A Swindon Class

The London Midland & Scottish Railway inherited the largest varied collection of locomotives of any of the four companies created by the grouping of 1922. It was also riven by pre- grouping loyalties that obstructed the evolution of a clear-sighted strategy to rationalise the locomotive stock and create a series of standard new classes. Only with the appointment in 1932 of William Stanier from the Great Western Railway was real progress made. Coming from Swindon works, where the 4-6-0 had been the favoured wheel arrangement for express and mixed traffic locomotives since the first successful example was produced in 1902, it was no wonder that Stanier followed suit. The first Class 5 appeared in 1934 from Vulcan Foundry at Newton-le-Willows in Lancashire and was an immediate success with both the operating department and engine crews. 

The tapered boiler and Belpaire firebox proved a free-steaming combination, and they could show a good turn of speed, reaching 90 mph. Between 1934 and 1951, 842 'Black Fives' as they became known, were built by the CMS's own works at Crewe, Derby and Horwich and by Armstrong Whitworth & Co. in Newcastle as well as Vulcan Foundry'. Apart from such changes as enlarging the superheater, creating a separate dome and moving forward the topfeed (where water entered the boiler), few significant alterations were made to the basic design. However, experiments with different valve gears and with Timken and Skefko roller bearings were made towards the end of production. One locomotive was given Stephenson link motion valve gear in 1947 and 20 locomotives received Caprotti valve gear in 1948. 

Longevity

Along with Stanier's other most numerous designs, the Class 8F 2-8-0, the Black Fives were the last class to soldier on to the end of regular steam working on Britain's railways in 1968. Black Fives had the sad honour of working the very last regular steam trains in Britain, on the night of 3 August 1968. Their longevity meant that many were bought for preservation, and they can be seen in almost daily operation somewhere in Britain during the summer months. Their most notable and regular duties are on the regular steam specials over the Fort William—Mallaig line, one of Britains most scenic lines that curves over the majestic early concrete viaduct at Glenfinnan.

Technical Data