton 17B Burton  
        Horninglow   Horninglow  
        Overseal   Overseal  
  17C Coalville 17C Coalville      
  17D Rowsley 17D Rowsley 17D Rowsley  
        Cromford   Cromford  
        Middleton   Middleton  
        Sheep Pasture   Sheep Pasture  
      17E Heaton Mersey      
      17F Trafford Park      
               
               
  18A Toton 18A Toton 18A Toton (Stapleford and Sandiacre  
  18B Westhouses 18B Westhouses 18B Westhouses  
  18C Hasland 18C Hasland 18C Hasland  
  18D Staveley 18D Staveley      
               
               
  19A Sheffield 19A Sheffield      
  19B Millhouses 19B Millhouses      
  19C Canklow 19C Canklow      
               
               
  20A Leeds          
  20B Stourton          
  20C Royston          
  20D Normanton          
  20E Manningham          
               
               
  21A Saltley 21A Saltley 21A Saltley  
  21B Bourneville 21B Bourneville 21B Bourneville  
  21C Bromsgrove 21C Bromsgrove      
  21D Stratford on Avon          
               
               
  22A Bristol (Barrow Road) 22A Bristol (Barrow Road)      
  22B Gloucester (Barnwood) 22B Gloucester (Barnwood)      
        Dursley      
        Tewkesbury      
               
               
  23A Skipton          
  23B Hellifield          
  23C Lancaster (Green Ayre)          
               
               
  24A Accrington 24A Accrington 24A Accrington  
  24B Rose Grove 24B Rose Grove 24B Rose Grove  
  24C Lostock Hall 24C Lostock Hall 24C Lostock Hall  
  24D Lower Darwen 24D Lower Darwen 24D Lower Darwen  
      24E Blackpool 24E Blackpool  
        Blackpool North      
      24F Fleetwood 24F Fleetwood  
      24G Skipton 24G Skipton  
      24H Hellifield 24H Hellifield  
      24J Lancaster Green Ayre 24J Lancaster Green Ayre  
          24K Preston  
          24L Carnforth  
               
               
  25A Wakefield          
  25B Huddersfield          
  25C Goole          
  25D Mirfield          
  25E Sowerby bridge          
  25F Low Moor          
  25G Farnley Junction          
               
               
  26A Newton Heath 26A Newton Heath 26A Newton Heath  
  26B Agecroft 26B Agecroft 26B Agecroft  
  26C Bolton 26C Bolton 26C Bolton  
  26D Bury 26D Bury 26D Bury  
  26E Bacup          
  26F Lees 26E Lees 26E Lees (Oldham)  
  26G Belle Vue     26F Patricroft  
               
               
  27A Bank Hall 27A Bank Hall 27A Bank Hall  
  27B Aintree 27B Aintree 27B Aintree  
  27C Southport 27C Southport 27C Southport  
  27D Wigan Central 27D Wigan Lancashire & Yorkshire 27D Wigan  
  27E Walton 27E Walton 27E Walton on the Hill  
  27F Southport     27F Brunswick (Liverpool)  
            Warrington Central  
               
  28A Blackpool          
  28B Fleetwood          
               
   

 

 

 
   

Eastern Region

 

North Eastern Region

 

Scottish Region

 
               
   

 

 

Click here for more on London Midland Region in the 1960s and 1970s

 
   

Southern Region

 

Western Region

  Click here for more on London Midland Region in the 1960s and 1970s