Wigan Album

Rather than try to venture out in the cold, struggling to find a good place to photograph an up to date photo of the 1964 colourised train photo I posted on Dec.31st, I ‘cheated’ Ron, and used the fabulous internet. Never let it be said that us 83 year olds don’t appreciate modern technology. Next to DNA, I personally, think the internet, despite its collateral damage, has been one of the greatest introductions of the last 50 years. The Severn Valley Railway has a comprehensive website, this steam engine is 91 years old this month, but all of its 69 tons and with a length of nearly 70 feet, is still looking great. This extract from their website summarises its working life and its predicted to easily reach the 100 year mark.
“LMS Stanier Mogul no 13268 returned to steam in late 2023 and returned to its 1930s vermilion-lined LMS and shows it in its, as built, original livery. Which it has never been seen in during the preservation era. In this video we see LMS Stanier Mogul steaming on the Severn Valley Railway during the Spring Steam Gala 2024.- The link to this video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfj-A4KXJGs
In 1933 the London, Midland and Scottish Railway identified a requirement for a further forty mixed traffic ‘Crab’ 2-6-0s of Hughes design to supplement the 245 examples already in service, and the new Chief Mechanical Engineer, William Stanier, decided to incorporate a GW-type taper boiler, new cylinders and other Swindon features, whilst retaining the basic ‘Crab’ layout. The forty locomotives, at first numbered 13245-84 and later 2945-84, suffered ‘teething troubles’ until certain boiler design improvements were made. The engines then ran a varied yet unspectacular career, though they could give enginemen a rough ride on faster passenger trains, and suffered through constant comparison with the outstandingly successful Stanier class 5 4-6-0s, introduced from the same stable just over one year later.
As 13268, this engine was completed at Crewe Works in January 1934, and was based at a number of sheds over the years. It was re-numbered 2968 in 1935, and 42968 after nationalisation of the railways in 1948. Its final shed was Springs Branch, Wigan, from which it withdrawn in December 1966. It was sold for scrap to Woodham Brothers’ yard at Barry Docks, where it became the sole survivor of the type.
In 1971, the `Stanier Mogul Fund‘ was formed with the aim of preserving 42968 in running order; it was purchased outright in 1973, and moved to Bridgnorth; after protracted efforts, it returned to steam at Bridgnorth in 1990, and entered passenger service in 1991.
Apart from times out of traffic for overhauls, it saw considerable use until 2013, including on mainline rail tours, numbered at different times as 2968 as well as 42968; following a heavy overhaul, it returned to traffic in 2023 painted as 2968, but in April 2024 it emerged from the paint shop as number 13268 for the first time in over 80 years!”