The Last Loco
British Railways officially withdrew the Last Loco after 61 Years!
In this case the last loco was not some last of its class high-performance main line express engine that once grabbed the headlines but a lowly tank locomotive that attracted little attention.
On week ending 16 February 1952, British Railways officially withdrew locomotive 46762 after 61 years, seven months, and 17 days in service.
As to design and type, 46762 was a 2-4-2 passenger tank engine originally built during July 1890 by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway at Horwich Works and given the running number 1041. As such there was nothing special about her as dozens of the same class were still in service with BR. What made 46762 unique it that she was the last surviving locomotive that once belonged to the Wirral Railway. Indeed, she had outlasted all other Wirral locos by 24 years.
Designed by John Aspinall CME of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, 46762 started out as a member of the L&YR class 1008 of which 310 were built between 1889 and 1911. Over the years the class went through several design changes including longer frames, round-top boilers. It culminated between 1911 and 1914 with the class 6 which were fitted with superheated boilers. Designed by CME George Hughes, the class comprised 20 new and 44 rebuilt engines.
During June 1921, the L&YR agreed to sell 1041 to the Wirral Railway where it became their No.6.
The Wirral Railway’s principal revenue earner was passenger traffic, serving communities between Birkenhead Park and West Kirkby as well as between Bidston, Wallasey and New Brighton. Seacombe was also linked via Liscard & Poulton.
On 1 January 1923, the Wirral Railway was absorbed into the newly created London Midland & Scottish Railway. 278 former L&YR 2-4-2Ts were absorbed and given running numbers ranging between 10621 – 10954. Had 1041 not been sold, she would have been allocated running number 10638, which remained unfilled throughout the existence of the LMS. Instead, No.6 was lumped together with some of the other seventeen former Wirral locos taken over and given running number 6762.
As early as 1900 the directors of the Wirral Railway had favoured electrification, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that it happened. Passenger services were operated using 650 V DC third rail multiple units, and freight traffic was handled by steam locos.
When British Railways was formed on 1 January 1948, the last surviving Wirral engine was elsewhere. At some time, the LMS had reallocated 6762 to Preston. BR renumbered her 46762, though she didn’t receive a smokebox numberplate or have the number painted on her sides until early September 1949.