LMS Fowler 2-6-4T

The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Fowler 2-6-4T was a class of steam locomotive passenger tanks designed by Henry Fowler.

LMS Fowler 4P 2-6-4T
2300, circa. 1928
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerSir Henry Fowler
BuilderLMS Derby Works
Build date1927–1934
Total produced125
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-6-4T
 • UIC1′C2′ h2t
Leading dia.3 ft 3 1⁄2 in (1.003 m)
Driver dia.5 ft 9 in (1.753 m)
Trailing dia.3 ft 3 1⁄2 in (1.003 m)
Wheelbase38.5 ft (11.73 m)
Length47 ft 2 3⁄4 in (14.40 m)
Loco weight86.25 long tons (87.6 t; 96.6 short tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity3.5 long tons (3.6 t; 3.9 short tons)
Water cap2,000 imp gal (9,100 l; 2,400 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		25 sq ft (2.3 m2)
BoilerLMS type G8AS
Boiler pressure200 lbf/in2 (1.38 MPa) superheated
Heating surface:
 • Tubes and flues		1,082 sq ft (100.5 m2)
 • Firebox138 sq ft (12.8 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • Heating area266 sq ft (24.7 m2) or 246 sq ft (22.9 m2)
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size19 in × 26 in (483 mm × 660 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort23,125 lbf (102.87 kN)
Career
Operators
Power class
  • LMS: 4P
  • BR: 4MT
Numbers
  • LMS: 2300–2424
  • BR: 42300–42424
Withdrawn1959–1966
DispositionAll scrapped.

Construction
42421 at Hibel Road station in 1959 - this is one of the Fowler 4MTs with later style side window cabs.

125 examples of the class were built. The last 30 numbered 2395 to 2424 were fitted with side-windows and doors to their cabs.[1] The LMS classified them 4P, BR 4MT. They were the basis for a family of subsequent LMS/BR Class 4 2-6-4T locomotives. The Irish Northern Counties Committee (NCC) Class W 2-6-0 moguls were also strongly influenced by this class, albeit the driving wheel diameter was three inches greater to matching the NCC practice.[2]

The cylinder and piston valve design and the setting of the Walschaerts valve gear, allowing a maximum travel of 6 3⁄8 inches (16 cm) in full gear, was believed by O.S. Nock to subsequently lead to the "outstanding success" of the class.[2]

Operational use

Most of the class were used on longer-distance commuter trains from stations in London, Manchester and other large towns. A number were allocated to Tebay Motive Power Depot and were used to bank heavy passenger and goods trains up the steep incline to Shap on the LMS West Coast Main Line. Some operated on the long trip from Shrewsbury to Swansea (Victoria). The last two surviving locos were withdrawn from service in 1966. 42389 was hauling the Tring to Euston commuter train that was hit in the rear at Harrow & Wealdstone on 8 October 1952 by a Perth to Euston express. 112 people died in the accident. 42389 was undamaged.

Despite coupled wheels of only 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) diameter the class was sometimes noted as achieving over 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) on outer suburban services to and from Euston.[2]

Numbering
42367 at Willesden

The LMS numbered the class 2300–2424, BR adding 40000 to their numbers to make them 42300–424.[1]

Table of orders
LMS no. BR no. Lot no. Date built
2300–2303 42300–42303 47 1927
2304–2324 42304–42324 47 1928
2325–2374 42325–42374 53 1929
2375–2384 42375–42384 89 1932
2385–2423 42385–42423 101 1933
2424 42424 101 1934

Withdrawal

The class with withdrawn between 1959 and 1966.

Table of withdrawals
YearQuantity in
service at
start of year		Quantity
withdrawn		Locomotive numbers
1959125542308/12/21/41/54.
19601201142300/26/45–46/65/73/80/90/98–99, 42418.
19611092242302/07/25/28–30/32/44/48–49/56/60/63–64,
40377/82–83/86/95/97, 42404/23.
1962873742303–06/14–15/18/20/23–24/31/36/40/42/47/51–52/58/62/67,
42370–72/75–76/85/87–88/93/96, 42402–03/07/12/15/20/22.
1963501642301/10/13/16/19/33/37/39/55/57/84/89/91–92, 42401/19.
1964342042309/11/35/38/53/59/61/66/78–79,
42405/08–09/11/13–14/16–17/21/24.
1965141242317/22/27/34/43/50/68–69/74/81, 42400/06.
19662242394, 42410.

Preservation and revival

No locos were preserved, but the January 2013 edition of The Railway Magazine reported that a new-build project to recreate a Fowler 2-6-4T was at an initial research stage.

In May 2015, the LMS-Patriot Project announced that after the completion of Patriot Class No. 45551 The Unknown Warrior, it would begin construction on a new-build Fowler 2-6-4T. Similar to the Patriot, it will carry the number of the last member of the class, No. 42424, and be built to main line running standards, though it will only primarily be used on heritage lines.[3]

One of the NCC Class WT locos (No. 4), which drew heavily from the Fowler design and were the last steam locomotives withdrawn in Northern Ireland, is preserved by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. No. 4 returned from overhaul in June 2015 and is currently based in Dublin.

References
  1. Ian Allan abc British Railways Locomotives 1960
  2. Nock, O.S. (1983). Irish Steam. David & Charles. pp. 176–177. ISBN 0715379615.
  3. "LMS-Patriot Company announces plans to build a new Fowler 2-6-4T after 'The Unknown Warrior' is completed". LMS-Patriot Project. http://www.lms-patriot.org.uk. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015. External link in |publisher= (help)
  • David Hunt, Bob Essery Fred James (2002) LMS Locomotive Profiles No. 3: The Parallel Boiler 2-6-4 Tank Engines ISBN 1-874103-72-0
  • Rowledge, J.W.P. (1975). Engines of the LMS built 1923–51. Oxford: Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN 0-902888-59-5.
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