Caley739

As far as I know class A or B freight was never an LMS term. Their classification for fitted freight was FF1 or FF2.

WCML usually changed at Crewe or Carlisle, Maybe Rugby and Preston to a lesser extent. North of the border trains split or joined at Symington and Carstairs.

Alex I see no reason stated but it seems to be based on the driving wheel diameter of 6ft2in and BR classified all of the A2 variants as Mixed Traffic locos rather than Passenger locos. The classifications were A1/1 - 7P later 8P, A2 - 7MT, A2/1 - 6MT, A2/2 -7MT, A2/3 - 7MT. The earlier Gresley A3 was 7P and A4 7P later 8P. The Peppercorn A1 was 7P later 8P. From looking at locos from the other 3 companies it seems driving wheel diameter of 6ft 6in or greater was required to qualify for the "P" classification. Tom

Locomotives of The LNER Part 2A by RCTS is generally considered a fairly reputable source. According to it the only Thompson Pacific to carry BR blue livery was A1/1 60113 from January 1950 to August 1952. His A2/3 Pacifics never qualified for BR blue and all went from LNER green to BR Brunswick green. Similarly his A2/1 and A2/2 never qualified for BR blue and all seem to have gone from Black to LNER green to BR Brunswick green. Tom

How about the Crosti boiler Riddles 2-10-0s ?

This could be an example of horses loaded in a cattle truck. I'm sure I've read somewhere that horses are nervous travellers and liable to panic if they can see the passing scenery from a moving vehicle, especially if they are not facing the direction of travel. To prevent this when in a cattle truck the tarp was used to keep them calm rather than to keep the rain out. I wish I could quote a reference for this idea. There was a train in the timetable for many years that left Crewe for Perth about 9.30am that frequently conveyed horseboxs or special cattle vans as leading vehicles. I think this a photograph of that train.

Have you tried The Stephenson Locomotive Society? From membership of 50 ish years ago I recall that they had production lists for all of the British loco builders. I'm uncertain of the present position but probably not available online.

British Locomotive Catalogue Volume 6 by Bertram Baxter has some very limited dimension details pages 40 and 42. Long out of print but second hand copies not too diffciult to find.

For something really basic,how about the two road shed at Glasgow Buchanan Street with just a turntable, inspection pits, and rudimentary coaling bench. It may not have been much used in later days but was still present at closure of the station in the mid 1960s. Tom Robertson

Another couple of possibilties are "Operation Cornwall" and "Operation Torbay" both by W S Becket, publisher Xpress Publishing. Both detail passenger workings in Summer 1957. Tom Robertson

Could be "Westen Change - Summer Saturdays in th West 1957-1995" published by RCTS, some dog eared copies still available on their website for a fiver. Tom Robertson

The Stirling singles were used on goods trains in their declining years usually on fast vacuum fitted goods, fish traffic and the like. A good source of info is "Great Northern Locomotive History Volume 2" by N Groves. One copy currently listed on eBay but still available new on the RCTS website at £6. Seems a bargain!! Recommended to give a good flavour of the Stirling period. Tom Robertson

The top feed pipe outside the boiler cladding only featured on as built condition to the first Vulcan Foundry lot # 5020-5069 delivered August 1934 - January 1935. By BR days this had changed to standard inside the cladding condition. It probably disappeared at the first boiler change in 1936/7 for this batch. Thus your engine could only accurately be in LMS livery. Tom Robertson