The Midland Railway 156 Class was a class of tender engines built at

Derby Works The Derby Works comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities designing and building locomotives and rolling stock in Derby, England. The first of these was a group of three maintenance sheds opened around 1840 behind Derby station. Th ...

between 1866 and 1874. In total 29 of the class were built under the

Midland Railway The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It ama ...

. They were rebuilt sometime between 1873 and 1903.

History

These engines used to work on express passenger trains to King's Cross, which was then the Midland Railway's

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

Terminus. 21 survived to become part of the

London, Midland and Scottish Railway The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSIt has been argued that the initials LMSR should be used to be consistent with LNER, GWR and SR. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway's corporate image used LMS, and this is what is generally ...

(LMS) fleet of engines in 1923. By then they were reduced to the humblest of roles. In September 1930, the LMS recognised the significance of the class and number 156 itself was ear-marked for preservation. However,

William Stanier Sir William Arthur Stanier, (27 May 1876 – 27 September 1965) was a British railway engineer, and was chief mechanical engineer of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Biography Sir William Stanier was born in Swindon, where his ...

chose not to preserve it and the engine was scrapped two years later.

Preservation

One engine, 158A (originally built as 158 before subsequently renumbered to that number, then it became Midland Railway's No. 2 in 1907, and finally 20002 by the LMS in 1934) survives. She was withdrawn from service in July 1947 as a

station pilot A switcher, shunter, yard pilot, switch engine, yard goat, or shifter is a small railroad locomotive used for manoeuvring railroad cars inside a rail yard in a process known as ''switching'' (US) or ''shunting'' (UK). Switchers are not inte ...

Nottingham station Nottingham station, briefly known as Nottingham City and for rather longer as Nottingham Midland, is a railway station and tram stop in the city of Nottingham. It is the principal railway station of Nottingham. It is also a nodal point on the ...

by the LMS to be restored to her former Midland identity and old number 158A as a static exhibit in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...

during the centenary celebrations at the

New Street station Birmingham New Street is the largest and busiest of the three main railway stations in Birmingham city centre, England, and a central hub of the British railway system. It is a major destination for Avanti West Coast services from , and v ...

in 1954. The locomotive was preserved at Derby Works until being moved to the

National Railway Museum The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the Science Museum Group. The museum tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It is the home of the national collection of historically significant r ...

. She was placed on loan to the Midland Railway – Butterley in

Butterley Butterley is a village in the English county of Derbyshire near to Ripley. It is the site of the Midland Railway – Butterley, as well as the old Butterley Brickworks. Notable residents *Sir James Outram, hero of the Indian Mutiny, was born ...

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the no ...

in 1975 and remained on display there until 2021. Following cosmetic attention at the Locomotion Museum in

Shildon Shildon is a town and civil parish in County Durham, in England. The population taken at the 2011 Census was 9,976. The town has the Locomotion Museum, due to it having the first , built in 1825, and locomotive works on the Stockton and Darlin ...

, the locomotive was placed on a three-year loan to

Barrow Hill Engine Shed Barrow Hill Roundhouse, until 1948 known as Staveley Engine Shed, is a former Midland Railway roundhouse in Barrow Hill, near Staveley and Chesterfield, Derbyshire (), now serving as a railway heritage centre. History Staveley Roundhouse wa ...

from August 2022. The surviving example is not in as built condition. It has twice been reboilered and the front end rebuilt. The original tender was replaced a century ago. The tender that is now attached to 158A is the tender from

Midland Railway 700 Class The Midland Railway 700 Class was a large class of double framed 0-6-0 freight steam locomotives designed by Matthew Kirtley for the Midland Railway. They were in the power classification 1F. Early withdrawals Six locomotives - nos. 271/9, 1 ...

No. 2846.D Sharpe, ''The Railways of Cadbury and Bourneville'', Bournbrook Publications, 2002. Page 66

References

External links

0156 2-4-0 locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1866 Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain {{UK-steam-loco-stub