This train was a hero. It rescued a train hauled by LMS 47972 with LNER 69999 as a banker. The freight train stalled halfway up the incline and had to be rescued by Big Bertha.

​@@thetransportationguy7930 I wonder if anyone has any footage of it being sliced apart with cutting torches at Derby works in 1957. It would be great scrapping action hacking that sucker to small pieces and sending the debris off for melting.

@@PreservationEnthusiast that would be like a Christian watching their lord and savior being killed on the cross

​@@PreservationEnthusiastfortunately, their is t any. In fact, thier isn't a lot of scrapping footage unless it's modern equipment or a video specifically documenting it

@@lorumipsum1129 I have found some photos of Big Bertha being dismantled at Derby. I also enjoy other footage of steam loco scrapping. There's not much as you say, but a few examples on KZfaq.

If it's the garratt I'm thinking of, it was the LNER one. Though the LMS ones were in the area.

There is a photo of an occasion in the 1950s when a freight train being hauled by an LMS Garratt (2-6-0+0-6-2) and banked by the unique LNER garratt (2-8-0+0-8-2) stalled on the Lickey. Big Bertha was called in to bank behind the LNER Garratt, and succeeded in gettng the train moving.

Big Bertha was not a person. It was an inanimate collection of steel and copper. Which was melted down for scrap. Best use for the materials.

What use would it be? Too big for heritage railways. Not suitable for rail tour passenger main line use either. It was just suited for banking. Just a waste of coal and source of pollution in modern days.

@@PreservationEnthusiast She was a rare engine. She was worthy of preservation, even if she were to be on permanent display in a museum. If a working replica were built, the engine could work on the Lickey Incline just as her predecessor did.

@@matthewpowell2429 DB Cargo use dedicated class 66 diesels for banking purposes now. It would not make sense to have a single steam engine doing that work. The infrastructure does not exist for coaling, watering and maintenance. The class 66 are much better suited for operational readiness. Not to mention more powerful... tractive effort of 58,000 lbs as opposed to 43,000 lbs of Big Bertha. Plus the class 66s are 3x more efficient in terms of fuel and don't need to be kept in steam wasting fuel between banking duties... very important for a banker when the work may be very intermittent depending on traffic movements. All in all, your suggestion does not make any operational sense, using old technology for these modern duties.

shut up john

no it is not? Edward is a FR K2, not this.

@@competitivespycrab6971 Edward banks trains up Gordon's Hill just like how Big Bertha banks trains up the Lickey Incline. Different engine, same job.

@@sakuk666 Edward's banking was a one-time job, because Gordon got stuck. Edward was never DESIGNED for banking, whereas Big Bertha was.

Why did the midland always use the same dreaded axleboxes!

@@sweed6487 “Because it was cheaper” LMS worker

@@sweed6487 IKR. at least they worked on the shunters and prolly the 4-4-0s. do wish big emma was mass produced tho

It's not "just another locomotive". It was a purpose built one off locomotive specifically designed for banking the Lickey Incline with one engine. It's special because it's rare being a 1 off, and unique being able to do on it's own what would take 4 panniers, or a 9F + maybe one Pannier. It could develop tremendous power banking to the point it was more powerful than even a 9F. When it was scrapped supposedly the 9F that briefly replaced it got its lamp but I don't know if there's any evidence to support it. "kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fd2IftRoyt-zoas.html" Listen to this song by Dave Goulder to understand.

@@MrDalek2150 Oh right. I like KZfaq icon. :)

I agree I mean there are quite a fair few p2s I mean 2 are going to be reproduced soon. I reckon if birthday didn't have hot boxes and piston rin problems I think this would of seen it through to the end of steam I reckon. Alas lms made poor axle boxes. I mean another banker should of been constructed at least to cover repair and overhauls. I have seen a 9f with berths lamp some where.