LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 5110

45110 hauling the last British Railways mainline steam train on its last leg from Manchester to Liverpool on 11 August 1968
45110 at Kidderminster in 2008

London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 5110 (British Railways no. 45110) is a preserved British steam locomotive. It has carried the name RAF Biggin Hill in preservation, though it never carried this in service. Number 5110 was built in 1935 by the Vulcan Foundry. It was built with a low-degree superheat domeless boiler and still carries a domeless boiler.

Fifteen Guinea Special

The locomotive was one of three members of the class to haul the Fifteen Guinea Special, British Railways' last steam-hauled passenger train, on 11 August 1968. It took the first leg from Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Victoria at the beginning of the tour before running from Manchester Victoria to Liverpool Lime Street with the returning train at the end of the day's tour. This locomotive was used in place of sister engine 45305 which had been selected for this duty but had been failed with a collapsed firebox brick arch.

Use in preservation

After hauling the Fifteen Guinea Special, 45110 was purchased for preservation by the Severn Valley Railway, and has since been based at the line's Bewdley locomotive depot.

It has hauled main line steam specials on the national rail network, but the locomotive's main line certification had lapsed by 2008. It was hoped to have run 45110 on the 2008 recreation of the Fifteen Guinea Special, but this was not possible as the engine was due to come out of ticket on 15 August, the same day as the Fifteen Guinea Special re-run, and so a competition was offered by Steam Railway magazine to drive the engine on 15 August. At the end of that day's running, 45110 returned to Bewdley and its fire was dropped for the last time.

In 2009-10, 45110 was placed on static display at Barrow Hill Roundhouse to take advantage of the available under cover storage. It was planned that the locomotive would remain at Barrow Hill for up to two years on loan from the Severn Valley Railway, which would see its return to the SVR in 2011-12. During 2010, the tender of 45110 was recalled back to the SVR for use behind LMS Stanier Mogul 42968 after the 2-6-0's previous Fowler tender developed wheelflats. 45110's tender is due to stay at the line until 2012 when 42968 is taken out of service.

45110 returned to Bridgnorth on 30 September 2013 for display in the Engine House at Highley in place of 4930 Hagley Hall which is moving to Bridgnorth for overhaul.

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