·  LMS  ·  GWR  ·  LNER  ·  Misc  ·  Stations  ·  What's New  ·  Video  ·  Guestbook  ·  About

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Coventry

Foleshill Station: lnwrf1473

British Railways Standard Class 5MT 4-6-0 No 73003 is standing at the up platform with a local passenger service to Coventry

British Railways Standard Class 5MT 4-6-0 No 73003 is standing at the up platform with a local passenger service to Coventry. Built in May 1951 at Derby works No 73003 remained in service until December 1965 when it was withdrawn from Oxford shed to be scrapped by J Cashmore of Newport in June of the following year. One of the standard classes of steam locomotives built by British Railways in the 1950s, some 172 of the class were built which was essentially a development of the LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 design. In particular the standard design incorporated features adopted by the LMS under Ivatt which were designed to make disposal easier: a self-cleaning smokebox and a rocking grate removed the necessity for crews to undertake dirty and strenuous duties at the end of a long shift. The design work was done at the former LNER's Doncaster works but the bulk of the construction was undertaken by Derby works. The locomotive featured a Type 3B boiler which was almost identical to that of the LMS Black Five locomotives. A higher running plate, slightly enlarged driving wheels (from 6 ft 0 in to 6 ft 2 in diameter) and a standard cab which was much more enclosed were the most obvious visible changes. The first of the class, No 73000, was outshopped from Derby works in April 1951 and a total of 30 locomotives were in service by January 1952. There was then a gap in construction before Derby works resumed building its remaining order of 100 locomotives. Another 42 were built at Doncaster works commencing in August 1955 with the last being built in May 1957. The last of Derby's order of 100 locomotives followed a month later. Thirty of the class, No 73125 to No 73154, were built with Caprotti valve gear and poppet valves with one, No 73129 surviving today at Butterley, and along with BR Standard Class 8 are the only engines with Caprotti gear left in Britain.

back