LMS Period Locomotives: lnwrbns_lms511

LMS 5P4F 2-6-0 'Horwich Crab' No 13120 is seen held by signals whilst standing under Navigation Street bridge at the West end of New Street station on 1st August 1931. Built at Horwich works in August 1929 No 13120 was to be renumbered by the LMS as No 2820 and later by British Railways as No 42820 before it would be withdrawn from service in April 1964 from Bury shed to be scrapped in September 1964 by the Central Wagon Company of Ince near Wigan. The class were nicknamed 'Crabs' because of the high and angled cylinders and the action of the valve gear being similar to the movement of a crab. The location and angle of the cylinders was the result of Hughes insistence that a relatively low boiler pressure of 180lbs per square inch be adopted rather than the 225lb or 250lb per square inch on contemporary classes. Lower boiler pressure meant less maintenance due to wear and tear.

Although this class of locomotive was designed by the LMS' first CME George Hughes, he retired in 1925 to be replaced by Henry Fowler of the former Midland Railway. The delay in the production of the class allowed Derby Drawing Office, much maligned and deservedly so, to make changes including boiler fittings and most importantly the tender. This resulted in the locomotive cab being wider by at least a foot than the Fowler tender which replaced Hughes own design. Despite the meddling of Derby the class was a great success and steamed very freely resulting in its classification increasing to 5P5F and later 6P5F. The secret was in the in length of valve travel and the steam passages not being circuitous both of which were to be found in most Derby designs.

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