Ex-Great Eastern Railway J. Holden 'J69' class 0-6-0 Tank No. 68619. Built at Stratford in May 1904 as GER No.53 and withdrawn in October 1961.

A pleasing portrait of 68619 taken in May 1956 at its Stratford birthplace. Apart from a minor scuff along the tank side the loco is is in very presentable external condition. The destination brackets on the smokebox are a reminder that Stratford's passenger tanks were used on Britain's most intensive suburban services ('the Jazz trains') to Enfield Town and Chingfield. These were heavily loaded services for these small 'J69s' but they handled their loads remarkably well in the days before electrification.

© Ken Widd-SA Collection