42073 (BR Fairburn)

History

As newly-built, but with a boiler manufactured in 1946, 42073 spent its first three months working from Stewarts Lane Depot, in Battersea, in London’s east end, before moving on to Ashford in Kent in February, 1951.

It was sent to Dover later the same year, then back to Ashford again in 1952. In November 1954 it was transferred to the North Eastern Region and allocated to Gateshead. Probably its most famous moment occurred on the 19th April 1955 at Newcastle-on-Type, when, below the Norman Keep of the castle, it did battle with a Gresley V2 2-6-2 on the diamond crossing.

They converged onto the same stretch of line and in the resulting collision the V2 fell onto its side. In 1957 it worked from Bradford and Sowerby Bridge; in 1958 from York and Neville Hill; in 1959 from Low Moor and Wakefield. At Copley Hill it was to have its longest stay from 1960 to 1964.

In 1965 it was back at Low Moor again, and finally in Normanton in June 1967, where it joined 42085 for the first time.