City of Sheffield Steam Engine - What happened to it?

[prioryx]

Anyone know what happened to the steam engine City of Sheffield.I remember the christening ceremony at the Midland station but can't remember when it was.....in the late 40s I think.

[little malc]

Yes, like so many good locos, it went to the scrap yard, the name plate is owned by a train buff, although I don't know who.

[prioryx]

I gathered that someone would have got the name plate I hoped it was Sheffield council too much to hope for. Where did it operate because I understood it was for use down south. I remember at the ceremony (I think I was aout 10 or 11) it looked massive and went into the station very slow. I never saw it again.

Surely there are some train buffs around who know more

[superCol]

I don't know where the 'City of Sheffield' nameplates are now but I do know that a special set were made in Stainless Steel by Firth Vickers. The loco herself was built in 1944 as a non-streamlined 'princess Coronation' class 4-6-2 and numbered 6249 by the London Midland and Scottish Railway. Re-numbered 46249 by BR. A picture can be found at

 

http://n-west-photos.fotopic.net/p1716525.html

 

She was probably withdrawn in around 1962 - 64.

[bigkev]

the loco was cut up at millhouses steam sheds.the story goes is that the scrap men had cut up the wrong loco the city of sheffield was going to be preserved just like the two steam engines named sheffield wednesday,sheffield united.they went to the scrap yard, if only they had saved them we could have seen the city of sheffield on the main line.

[little malc]

I heard a rumor that the stainless steel name plate is on display at the cutlers hall, does anyone know if this is so?

[bigkev]

I think it is still there well it was last year as I went to a formal do there I tried to get a photo of it but was looked upon by so many frowns like dont do that not here and me being a photographer as well also being into the railways in a very big way did quite a lot of photos of the railway but to take a photo of one of the best name plates to be carried by a steam loco it was just not the thing to do I even tried at the end of the night to get the shot of it but not a chance too many upper crust people there. if I get the chance this year to go to the cutlers hall I will make damm sure I get the photo of the nameplate even if I have to get there 3 hours before everybody else.watch this space for more details on if I get the photo or not.

[little malc]

Good luck to you mate, at least it's nice to know they have been preserved in the City, if you do ever get a photo it would be nice to see it on the Forum.

[Ianp.]

Just come across your posts. The christening was done by Shirley Temple, and my sister had the privilege of presenting her with a bouquet. Our family pics of the event are sadly long lost.

[Sweetcheeks]

On 22/03/2005 at 22:56, bigkev said:

the loco was cut up at millhouses steam sheds.the story goes is that the scrap men had cut up the wrong loco the city of sheffield was going to be preserved just like the two steam engines named sheffield wednesday,sheffield united.they went to the scrap yard, if only they had saved them we could have seen the city of sheffield on the main line.

Not true. City of Sheffield was withdrawn  November 1963 and sent to Crewe Works and scrapped a month later.  [information from Rail UK and Whathappenedtosteam.com.]