LMS Ivatt Class 2 46443

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LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway IvattHenry George Ivatt, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1946-1948. CME of BR (London Midland Region) 1948-1951 Class 2 46443
Ivatt 46443 Kidderminster Town SVR (2).jpg
46443 at Kidderminster (June 2011)
Built By BRBritish Rail or British Railways Crewe Works
Configuration 2-6-0
BRBritish Rail or British Railways rating 2MTThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic.
Status Out of service
Loco Number 46443
History
Built 1950
Designed By George IvattHenry George Ivatt, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1946-1948. CME of BR (London Midland Region) 1948-1951
Type IvattHenry George Ivatt, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1946-1948. CME of BR (London Midland Region) 1948-1951 Class 2
1967 Arrived on SVRSevern Valley Railway
2011 Withdrawn for overhaul
Technical
Length 53ft 1¾"
Weight 47t 2cwt
Tractive effort 18,510 lb
Pressure 200 lb/sq in

Steam Locomotives

46443 is an LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway IvattHenry George Ivatt, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1946-1948. CME of BR (London Midland Region) 1948-1951 Class 2, a mixed traffic locomotive designed by H.G. (George) IvattHenry George Ivatt, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1946-1948. CME of BR (London Midland Region) 1948-1951 for work on secondary and branch line duties. It is a 2-6-0 'Mogul', rated 2MTThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic. by BRBritish Rail or British Railways following nationalisation. Locomotives of this class were often referred to as a "Mickey Mouse". The first 20 were built by the LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway, with a further 108 including 46443 completed by BRBritish Rail or British Railways after nationalisation. The design of the BRBritish Rail or British Railways Standard class 2 2-6-0 closely followed the IvattHenry George Ivatt, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1946-1948. CME of BR (London Midland Region) 1948-1951 Class 2 design.

46443 in service

46443 was built at BRBritish Rail or British Railways's Crewe works at a recorded cost of £8,734 and entered traffic in February 1950. It was based at Derby for the first 11 years where it worked local passenger services to Burton, Nottingham and Birmingham as well as acting as station pilot.[1] On 16 May 1953 it worked a Stephenson Locomotive Society Special which traversed colliery and minor lines in the Nottinghamshire area. In the same year it was recorded working a local passenger service at Nottingham. In April 1959 it was recorded on station pilot duties.[2] At the end of 1960 it had recorded a total mileage of 259,262 miles.[1]

In November 1961 46443 moved to Saltley, where duties were limited to infrequent rush hour journeys, acting as carriage sidings pilot and occasional local trip work on the Longbridge branch. Its last overhaul was carried out after it was involved in a collision with a BRCWBirmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company Type 2The British Railways classification for diesel locomotives of 1001 bhp to 1499 bhp Diesel.[1]

The increasing introduction of diesels saw a final move to Newton Heath (near Manchester) in October 1966. The following month 46443 was declared surplus to requirements and stored in serviceable condition at the disused local depot at Bury. It was formally withdrawn at the end of March 1967[3][4].

46443 in preservation

46443 was purchased from BRBritish Rail or British Railways by Richard Willcox immediately after withdrawal. BRBritish Rail or British Railways agreed to the locomotive moving to the SVRSevern Valley Railway in steam, with a final week being spent on shed pilot duties to assess the steaming capabilities. The move from Newton Heath to Bridgnorth via Crewe, Stafford, Bescot, Dudley, Stourbridge and Kidderminster took place on 22 April 1967, with 46443 becoming the second engine to arrive on the Severn Valley Railway.[5][6]

46443 saw use on the SVRSevern Valley Railway in the early gala events before the official opening of the SVRSevern Valley Railway. On 27 September 1969, 46443 and 3205 together with a number of other items of SVRSevern Valley Railway rolling stock were piloted by a BRBritish Rail or British Railways Class 47 from Bewdley to Tyseley to take part in an open day there. The route taken was via Stourport, Worcester, Honeybourne, Long Marston and Stratford-upon-Avon.[7] 46443 and 3205 had both originally arrived on the SVRSevern Valley Railway facing south, but 46443 returned from the open day facing north, becoming the only locomotive to be turned to face in a different direction before the SVRSevern Valley Railway opened in May 1970.[8]

46443 was one of the locomotives used on the opening weekend in May 1970. SVR(H) bought the locomotive from Richard Willcox in 1972.[note 1] It was taken out of service in early 1973 after the right trailing axle box caught fire. Repairs lasted until the following year, with the locomotive re-entering revenue earning service on 19 May 1974.[9] In 1975 it was repainted red for filming purposes (see below), later becoming LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway 6443[note 2] in summer 1977 and continuing in use until being withdrawn at the end of 1979 due to the poor condition of the flue tubes. It had covered more than 29,000 miles on around 600 steaming days, more than any other SVRSevern Valley Railway locomotive in the same period.

After spending the next few years in storage, SVRSevern Valley Railway(H) announced in late 1983 that the locomotive had been sold as part of the deal that brought 45690 Leander to the SVRSevern Valley Railway, and that the locomotive would move to Loughborough after repairs to the boiler had been carried out.[10] However the move did not take place, and a fund was launched to 'buy back' the locomotive,[11] during which time it gained the nickname 'The Peoples Engine'. A part of the successful fund-raising entailed the sale of T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase "46443 The Peoples Engine". Part of the proceeds of the summer 1984 SVRA raffle were also earmarked to help the fund (the rest being used to fund better washing facilities for working volunteers).[12] It is now owned by the SVR 46443 Fund, having been re-acquired in Autumn 1984.[13] Following completion of the boiler repairs and an overhaul to main line condition, the locomotive re-entered service in October 1984.[14]

Although only a Class 2 locomotive, 46443 has fully earned a place in the list of SVRSevern Valley Railway locomotives that have worked on the main line. During the 1985 GWRGreat Western Railway 150 celebrations 46443 hauled a number of Bristol-Portishead shuttles. In July 1987, 46443 was asked to punch well above her weight when sent to Wales to replace Class 4MTThe British Railways system of classifying steam locomotives by power using a number from 0, least powerful, to 9, most powerful, followed by either F for freight, P for Passenger or MT for Mixed Traffic. 75069 on the BRBritish Rail or British Railways Cardigan Bay Express service. On arrival, the BRBritish Rail or British Railways footplate crews expressed the opinion that they would be "creeping around with three coaches at 20 mph!'. The first on-time arrival at Barmouth brought forth the comment "She steams quite well, doesn't she!". An early return to Machynlleth gave rise to "She isn't a bad little engine, is she!". Within two days, "I'd take ten to Pwllheli with her anytime!".

Date Tour name Route Notes Web SVRSevern Valley Railway News
02 Jun 1985 GW150 Portishead Shuttles Bristol Temple Meads - Portishead return 79-2
21 Jul 1985 GW150 Portishead Shuttles Bristol Temple Meads - Portishead return 77-38
15 Sep 1985 GW150 Portishead Shuttles Bristol Temple Meads - Portishead return Spent total of 3 weeks in Bristol SBJ 79-26
22 Sep 1985 Wapping Wharf Steam Shuttles Bristol Temple Meads - Bristol Harbour (Wapping Wharf) SBJ
27 Jul 1987 Cardigan Bay Express Machynlleth - Barmouth + return x2 46443 first trip 85-11
28 Jul 1987 Cardigan Bay Express Machynlleth - Barmouth + return x2
29 Jul 1987 Cardigan Bay Express Machynlleth - Barmouth + return x2
05 Aug 1987 Cardigan Bay Express Machynlleth - Barmouth + return x2 86-42
10 Aug 1987 Cardigan Bay Express Machynlleth - Barmouth + return x2 86-36
12 Aug 1987 Cardigan Bay Express Machynlleth - Barmouth + return x2 SBJ
24 Aug 1987 Cardigan Bay Express Machynlleth - Barmouth + return x2 86-43
25 Aug 1987 Cardigan Bay Express Machynlleth - Barmouth + return x2 86-40
26 Sep 1987 Bham Moor St - Dorridge Shuttles, also Bham -Stratford Last day of the old Moor Street Station 87-34
For further information on sources and references, see The Severn Valley Railway on the main line

In addition to these main line appearances, service continued on the SVRSevern Valley Railway until 1991, when 46443 failed with burst small tubes while on hire to the Llangollen Railway.[15]

Following a full re-tube and other repairs, 46443 returned to service in summer 1993. On 16 August 2004, the locomotive was involved in a collision with a van on Fishermen's Crossing.[16] The SVRSevern Valley Railway was later cleared of any blame for the accident.[17] 46443 was prematurely withdrawn from service after the 1998 Autumn Steam Gala weekend, once again suffering from issues with boiler tubes.[18]

46443 returned to service once more in time for the 2001 Santa Special services.[19] As well as working lighter passenger services, it was regularly used on 'driving school' footplate experiences and 'Obbo trips'.[20] It completed a full 'ten year ticket', although shortly after gaining an extension it suffered a steam leak due to a corroded superheater header and was finally withdrawn in October 2011 having covered 145,997 miles in preservation.[21]

In April 2012 46443 was shunted into The Engine House[22] where it remains on display in awaiting its next overhaul. 46443 features on the pub sign of The Railwayman's Arms at Bridgnorth.

46443 in film and television

46443 has appeared in a number of film and TV productions and commercials filmed on the SVR.

In the early 1970s, 46443 appeared in commercials for History of Railways Magazine (1971) and Walls' Ice Cream (1972), both filmed at Bridgnorth. It was also one of a number of locomotives which appeared in a documentary on railway accidents entitled "Rail Crash" filmed at various locations on the SVRSevern Valley Railway and shown on Horizon (BBC 1972).

During 1975 46443 and classmate 46521 were painted red and cosmetically disguised as Austrian locomotives for filming The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976).

Scenes for Hanover Street (1979) were filmed with 46443 in the same red livery, although these do not appear to have been used in the final release. Immediately afterwards, the locomotive was renumbered as Midland Railway 643 for The Thirty Nine Steps (1978), filmed in March of that year. Around the same time, the locomotive was also filmed for a Nat King Cole LP commercial. Two shots from The Thirty Nine Steps, including 643 emerging from Arley Station Bridge (below), were later re-used in The Elephant Man (1980).

In summer 1977 the locomotive finally lost its 'Seven Per Cent red' livery, being repainted in LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway livery as 6443.[23] It then appeared in A Man Called Intrepid (1979), the scenes being filmed at night at Bewdley station and Bewdley Tunnel.

See also

Notes

  1. SVRSevern Valley Railway policy was always that locomotives were not normally acquired by the Company. The reason for 46443 being bought was not given in SVRSevern Valley Railway News, although it had recorded the highest mileage of any SVRSevern Valley Railway loco at the time and may therefore have been seen as a 'useful engine'. The purchase attracted no adverse comments at the time, unlike the subsequent Company acquisitions of 4930 Hagley Hall and 45110.
  2. The LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway livery would have been carried by the first LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway-built examples, although not by BRBritish Rail or British Railways-built 46443 itself.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book Ninth Edition
  2. Ferris (1995) p. 100.
  3. BR Database
  4. SB9/
  5. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 18
  6. A G Cleaver, "The Early Days Of The 'Severn Valley'", SVRSevern Valley Railway News 190 (2015) p19.
  7. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 14
  8. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 115, "North and South before the Turntable", Quentin Haigh
  9. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 34
  10. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 70
  11. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 71-72
  12. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 73, 74
  13. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 73
  14. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 75
  15. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 100/101
  16. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 148
  17. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 149
  18. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 128
  19. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 139
  20. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 144, 146 etc
  21. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 176
  22. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 179
  23. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 44, 45

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