BR standard class 5

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BR standard class 5
BR standard class 5
73086 The Green Knight on the ashpits at Nine Elms 1965. Note the hand-painted smokebox number
Power type Steam
Designer R. A. Riddles
Builder British Railways
Build date 1951
Total production 172
Configuration 4-6-0
Gauge 4' 8½" (1435mm)
Driver size 6' 2"
Locomotive weight 76 tons 4 cwt
Fuel type coal
Boiler pressure 225 psi
Cylinders two outside
Cylinder size 19" x 28"
Tractive effort 26,120 lbf
Class 5MT
73002 passing through Water Orton, 1964.
73002 passing through Water Orton, 1964.

The British Railways Standard Class 5MT 4-6-0 was one of the standard classes of steam locomotives built by British Railways in the 1950s. 172 were built, essentially being a development of the LMS black five.

Contents

[edit] Background

William Stanier's black five had been the most successful mixed-traffic type in Great Britain. Construction of the black fives had started in 1934 and continued past nationalisation to 1951. A new set of standard locomotives was to be built by British Railways, based on LMS designs and incorporating modern ideas.

[edit] Design and construction

The design work was done at ex-LNER works at Doncaster but the bulk of the construction was done at Derby. The locomotive featured a Type 3B boiler almost identical to the black fives'. A higher running plate and slightly enlarged driving wheels from 6' to 6' 2" and a standard cab were the most obvious visible changes.

The first of the class, 73000 was outshopped from Derby in April 1951 and 30 were in service by January 1952. There was then a gap in construction before Derby resumed building its remaining 100 engines. 42 were built at Doncaster, starting in August 1955 and finishing in May 1957 with Derby's last engine following a month later.

Thirty engines, numbers 73125 to 73154 were built with Caprotti valve gear and poppet valves.

[edit] In service

In 1959, 20 of the Southern Region locomotives were named after SR King Arthur class locos that were then being withdrawn. These were:

A Standard Class 5MT, No. 45318, hauled the last ever steam-hauled standard-gauge regular service on British Rail; the service being the 21:25 Preston-Liverpool on Saturday, August 3rd, 1968.

[edit] Preservation

73096 is one of five preserved standard fives and has a mainline certificate.
73096 is one of five preserved standard fives and has a mainline certificate.
73129 was one of thirty standard fives built with Caprotti valve gear.
73129 was one of thirty standard fives built with Caprotti valve gear.

Five have survived. These are:

Number Name Home Notes Link to database
73050 - Nene Valley Railway Named City of Peterborough database
73082 Camelot Bluebell Railway In early stages of overhaul database
73096 - Mid Hants Railway Operational database
73129 - Midland Railway Butterley Caprotti Valve Geared locomotive database
73156 - Great Central Railway database

[edit] References

[edit] External links