LMS Fowler Class 4F

From TrainSpottingWorld, for Rail fans everywhere
44252 at Coalville MPD, June 1955. It is in unlined BR black livery with the early crest on its tender.
44458 waits at Stanton Gate, 1965. Note the yellow cabside stripe that indicates that it is prohibited from the electrified West Coast Main Line south of Crewe where it is out-of-gauge.
An earlier view of 44458, this time passing Water Orton.
44088 on southbound goods at Rowsley September 1958.
44441 light engine, stopped near Elstree Tunnel by a signal, June 1960. This has the later BR crest on its tender.

The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Fowler 4F is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for medium freight work. They represent the ultimate development of Midland Railway's six coupled tender engines.

Background

The 4F was based on the 197-strong Midland Railway 3835 Class of 1911, with only a few modifications, primarily the adoption of left-hand drive in favour of right-hand drive. They originally had been designed by Henry Fowler, who from 1925 became CME of the LMS.

Reluctantly because of they were part of the Midland's small engine policy adopted by the LMS but reversed by Stanier, and incoportated certain poor design features, particularly in ill-advise attempt at standardisation, the adoption of Midland standard small axle boxes.

Construction

The LMS constructed 530 of the locomotives between 1923 and 1928, numbered sequentially from where the Midland engines left off from 4027. A further 45 examples were reluctantly authorised by William Stanier in 1937 at the behest of the operating department.

Numbers Lot No. Date built Built by
LMS BR
4027-34 44027-34 7 1924 Derby
4035-56 44035-56 7 1925 Derby
4057-81 44057-81 8 1925 North British
4082-106 44082-106 9 1925 Kerr Stuart
4107 44107 10 1924 Crewe
4108-58 44108-58 10 1925 Crewe
4159-76 44159-76 10 1926 Crewe
4177/8 44177/8 11 1924 St. Rollox
4179-4206 44179-4206 11 1925 St. Rollox
4207-16 44207-16 29 1925 Derby
4217-87 44217-87 29 1926 Derby
4288-301 44288-301 29 1927 Derby
4302-11 44302-11 28 1926 Crewe
4312-22 44312-22 30 1927 St. Rollox
4323-31 44323-31 30 1928 St. Rollox
4332-42 44332-42 31 1926 Kerr Stuart
4343-56 44343-56 31 1927 Kerr Stuart
4357-61 44357-61 32 1926 Andrew Barclay
4362-81 44362-81 32 1927 Andrew Barclay
4382-99 44382-99 33 1926 North British
4400-6 44400-6 33 1927 North British
4407-36 44407-36 42 1927 Derby
4437-46 44437-46 43 1927 Crewe
4447-56 44447-56 43 1928 Crewe
4457-66 44457-66 44 1928 Horwich
4467-76 44467-76 45 1928 St. Rollox
4477-506 44477-506 46 1927 North British
4507-56 44507-56 56 1928 Crewe
4562-75 44562-75 137 1937 Crewe
4577-86 44577-86 146 1939 Derby
4587-96 44587-96 147 1939 Derby
4597-604 44597-604 147 1940 Derby
4605/6 44605/6 147 1941 Derby

The missing numbers 44557-44561 relate to locomotives built to Midland Railway design for the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway in 1922.

All entered British Railways stock in 1948. BR added 40000 to their numbers. They were all withdrawn between 1959 and 1966.

Preservation

The first-built LMS 4F, No. 4027 in steam at the Rainhill Trials 150th anniversary calvacade, May 1980.
Preserved 44422 stands in the rain on the East Lancs Railway.

Three LMS-built 4Fs survive. The first-built LMS 4F No. (4)4027 is part of the National Railway Collection. Classmates (4)4123 and (4)4422 have also escaped the cutter's torch. In addition, one of the Midland-built 4Fs, (4)3924 also survives.

Numbers Location Condition Link to preserved locomotive database
LMS BR
4027 44027 Midland Railway Centre Restoration in progress 44027
4123 44123 Avon Valley Railway Restoration in progress 44123
4422 44422 East Lancashire Railway Operational 44422

Models

Hornby Produce a 00 gauge model using the old Dapol (formerly Airfix) tooling. In 0 gauge Bachmann brassworks produce an accurate model and Finally in N Gauge Graham Farish produce a model of the class.

External links