LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 4871

LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 44871 is a preserved British steam locomotive. It was built at Crewe Works in 1945.

LMS 4871
44871
44871 with support coach, October 2017.
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerWilliam Stanier
BuilderCrewe Works
Serial number170 (second series)
Build dateMarch 1945
Specifications
Configuration:
  Whyte4-6-0
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.3 ft 3+12 in (1.003 m)
Driver dia.6 ft 0 in (1.829 m)
Length63 ft 7+34 in (19.40 m)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity9 long tons (9.1 t; 10.1 short tons)
Water cap.4,000 imp gal (18,000 L; 4,800 US gal)
Firebox:
  Firegrate area
28+12 sq ft (2.65 m2)
BoilerLMS type 3C
Boiler pressure225 lbf/in2 (1.55 MPa)
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size18+12 in × 28 in (470 mm × 711 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Valve typePiston valves
Loco brakeVacuum (Air Brakes fitted)
Safety systemsAWS, TPWS, OTMR, GSMR
Performance figures
Maximum speed25mph - (heritage railways) 45mph - (mainline, tender first) 60mph - (mainline, chimney first)
Tractive effort25,455 lbf (113.23 kN)
Career
Operators
Power class
  • LMS: 5P5F
  • BR: 5MT
Axle load classBR: Route Availability 7
WithdrawnAugust 1968
Current ownerIan Riley
DispositionOperational, Mainline Certified

Service history

44871 in service at Rotherham

4871 is an LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 locomotive, originally numbered 4871 by the LMS and having 40000 added to its number under British Railways after nationalisation in 1948. 44871 was one of the last steam locomotives to be withdrawn from service, surviving until 1968, the last year of steam on British Rail. She was also one of four locomotives chosen (among two other members of her class) to take part in the famous Fifteen Guinea Special on Sun 11 August 1968. 44871 was in-charge of the Carlisle Citadel to Manchester Victoria leg of the tour which went south down the Settle and Carlisle Line. On this leg of the tour she double headed with 44781, 44871 acted as the pilot engine with 44781 being the train engine. 44871 is one of only three from that train to survive, the others being 45110 and 70013 Oliver Cromwell.

Shed allocations
LocationShed codeFrom
Longsight 9A1 August 1948
Crewe North 5A6 October 1951
Holyhead 7C26 January 1952
Crewe North 5A14 June 1952
Stoke 5D12 July 1952
Crewe North 5A3 October 1953
Stoke 5D31 October 1953
Crewe South 5B22 March 1958
Stoke 5D18 June 1960
Stockport Edgeley 9B1 December 1962
Trafford Park 9E22 June 1963
Stockport Edgeley 9B6 November 1965
Bolton 9K11 May 1968
Carnforth 10A6 July 1968

Preservation

44871 was purchased directly from British Rail service for preservation, and so never had to be restored from scrapyard condition unlike other preserved locomotives which were sent to Barry Island. The majority of the Class 5s were purchased directly for preservation, with only six being purchased from Barry Island and thus requiring restoration to run again.

Following withdrawal from revenue service 44871 remained at Carnforth, which would later become the Steamtown museum. Once the ban on operating steam locomotives over the national network was lifted in 1972, 44871 was used to operate mainline trains to places like York. It was during this period that she was given the name Sovereign. 44871 was also a popular engine in Scotland, working trains along the West Highland Line from Fort William to Mallaig (which she still runs decades later) working West Coast Railways "Jacobite trains" for most of the year, alongside sister No. 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier and LNER K1 No. 62005.

Following years of storage and the death of her owner in 2006, 44871 was purchased by Ian Riley and was taken to Bury for an overhaul to mainline standards. She returned to steam in 2009 and later undertook light and loaded test runs on the mainline alongside use on WCR's "Jacobite" trains. In the summer of 2010, she worked the final season of WCR's "Cambrian" trains along the Cambrian Line from Machynlleth to Pwllheli (the trains on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday ran to Pwllheli while the trains on Tuesday Thursday ran to Porthmadog). It isn't currently possible to run steam trains down the Cambrian line since they are incompatible with the new ERTMS system that was put in place.

In August 2010, 44871 was featured in an episode of Coronation Street where she hauled Roy and Hayley Cropper's wedding train. 44871 carried 45407's "Lancashire Fusilier" nameplates for the occasion.

Current status

44871 is based at the East Lancashire Railway alongside sibling No. 45407 The Lancashire Fusilier, both of which are mainline certified regular used for West Coast Railways Jacobite along the West Highland Line from Fort William to Mallaig and back. She returned to service in August 2017 following the completion of another heavy overhaul which was done to mainline standards as before.

In Summer 2021, 44871 was hired by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, working between Whitby and Pickering, North Yorkshire.

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