LMS Patriot Class explained

LMS Patriot Class
Powertype:Steam
Designer:Sir Henry Fowler
Builddate:1930–1934
Totalproduction:52
Uicclass:2′C h3
Leadingdiameter:3feet
Driverdiameter:6feet
Length:62inchesftNaNinchesin (ftin)
Locoweight:80.75LT
Tenderweight:42.7LT
Locotenderweight:123.45LT
Fueltype:Coal
Fuelcap:5.5LT
Watercap:3500impgal
Boiler:G9½S
Boilerpressure:200psi
Firearea:NaNsquare feet
Tubesandflues:1552square feet
Fireboxarea:183square feet
Superheaterarea:365square feet
Cylindercount:3
Cylindersize:18x
Valvegear:Walschaerts
Valvetype:Piston valves
Tractiveeffort:26520lbf
Trainbrakes:Vacuum
Withdrawndate:1960–1965
Disposition:Original 52 withdrawn and scrapped; New-build project under construction

The Patriot Class was a class of 52 express passenger steam locomotives built for the London Midland and Scottish Railway. The first locomotive of the class was built in 1930 and the last in 1934. The class was based on the chassis of the Royal Scot combined with the boiler from Large Claughtons earning them the nickname Baby Scots. A total of 18 were rebuilt to create the LMS Rebuilt Patriot Class between 1946 and 1948; thereafter those not subjected to rebuilding were often referred to as the Unrebuilt Patriot Class. These remaining 34 unrebuilt engines were withdrawn between 1960 and 1962.

Overview

The first two were rebuilt in 1930 from the 1912-built LNWR Large Claughton Class, retaining the original driving wheels with their large bosses, the "double radial" bogie truck and some other parts. Of the subsequent 50 locomotives of the class 40 were nominal rebuilds of Claughtons, being in fact new builds classified as rebuilt engines so that they could be charged to revenue accounts, rather than capital. The last ten were classified as new builds.

The two former Claughtons retained their original numbers until 1934, when they were renumbered 5500–1. The 40 built as replacements took the numbers of the Claughtons that they replaced; these were renumbered 5502–41 in 1934. The remainder of the class were allocated nos. 6030–9, but were numbered 5542–51 from new. The numbering of the similar LMS Jubilee Class continued on from where the Patriots left off. This was because 5552–5556 were ordered as Patriots (to be numbered 6040–4) but built with taper boilers as Jubilees on the orders of Sir William Stanier.

Naming of the class was somewhat erratic. Some retained old Claughton names, whilst others continued the military associations of the names Patriot and St Dunstans, and 13 carried names of holiday resorts served by the LMS. Seven remained unnamed, although they had been allocated names in 1943.

Many of the 52 members of the Patriot Class spent the bulk of their working careers in England, primarily on the West Coast Main Line. Most of them were stationed at the Crewe North and Carlisle Upperby, though a few were stationed at Edge Hill, Bushbury, Camden, Willesden, Carlisle Kingmoor and other locations in the area. They were primarily used as express engines, but were later tasked with occasional mixed traffic work once the diesel engines arrived on the network.[1]

Rebuilding

Between 1946 and 1949, eighteen members were rebuilt with Stanier 2A boiler, cab and tender, though again these were largely paper rebuilds, based on the LMS Rebuilt Royal Scot Class. Seven (Nos 5514/21/6/9-31/40) had been rebuilt by the start of 1948 when British Railways inherited the remaining 45 Baby Scots. In March 1948 BR added 40000 to their numbers to number them 45500–13/15-20/2-5/7/8/32-9/41-51. Subsequently, BR rebuilt another 11, so that the rebuilt engines were (4)5512/14/21–23/25–32/34–36/45. The two original members of the class, and the first ten of the nominal rebuilds, were not rebuilt due to their non-standard parts.

YearNumber rebuiltNumbers
194625521/30
194755514/26/9/31/40
19481045512/23/5/7/8/32/4-6/45
1949145522
Total18

Details

Note some never received BR numbers as unrebuilt engines because either they were rebuilt by the LMS. In the table below BR numbers for BR-rebuilt engines are given, but some engines may not have received BR numbers while in an unrebuilt condition as renumbering took several years (sources should indicate these).

!Pre-
1934
LMS
No.!Post
1934
LMS
No.
!BR No.!Name(s) (dates)!Built!Works!Rebuilt!Withdrawn!Notes
5971550045500Croxteth (until 1937)
Patriot (Feb. 1937)
Derby
5902550145501Sir Frank Ree (until 1937)
St. Dunstans (1937)
Derby
5959550245502Royal Naval Division (1937)Crewe
5985550345503The Leicestershire Regiment (1938)
The Royal Leicestershire Regiment (Nov. 1948).
Crewe
5987550445504Royal Signals (1937)Crewe
5949550545506The Royal Army Ordnance Corps (1947)Crewe
5974550645506The Royal Pioneer Corps (Sep. 1948)Crewe
5936550745507Royal Tank Corps (1937)Crewe
6010550845508CreweFitted with stovepipe chimney in 1956.
6005550945509The Derbyshire Yeomanry (1951)Crewe
6012551045510Crewe
5942551145511Isle of Man (1938)Crewe
5966551245512BunsenCrewen/a
5958551345513Crewe1943 name allocated: Sir W.A. Stanier.
59835514n/aHolyhead (1938)Crewen/a
5992551545515Caernarvon (1939)Crewe
5982551645516The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. (1938)Crewe
5952551745517Crewe
6006551845518Bradshaw (1939)Crewe
6008551945519Lady GodivaCrewe
5954552045520Llandudno (1937)Derby
59335521Rhyl (1937)Derbyn/a
5973552245522Prestatyn (1939)Derbyn/a
6026552345523Bangor (1938)Crewen/a
5907552445524Sir Frederick Harrison (until 1937)
Blackpool (1937)
Crewe
5916552545525E. Tootal Broadhurst (until 1937)
Colwyn Bay (1937)Derbyn/a
59635526n/aMorecambe and Heysham (1937)Derbyn/a
5944552745527Southport (1937)Derbyn/a
5996552845528Derbyn/a
59265529n/aSir Herbert Walker K.C.B. (until 1937)Crewe
60225530n/aSir Frank Ree (1937)CreweName transferred from 5501.
60275531n/aSir Frederick Harrison (1937)CreweName transferred from 5524.
6011553245532IllustriousCrewen/a
5905553345533Lord RathmoreDerby
5935553445534E. Tootal Broadhurst (1937)Crewe-Name transferred from 5525.
5997553545535Sir Herbert Walker K.C.B. (1937)Derbyn/aName transferred from 5529.
6018553645536Private W. Wood V.C. (1936)Crewen/a
6015553745537Private E. Sykes V.C.Crewe
6000553845538Giggleswick (1938)Crewe
5925553945539E. C. TrenchCrewe
59015540n/aSir Robert TurnbullCrewen/a
5903554145541Duke of SutherlandCrewe
554245542Crewe
554345543Home Guard (1940)Crewe
554445544Crewe
554545545Crewen/a
554645546Fleetwood (1938)Crewe
554745547Crewe
554845548Lytham St. Annes (1937)Crewe
554945549Crewe1943 name allocated: R.A.M.C.
555045550Crewe1943 name allocated: Sir Henry Fowler
555145551CreweReplica of original engine under construction. Replica to be named "The Unknown Warrior", original engine never named.

Accidents and incidents

Withdrawal

All of the unrebuilt Patriots were withdrawn between 1960 and 1962 in accordance with the BR Modernisation Plan.

Year Quantity in service at start of year Quantity withdrawn Locomotive numbers
1960 34 2 align=left 45502/08
1961 32 8 align=left 45500–01/03/09/11/16/39/44
1962 24 24 align=left 45504–07/10/13/15/17–20/24/33/37–38/41–43/46–51

New Build

No Patriot in either rebuilt or unrebuilt form survived into preservation; however, a replica of no.5551 is under construction. The LMS-Patriot Project,[2] a registered charity, is building a replica which will carry the number of the last built – LMS number 5551 or British Railways number 45551. It will be named The Unknown Warrior.

In fiction

This class of engine forms the basis of the Big City Engine from the Railway Series of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry.[3]

Models

Both Hornby and Bachmann have produced OO gauge models.

Hornby first introduced an original Patriot in the 1979 catalogue that has remained in production and now forms part of the 'Railroad' budget (i.e. toy) range. The following models have been produced:

Product Ref. Number Name Livery
R308 5533 Lord Rathmore LMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors
R311 5541 Duke of Sutherland LMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors
R324 45519 Lady Godiva BR black, lined, BRITISH RAILWAYS lettering
R357 (1979)[4] 5541 Duke of Sutherland LMS crimson lake
R578 45537 Private E Sykes VC BR Brunswick green, early logo
R2182 45515 CaernarvonBR Brunswick green, late logo
R2182A 5539 E.C. TrenchLMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors
R2208 45514 HolyheadLMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors
R2633 45545 Planet BR Brunswick green, late logo
R2634 45512 Bunsen BR Brunswick green, early logo
R2726 45536 Private W Wood VC BR Brunswick green, early logo
R2936 5532 Illustrious LMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors
R3154 45539 E.C. Trench BR Brunswick green, late logo
R3278 45518 Bradshaw BR Brunswick green, early logo

Bachmann Industries make a more detailed and expensive model of the original Patriot, also in OO gauge. The following models have been produced:

Product Ref. Number Name Livery
31-210 45503 The Royal Leicestershire Regiment BR Brunswick green, early logo
31-211 45543 Home Guard BR Brunswick green, late logo
31-212 5541 Duke of Sutherland LMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors[5])
31-213 45504 Royal Signals BR Brunswick green with late logo
31-214 45538 GiggleswickBR Brunswick green with early logo
31-215 Replica 5551 The Unknown WarriorPreserved LMS crimson lake with smoke deflectors, as will be preserved

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nash. Gordon. 2016-11-08. The LMS "Patriot" Class 4-6-0 in North West England. 2021-06-15. Railway Matters. en.
  2. Web site: Creating the new Royal British Legion Endorsed National Memorial Engine . Lms-patriot.org.uk . 2012-02-24.
  3. Web site: [The Real Lives of Thomas the Tank Engine "Foreign Engine" ]. The Real Lives of Thomas the Tank Engine . 14 November 2020.
  4. Web site: Hornby Railways Collector Guide - Catalogue Number Details - R.357.
  5. Web site: - YouTube. YouTube.