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 44932 arriving into Preston with the Fifteen Guinea Fellsman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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LMS Stanier Class 5MT 4932, is a preserved British steam locomotive. It is one of 18 surviving members of the Black 5 class which had 842 members constructed by five manufacturers. 44932 is the sole remaining member of the class which was built at the LMS's Horwich Works.
Overview
4932 was built in 1945 by the LMS at their Horwich Works – works no. 154. It was renumbered as 44932 by British Railways after the 1948 nationalisation of Britain's railways.
After completion at Horwich Works it was allocated to Blackpool Central's 24E Shed where it remained for nearly six years until January 1952 when it was transferred to Accrington near Blackburn. Further shed transfers were to follow throughout its career with British Railways including Agecroft - Greater Manchester, Leicester, Annesley and Derby. Its final shed allocation was Rose Grove's 10F shed where it was allocated to in both July 1965 and from March 1966 till its withdrawal in August 1968. Its service life was just under 23 years.
Allocations
The shed locations of 44932 on particular dates:
| First shed | Blackpool Central, 24E |
| Jan 1952 | Accrington, 24A |
| Feb 1957 | Agecroft, 26B |
| Oct 1959 | Leicester, 15E |
| Jan 1960 | Annesley, 16D |
| Jan 1963 | Cricklewood East, 14A |
| Feb 1963 | Annesley, 16D |
| 3 Jul 1965 | Rose Grove, 10F |
| 17 Jul 1965 | Annesley, 16B |
| Dec 1965 | Derby, 16C |
| Final Shed | Rose Grove, 10F |
Preservation
After being bought from British Railways for preservation it was used on the mainline between overhauls. It in the early days of preservation wore lined brunswick green.
Acquired in 2008 by David Smith it was based at West Coast Railway's Carnforth MPD base. The engine as of 2018 was undergoing another overhaul with plans to return to the mainline on completion.
In August 2022 the engine returned to service following an overhaul at Carnforth MPD outshopped in British Railways lined black with British Railways lettering on its tender. The engine carried this livery from January 1948 until early 1949 before being changed to the cycling lion crest, in preservation the engine also wore this livery while mainline certified in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The engine undertook its first test run on 10 August running from Carnforth to Hellifield and back,[1] and the engine worked its first revenue earning trip down the Cumbrian Coast and Furness Line while hauling the return leg of a "Cumbrian Coast Express" railtour from Carlisle to Carnforth on 24 September 2022.[2] The London Euston to Carlisle via Shap Summit & Carnforth to London Euston legs being worked by British Rail Class 86 No. 86259 Les Ross.
Following completion of the engines latest overhaul in 2022 the engine is planned to be trialed out with the fitment of ETCS (in-cab signalling) alongside LNER Peppercorn Class A1 4-6-2 No. 60163 Tornado as part of Network Rail's "Pathfinder Project" which is being undertook to assess the fitment of in-cab signalling to heritage locomotives.[3]
Fame in Preservation
In 2013 during the 45th anniversary celebrations of the end of steam in August 1968, it took part in two special one off railtours, the first was on Wednesday 7 August working one of the Statesman Rail's Fellsman trains which was renamed for the occasion "The Fifteen Guinea Fellsman" which it ran in double headed form with 45231 The Sherwood Forester from Lancaster to Carlisle and back via The Settle and Carlisle line. For this trip 44932 acted as pilot to 45231 and it wore the 1T57 Headboard for the occasion alongside the regular Fellsman headboard.
Four days later on Sunday 11 August it took part in the 45th anniversary run marking the end of steam on Sunday 11 August 1968.[4] 44932 & 45231 were to once again double head with each other but this time 44932 was to act as train engine to 45231 which was acting as pilot engine.[5] The two engines were in charge of the Carlisle to Longsight, (Manchester) leg of the tour. The two locos worked the special south down the Settle and Carlisle line to Hellifield and then down the Ribble Valley Line to Blackburn before taking the branch to Darwen and Bolton before arriving at Longsight where the two engines were replaced by classmate 45305 which would return the train to Liverpool. Other locos to take part in the tour included 45305 which took the train from Liverpool to Longsight in the morning and then back in the evening and 70013 Oliver Cromwell which worked the train from Longsight to Carlisle.
References
- ↑ https://www.railadvent.co.uk/events/light-engine-test-run-carnforth-steamtown-hellifield-goods-loop 44932 light test run
- ↑ https://www.railadvent.co.uk/events/the-cumbrian-mountain-express-london-euston-carlisle-13 44932 Inaugural post overhaul railtour
- ↑ 44932 and 60163 being fitted as part of Pathfinder project Steam Railway issue 538 November 2022 page 40
- ↑ http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t13/t0811b.htm 15 Guinea Special timings
- ↑ https://www.flickr.com/photos/42802953@N03/9490211204 45231 & 44932 at Ais Gill
External links
