The Ivatt Class Two 2-6-0s

Designed by Ivatt for the LMS and introduced in 1946, the 128 locomotives were built at Crewe, Darlington and Swindon. Seven of the class, known as “Mickey Mouse”, have made it into preservation. I have a soft spot for them because I was lucky enough to have a cab ride on one between Penruddock and Keswick in 1962.

John Dyer took five photos of the class - two shots of No. 46419 at Wigan Wallgate on 28/8/65, No. 46428 at Bushbury shed on 27/4/62, No. 46516 Oswestry shed on 19/7/61 and No. 46525 at Shrewsbury on 17/7/64.

 

Getting the timing right

The working timetable showed that I could see 3 locomotive-hauled trains in a short twenty-minute period yesterday teatime on the Castle line. Overcast skies, fading light and a persistent drizzle didn’t help, a situation made worse by the late running of two of the expected trio. Patience was rewarded with 3 different classes all heading towards Nottingham, including my first sighting of a Class 67 on this stretch in the form of No. 67023 Stella, returning light engine to Derby from Immingham. It was preceded by No. 66787 and No. 60039 Dove Holes.

Two blasts from the past

The light engine movement from Nottingham to Doncaster seen at Rolleston yesterday lunchtime turned out to be a couple of blasts from the past. Both were immaculately turned out. English Electric Type 3 No. 37240 led the way, ahead of English Electric Type 4 No. 50050 Fearless, which also carried the number D400. The Type 3s were introduced in 1960, my first year as a spotter, and the Type 4s first appeared in 1967, the year before we witnessed the end of steam on BR. As the Hoovers started work going north to Scotland from Crewe on the WCML, having taken over trains there from the blue electrics, it wasn’t long before I’d seen all 50.

The Coronation Pacifics

Cards on the table - these were number one. I expect I’d have thought differently if I’d been brought up east of the Pennines, but these were our favourite engines. They have fine lines and balanced dimensions. They also combine power with grace and have a real presence about them. Further character is added by the unique slant of the windshields - always a test for budding railway artists, depending on the angle.

I saw my last Coronation, No. 46245 City of London, late one Sunday afternoon in Edge Hill sheds. I think it was in 1962. My friend, Andy, had clocked her there earlier in the day and kindly spread the word, knowing she was the last one that I needed to complete the set. My Dad accompanied me by train and bus and in fading light to find her cold, unattended [there appeared to be nobody there, that I can remember] and under cover inside the shed, where I cabbed her. I no doubt slept well that night.

John Dyer photographed several members of the class, including No. 46230 Duchess of Buccleuch at Glasgow Central in 1960, No. 46231 Duchess of Atholl at Carlisle in 1960, No. 46243 City of Lancaster at Preston in 1964, No. 46247 City of Liverpool at Oxenholme in 1960, No. 46254 City of Stoke-on-Trent at Chester in 1962 and two views of No. 46255 City of Hereford at Preston in 1964.

The Princess Royal Class

There were thirteen “Prinnies”, though the experimental No. 46202 Princess Anne was short-lived and was scrapped after the Harrow crash in 1952. I saw the remaining twelve members of the class, which had all been withdrawn by 1962. They are amongst my favourite engines. They just oozed power and importance. I liked their names, too, though I never really thought about the people they were named after - or even knew who half of them were.

No. 46203 Princess Margaret Rose at the head of a Euston express at Liverpool Lime Street is one of my earliest railway memories. The most attractive name for me was probably No. 46208 Princess Helena Victoria and the most intriguing was No. 46207 Princess Arthur of Connaught. I did not know, until this morning, that she had been involved in two fatal crashes in her time. I have an original Barry Price painting of her on the West Coast Main Line near Stafford. In more recent times, watching [and listening to] No. 46201 Princess Elizabeth climbing the Lickey incline was also a very memorable experience.

John Dyer’s photographs show No. 46205 Princess Victoria at Chester and Oxenholme [both in 1960], No. 46206 at Preston in 1959, No. 46211 Queen Maud awaiting scrapping at Crewe Works in 1962 and No. 46212 Duchess of Kent in a similar predicament.

  

Fossil Fuels

 

Coal and oil passed in quick succession though Fiskerton at teatime yesterday. Class 66 No. 66784 Keighley and Worth Valley Railway 50^th Anniversary 1968-2018 was followed 7 minutes later by Class 60 No. 60020 The Willows. The coal train runs infrequently these days.

It is nice to see the K&VR’s achievements being recognised in this way. We were there in February 1969 soon after they had started up, so that was a quick half century, then. Yesterday’s photos were taken by Chris Priestley.

The Royal Scot Class

There were 71 in the class, including the four [21, 30, 51 and 53] that I had not seen by the time they had all been withdrawn in 1965. I did not see Royal Scot, herself, in BR days, only more recently as one of the two preserved examples. The Stanier-designed rebuild of Fowler’s original 1927 engines were very distinctive with their curvy windshields and rather grand regimental names.

They were regular visitors to most of our spotting locations in Liverpool, Chester, Crewe and Preston, but they could also turn up at Shrewsbury and occasionally on Birkenhead sheds. John Dyer photographed 46100 at Nottingham in 1962, 46115 at Wigan North Western in 1965, 46132 at Burton-on-Trent in 1962, 46152 at Chester in 1964, 46158 at Manchester Central in 1962 and 46163 at Chester in 1960.