Changes

|othernos = 8233, 41.109, WD 70307, WD 500, 90733

48773 is an '''LMS Stanier Class 8F 2-8-0 ''' heavy freight locomotive. A total of 852 were built between 1935 and 1946 (not all to LMS order). As well as being used on the LMS, the Stanier 8F was adopted as the Country’s Country's standard WW2 freight locomotive. The War Department had more than 200 built to order and requisitioned more than 50 others, before the cheaper WD Austerity 2-8-0 was introduced in 1943.  Stanier 8Fs saw occasional use on [[Alveley Colliery]] coal trains during the last days of the Severn Valley Branch. Classmate 48531, then based at Wolverhampton's Oxley MPD, was photographed working a southbound coal train at Bewdley on 29 June 1966<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Vanns (2017)]] p. 55.</ref>.

Following the Soviet Union’s entry into the War, the locomotive was requisitioned and sent to Iran as Iranian State Railways No 41.109. There it worked on the Trans-Iranian Railway, hauling double-headed 700 ton trains of supplies intended for the Soviet Union up steep gradients in the searing desert heat. On 19th 19 August 1942, the locomotive was famously derailed after colliding with a camel, and later in 1944 was converted to oil-burning.

Fortunately, the locomotive was not scrapped but repatriated to the UK and overhauled at Derby between 1952 and 1954. The locomotive then adopted yet another identity as WD 500 at the [[:Category:Rolling stock associated with the Longmoor Military Railway|Longmoor Military Railway]].

In 1957 the locomotive was bought by British Railways and entered service as No at first was misallocated the number 90733 (now carried by [https://kwvr.co.uk/steam-train/war-department-wd-austerity-2-8-0-90733/ another preserved locomotive]), following the Austerity 2-8-0s series with which it had been confused, but quickly altered to 48773at the end of the LMS 2-8-0s. <ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Casserley (1976)]] p. 208.</ref> Although withdrawn twice for scrapping, 48773 survived each time, finally ending BR service in August 1968 based at Rose Grove .<ref>[https://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=119234&loco=70500 48773 on BR database] (Retrieved 26 December 2020)</ref>  It participated in July 1968 when it participated several end of steam railtours including two organised by the [[Manchester Rail Travel Society#List_of_rail_tours_organised_by_the_MRTS|Manchester Rail Travel Society]] in conjunction with the emergent [[Severn Valley Railway Society]], the latter being the 'Farewell to B.R. Steam', the ‘grand grand finale of steam’ steam over the trans-Pennine route via Copy Pit summit. It also worked <ref>[http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/60s/680728ct.html ‘Farewell to B.R. Steam’ 28 July 1968 on Six Bells Junction] (Retrieved 26 December 2020)</ref> Also notable is the LCGB ‘Farewell to Steam’ on 4 August 1968<ref>[http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/60s/680804lc.html ‘Farewell to Steam’ 4 August 1968 on Six Bells Junction] (Retrieved 26 December 2020)</ref>.

[[File:48773_WD307_20180630.jpg|thumb|300px|right|48773 cosmetically painted in WD livery, June 2018]]Although in working order, 48773 arrived was refused permission by BR to travel south from Rose Grove under power, despite [[43106]] having been allowed to do the same from Lostock Hall a week earlier.<ref name=SVR11>SVR News 11</ref> The locomotive was therefore towed by BR diesel via Rotherham, Chesterfield and Derby to Tyseley, where it appeared at an open day. From there it was towed to Bewdley, arriving on 30 September 1968.<ref>SVR News 10</ref> At the time Bewdley was still a working BR station, although the SVR had a presence in the yard. It took several months to get clearance from BR to proceed further, as no 8F had previously worked as far north as Bridgnorth.<ref name=SVR11/> The SVR initially were concerned too, mostly about the axle load of the tender, with the tender restricted to 4&frac12; tons of coal and 2,500 gallons of water for some time.<ref>[https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/when-and-what-was-the-last-ex-br-steam-engine-cut-up-by-a-scrap-merchant.1417945/page-5 Norman, J., National Preservation 22 April 2020] (Retrieved 22 April 2020)</ref> The locomotive was finally steamed on 28 December before running to Bridgnorth on 4 January 1969 ,<ref>[https://forum.svr-online.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4291 SVR-Online Forum]</ref> the official arrival date shown in subsequent stock books. Although British Rail had banned all steam locomotives following the end of steam in working order direct August 1968, this move was over a section of line from Bewdley to [[Alveley Sidings]] then still in BRuse for moving coal to [[Stourport Power Station]]. <ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Maggs (2009)]]</ref>  During the early years it 48773 ran under its LMS number as 8233. Since then it On 1 September 1971 8233 was briefly renumbered 48188 for a film concerning the heroism of Driver John Axon G.C. who was killed when the real 48188 ran away at Chapel-en-le-Frith in 1957. Filming involving freight train scenes took place on 1 September 1971.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Williams (1974)]] p. 44.</ref> The locomotive has achieved the greatest mileage in preservation of any of the SVR locos, logging 151,805 miles (including a few [[The Severn Valley Railway on the main line | main line excursions]]) and going through a set of tyres in the process.

One of the main line excursions was in [[Severn_Valley_Railway_Timeline_1970-1979#1975 | 1975]] when 48773 travelled to Shildon to take part in the [[Rail 150 ]] celebrations, piloting a short train which also included [[LMS Ivatt Class 4 43106 | 43106]] and three carriages. A full list of main line activities is as follows:

It is owned by the [[Stanier 8F Locomotive Society]]. 48773 was last in traffic on 13 January 2008 and, following cosmetic restoration, the following September it moved to be displayed in [[The Engine House]] awaiting eventual overhaul. The locomotive was one of those which in 2011 had [[Bridgnorth Loco Works#2011_Copper_theft|copper sheets stolen]], the cost of which the SVR's insurers met in full. In 2018 the Society's archivist reported:

On 20 June 2018 48773 was moved from the Engine House to storage in Kidderminster in readiness for an event to mark the 50th anniversary end of BR steam in August 1968.The locomotive appeared in WD livery as WD 307, complete with mock air brake equipment, for the 2018 'Step Back to the 1940s' event which began on 30 June, before reverting to the BR 48773 livery for the 'Last Days of Steam' event on 4 August 2018. She was again displayed at Kidderminster between 16-24 February 2019, offering further opportunities for footplate visits, before returning to the Engine House in March 2019.<gallery>File:48773 20180804.jpg|48773 at Kidderminster, 4 August 2018File:48773 20180805.jpg|48773 at Kidderminster, 5 August 2018File:8F by George Heiron.jpg | Painting of 41.109<br> by George Heiron</gallery>

The names of a further 54 WWII casualties have been identified and an additional Roll of Honour was been produced by the [[Stanier 8F Locomotive Society]]. This was unveiled by Brigadier Mike Stephens at a ceremony at the Engine House in on 1 October 2011, 25 years after the locomotive’s dedication, together with a Roll of Honour commemorating the [https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1956/oct/30/longmoor-military-railway-accident|six Railway Sappers killed in an accident on the Longmoor Military Railway in on 13 October 1956] involving sister locomotive WD512. Over 200 ex-servicemen, family members and visitors were present. Visitors can see the Rolls of Honour and information panels describing the history of the Railway Royal Engineers alongside the locomotive.<ref>[https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/84398 War Memorials online] (Retrieved 22 April 2018)</ref>

[[Locomotive numbering|Locomotives running under different identities]]<br>[[Locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service|Classes of locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service]]