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Up for sale is a captivating original vintage photograph featuring a steam locomotive and tender, captured right before the outbreak of World War II.
As seen in the reverse image, the back of the card features a crisp, handwritten ink inscription that provides wonderful historical provenance:
\"Ben\" 14416.
Inverness.
August 1939.
The locomotive shown is a Highland Railway \"Ben\" Class 4-4-0 steam engine (numbered 14416 under LMS ownership). It is pictured emitting smoke alongside a classic stone-built railway shed or station building with distinctive arched sash windows, perfectly capturing the atmospheric grit of the pre-war Scottish railway network.
Item Details & Condition
- Type: Original Vintage Photograph / Postcard-backed print
- Subject: LMS / Highland Railway \"Ben\" Class Steam Locomotive No. 14416 at Inverness
- Dimensions: 8.5 cm x 7 cm
- Condition: Good vintage condition.
The \"Ben\" Class locomotives were originally designed by Peter Drummond for the Highland Railway and were built between 1898 and 1906 to handle the challenging terrain of northern Scotland. Following the 1923 railway grouping, they were absorbed into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS). This specific photograph captures No. 14416 at its home hub in Inverness in August 1939—merely weeks before Britain entered WWII, making it a poignant piece of social and industrial history.
![Vintage Inverness Railway Steam Loco Photo \](img-large/g/ecAAAeSwG7dqSDGD/s-l1600/Vintage-Inverness-Railway-Steam-Loco-Photo-Ben-144.jpg "Vintage Inverness Railway Steam Loco Photo \")
