While away from the modelling work bench for a couple of weeks I have been reading research material, in particular two books:

On the Footplate at Bushbury 1947-1962 by Keith Terry

Monument Lane Loco Shed by Tony Higgs

These make for interesting and useful research reading. Keith Terry was a Bushbury fireman for most of his railway career. Tony Higgs was a local resident in Ladywood, Birmingham who researched the history of Monument Lane for ten years.

The two sheds were 3B and 3E respectively and there was a degree of rivalry between the two, particularly for the running of the two hour expresses between London and Birmingham and on to Wolverhampton. This is of particular interest to me because the period I am modelling was when the Bushbury Jubilees were assigned to these expresses, including the flagship "The Midlander". Monument Lane was also involved, however, because the heavier loads were often double headed between Birmingham and London, using either Midland Compounds or Mickeys (Black Fives) from Monument Lane.

The Jubilee I have lined up for Legge Lane is 45688 Polyphemus, a Bushbury locomotive which Keith Terry fired on the occasion when a Trains Illustrated observer recorded a run from Euston to Coventry, timed at 84-3/4 minutes on a scheduled run of 94 minutes. The full story makes interesting reading. Basically first hand experience on Polyphemus suggests she was a very willing Jubilee.

But Tony Higgs quotes Monument Lane men as saying the same engine was not liked because it was a poor steamer! Perhaps it was not liked because it was based at Bushbury!

Polyphemus figures prominently on the cover of Keith Terry's book, with Philip Hawkins' print of The Midlander entering New Street pulled by a very clean 45688! I have a signed print of this painting framed and ready to hang above the Legge Lane II layout.

The two books also give a good idea of what locomotives could have been assigned to my fictitious Legge Lane MPD in the mid-1950s. These would include the Jubilees, Midland Compounds, Mickeys, Super Ds, 4Fs and Jinties (Dobbins). More esoteric locos would include several classes that barely lasted into the period, including coal tanks, Midland 2Fs, etc. The shed could also expect to have visitors from Liverpool, Manchester, Crewe and London. In particular the Liverpool/Manchester expresses were often handled by Royal Scots based at Longsight or Edge Hill.

Edited to correct a typo