GCR 972 1901 near Harrow
Great Central Railway Pollitt '13' (LNER 'X4') class 4-2-2 No. 972. Built at Gorton in December 1900 and withdrawn in August 1927 as LNER No. 5972. By 1900 the days of the 'Single' 4-2-2 locomotive were numbered. Trains were getting heavier and maintaining adhesion with the single driver types was becoming a problem. Although steam sanding gear delayed their demise, the '13s' were an anachronism even when built thus only six were constructed. Nearly new 972 is seen near Harrow in 1901, she would serve for another quarter of a century on lighter, less prestigious secondary duties. She was the last 'Single' in LNER stock and was displayed at the S&D Centenary celebrations in 1925 before withdrawal in 1927.
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