Birmingham New Street Station

LMS Locomotives: lnwrbns_lms4505

Ex-LNWR 4-6-0 No 5474 'Atalanta' is seen at the head of a passenger service at Birmingham New Street station circa 1930. Designed by George Whale this Class of locomotives were an extended version of the Whale's Precursor Class 4-4-0, with slightly smaller driving wheels. The first of the class, No 66 'Experiment' was built in 1905 with the remaining one hundred and five locomotives of the class being built up to 1910. A 19in Express Goods Class version with smaller driving wheels was also built from 1906. The Prince of Wales Class, which was a superheated version, was built from 1911 onwards. Built as LNWR No 61 by Crewe works in 1906, it was renumbered as LMS No 5474 in November 1927 and remained in service until December 1933 when it was withdrawn to be scrapped.

All of the class entered LMS stock upon grouping in 1923 where upon the LMS gave them the power classification 3P. The LMS renumbered them into the more logical series of 5450–5553 assigning numbers according to date of construction. An exception was made for No 1361 'Prospero' which became No 5554. Not all however survived long enough to receive their LMS numbers as withdrawals had started in 1925. In 1934 the thirteen then remaining were renumbered with the addition of 20000 to their numbers make room for Fowlers and Stanier's Black Five, Patriot and Jubilee class locomotives. The final engine was withdrawn the following year and none were preserved.

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