LMS Fowler Class 4F
Encyclopedia
The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Fowler 4F is a class of 0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
designed for medium freight work. They represent the ultimate development of Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
's six coupled tender engines.
Background
The 4F was based on the 197-strong Midland Railway 3835 ClassMidland Railway 3835 Class
The Midland Railway 3835 Class is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work. The first two were introduced in 1911 by Henry Fowler. After the grouping in 1923 they continued to be built up to 1941 by the LMS as the LMS Fowler 4F....
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
Henry Fowler (engineer)
Sir Henry Fowler, KBE was a Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Midland Railway and subsequently the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.- Biography :...
, who from 1925 became CME of the LMS.
Midland Railway locomotives were notorious for their short axle-box bearings, which were prone to overheating. Why this poor design feature was perpetuated is a complete mystery but, unfortunately, the LMS 4F inherited it.
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 StanierWilliam Stanier
Sir William Arthur Stanier, FRS was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.- Biography :...
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 Derby Works The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:... |
| 4035–56 | 44035–56 | 7 | 1925 | Derby Derby Works The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:... |
| 4057–81 | 44057–81 | 8 | 1925 | North British North British Locomotive Company The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were... |
| 4082–106 | 44082–106 | 9 | 1925 | Kerr Stuart Kerr Stuart Kerr, Stuart and Company Ltd was a locomotive manufacturer from Stoke-on-Trent, England.-History:It was founded in 1881 by James Kerr as James Kerr & Company, and became Kerr, Stuart & Company from 1883 when John Stuart was taken on as a partner... |
| 4107 | 44107 | 10 | 1924 | Crewe Crewe Works Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire.... |
| 4108–58 | 44108–58 | 10 | 1925 | Crewe Crewe Works Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire.... |
| 4159–76 | 44159–76 | 10 | 1926 | Crewe Crewe Works Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire.... |
| 4177/8 | 44177/8 | 11 | 1924 | St. Rollox |
| 4179–4206 | 44179–4206 | 11 | 1925 | St. Rollox |
| 4207–16 | 44207–16 | 29 | 1925 | Derby Derby Works The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:... |
| 4217–87 | 44217–87 | 29 | 1926 | Derby Derby Works The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:... |
| 4288–301 | 44288–301 | 29 | 1927 | Derby Derby Works The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:... |
| 4302–11 | 44302–11 | 28 | 1926 | Crewe Crewe Works Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire.... |
| 4312–22 | 44312–22 | 30 | 1927 | St Rollox |
| 4323–31 | 44323–31 | 30 | 1928 | St Rollox |
| 4332–42 | 44332–42 | 31 | 1926 | Kerr Stuart Kerr Stuart Kerr, Stuart and Company Ltd was a locomotive manufacturer from Stoke-on-Trent, England.-History:It was founded in 1881 by James Kerr as James Kerr & Company, and became Kerr, Stuart & Company from 1883 when John Stuart was taken on as a partner... |
| 4343–56 | 44343–56 | 31 | 1927 | Kerr Stuart Kerr Stuart Kerr, Stuart and Company Ltd was a locomotive manufacturer from Stoke-on-Trent, England.-History:It was founded in 1881 by James Kerr as James Kerr & Company, and became Kerr, Stuart & Company from 1883 when John Stuart was taken on as a partner... |
| 4357–61 | 44357–61 | 32 | 1926 | Andrew Barclay |
| 4362–81 | 44362–81 | 32 | 1927 | Andrew Barclay |
| 4382–99 | 44382–99 | 33 | 1926 | North British North British Locomotive Company The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were... |
| 4400–6 | 44400–6 | 33 | 1927 | North British North British Locomotive Company The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were... |
| 4407–36 | 44407–36 | 42 | 1927 | Derby Derby Works The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:... |
| 4437–46 | 44437–46 | 43 | 1927 | Crewe Crewe Works Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire.... |
| 4447–56 | 44447–56 | 43 | 1928 | Crewe Crewe Works Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire.... |
| 4457–66 | 44457–66 | 44 | 1928 | Horwich Horwich Works Horwich Works was a railway works built in 1886 by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in Horwich, near Bolton, in the North West of England when the company moved from its original works at Miles Platting, Manchester.-Buildings:... |
| 4467–76 | 44467–76 | 45 | 1928 | St. Rollox |
| 4477–506 | 44477–506 | 46 | 1927 | North British North British Locomotive Company The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were... |
| 4507–56 | 44507–56 | 56 | 1928 | Crewe Crewe Works Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire.... |
| 4562–75 | 44562–75 | 137 | 1937 | Crewe Crewe Works Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire.... |
| 4577–86 | 44577–86 | 146 | 1939 | Derby Derby Works The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:... |
| 4587–96 | 44587–96 | 147 | 1939 | Derby Derby Works The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:... |
| 4597–604 | 44597–604 | 147 | 1940 | Derby Derby Works The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:... |
| 4605/6 | 44605/6 | 147 | 1941 | Derby Derby Works The Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:... |
The missing numbers 44557–44561 relate to five locomotives built for the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bournemouth now in south east Dorset but then in Hampshire...
to the Midland Railway 3835 Class
Midland Railway 3835 Class
The Midland Railway 3835 Class is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work. The first two were introduced in 1911 by Henry Fowler. After the grouping in 1923 they continued to be built up to 1941 by the LMS as the LMS Fowler 4F....
design in 1922, and taken into LMS stock in 1930.
All entered British Railways stock in 1948. BR added 40000 to their numbers. They were all withdrawn between 1959 and 1966.
Withdrawal
Withdrawals from stock occurred between 1959 and 1966.| Year | No. withdrawn | Nos |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 | 44 | |
| 1960 | 41 | |
| 1961 | 23 | |
| 1962 | 74 | |
| 1963 | 134 | |
| 1964 | 151 | |
| 1965 | 97 | |
| 1966 | 11 |
Preservation
| Numbers | Location | Condition | Link to preserved locomotive database | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMS | BR | |||
| 3924 | 43924 | Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Keighley and Worth Valley Railway The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a long branch line that served mills and villages in the Worth Valley and is now a heritage railway line in West Yorkshire, England. It runs from Keighley to Oxenhope. It connects to the national rail network line at Keighley railway station... |
Returned to steam June 2011, returned to revenue service july 2011 | 43924 |
| 4027 | 44027 | Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway is a volunteer-run heritage railway on the Gloucestershire/Worcestershire/Warwickshire Borders that has reopened the closed railway line between Laverton Halt and Cheltenham Racecourse railway stations in Gloucestershire/Worcestershire., it currently... |
Recently transferred from the Midland Railway - Butterley Midland Railway - Butterley The Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway, formerly known until 2004 as the Midland Railway Centre, at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.-Overview:... , overhaul now started and making steady progress. |
44027 |
| 4123 | 44123 | Avon Valley Railway Avon Valley Railway The Avon Valley Railway is a three-mile-long heritage railway based at Bitton station in South Gloucestershire, England, not far from Bristol and is run by a local group: The Avon Valley Railway Company Ltd. The railway follows the Avon Valley south-east from Oldland Common, through Bitton and... |
Restoration in progress | 44123 |
| 4422 | 44422 | Nene Valley Railway Nene Valley Railway The Nene Valley Railway is a preserved railway in Cambridgeshire, England, running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell Junction. The line is currently seven and a half miles in length... |
Operational, easily the most travelled of all the survivors | 44422 |
Dimensions
- LMS/BR Power classification, 4F
- Locomotive weight, 48 tons 15 cwt
- Tender weight, 41 tons 4 cwt
- Boiler pressure, 175 psi
- Superheater, Yes
- Cylinders, 20"x26"
- Driving wheel diameter, 5' 3"
- Tractive effort, 24555 lb (11,138 kg)
- Valve gear, Stephenson (piston valves)
For terminology, see Steam locomotive components
Steam locomotive components
A listing of the components found on typical steam locomotives.center|720px|Schematic steam locomotiveGuide to steam locomotive components .A listing of the components found on typical steam...
Models
The 4F has been modelled by LimaLima (models)
Lima S.p.A was a brand of railway models made in Vicenza, Italy, for almost 50 years, from the early 1950s until the company ceased trading in 2004...
(O, OO and N Gauge), Graham Farish
Graham Farish
Graham Farish is a company that produces large quantities of British outline model railway equipment in N gauge.-History:The Poole, Dorset based manufacturer of radio parts and kits entered the model railway business in the late 1940s, after the need for radio sets reduced post World War II...
(N Gauge, still produced under the Bachmann label). Also Hornby
Hornby Railways
Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. Its roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, Hornby launched its first 00 gauge train...
and Airfix
Airfix
Airfix is a UK manufacturer of plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other subjects. In Britain, the name Airfix is synonymous with the hobby, a plastic model of this type is often simply referred to as "an airfix kit" even if made by another manufacturer....
OO gauge.