LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 5231
Encyclopedia
London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Stanier Class 5 4-6-0
No. 5231 (British Railways no. 45231) is a preserved British
steam locomotive
. In preservation, it has carried both the names 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment and The Sherwood Forester, though it never carried either of these in service.
shed, working mainly to North Wales
and Leeds
. After nationalisation in 1948, she was renumbered 45231 by British Railways.
She was transferred to Northampton
in October 1954, but was only officially there for a month — such allocation changes were often only carried out on paper — and then transferred to Aston
, where she remained for nine years. 45231 was officially transferred to Rugby
in February 1963, but was moved a short time later (July) to Chester
. She stayed at Chester until closure of Chester shed in April 1967. She was then transferred to Speke Junction and finally Carnforth
, where 45231 lasted until the last day of steam on BR in August 1968.
She was sold by BR directly into preservation and was restored at Carnforth to LMS livery.
After being initially preserved at Carnforth, 5231 became associated with the preserved Great Central Railway
in Leicestershire
. In 1973 she hauled the official opening train between Loughborough
and Quorn
. On 9 May 1976
she was named 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment at Quorn. She was taken out of service the following year for an overhaul.
Overhauled in Cornwall
, and was complete in 1988, when she returned to the GCR. She then moved to the Nene Valley Railway
from 1989 until 1993, when she returned to the GCR for the filming of Shadowlands
. 5231 was sold to the GCR in late 1996, who repainted it in BR lined black in 1997. She also acquired a new set of nameplates, this time more simply The Sherwood Forester. A very similar name was carried by LMS Royal Scot Class
(4)6112: Sherwood Forester. The loco is now privately owned but does sometimes return to the GCR.
She has a busy mainline diary for 2011 being one of the mainstays of "The Jacobite"
from Fort William to Mallaig.
LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0
The London Midland and Scottish Railway's Class 5 4-6-0, almost universally known as the Black Five, is a class of steam locomotive. It was introduced by William Stanier in 1934 and 842 were built between then and 1951...
No. 5231 (British Railways no. 45231) is a preserved British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
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...
. In preservation, it has carried both the names 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment and The Sherwood Forester, though it never carried either of these in service.
Service
5231 was built by Armstrong-Whitworth in 1936. She spent most of her early life at PatricroftPatricroft
Patricroft is a district of Eccles, England, within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire.-History:Patricroft may derive its name from 'Pear-tree croft', or more likely, 'Patrick's Croft'. In 1836, James Nasmyth, in partnership with Holbrook Gaskell, built the Bridgewater Foundry in...
shed, working mainly to North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
and Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. After nationalisation in 1948, she was renumbered 45231 by British Railways.
She was transferred to Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
in October 1954, but was only officially there for a month — such allocation changes were often only carried out on paper — and then transferred to Aston
Aston
Aston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Lying to the north-east of the Birmingham city centre, Aston constitutes an electoral ward within the council constituency of Ladywood.-History:...
, where she remained for nine years. 45231 was officially transferred to Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
in February 1963, but was moved a short time later (July) to Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. She stayed at Chester until closure of Chester shed in April 1967. She was then transferred to Speke Junction and finally Carnforth
Carnforth
- References :...
, where 45231 lasted until the last day of steam on BR in August 1968.
She was sold by BR directly into preservation and was restored at Carnforth to LMS livery.
Preservation
Great Central Railway (preserved)
The Great Central Railway is a heritage railway split into two adjacent sections, one in Leicestershire and the other Nottinghamshire.The Leicestershire section is currently Britain's only double track mainline heritage railway, with of working double track, period signalling, locomotives and...
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. In 1973 she hauled the official opening train between Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
and Quorn
Quorn
Quorn is the leading brand of mycoprotein food product in the UK and Ireland. The mycoprotein used to produce Quorn is extracted from a fungus, Fusarium venenatum, which is grown in large vats....
. On 9 May 1976
she was named 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment at Quorn. She was taken out of service the following year for an overhaul.
Overhauled in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, and was complete in 1988, when she returned to the GCR. She then moved to the 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...
from 1989 until 1993, when she returned to the GCR for the filming of Shadowlands
Shadowlands
Shadowlands is a 1985 television film, written by William Nicholson, directed by Norman Stone and produced by David M. Thompson for BBC Wales. Its subject is the relationship between Oxford don and author, C. S. Lewis and Joy Gresham....
. 5231 was sold to the GCR in late 1996, who repainted it in BR lined black in 1997. She also acquired a new set of nameplates, this time more simply The Sherwood Forester. A very similar name was carried by LMS Royal Scot Class
LMS Royal Scot Class
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway Royal Scot Class is a class of 4-6-0 express passenger locomotive introduced in 1927. Originally having parallel boilers, all members were later rebuilt with tapered type 2A boilers, and were in effect two classes.-Background:Until the mid-1920s, the LMS...
(4)6112: Sherwood Forester. The loco is now privately owned but does sometimes return to the GCR.
She has a busy mainline diary for 2011 being one of the mainstays of "The Jacobite"
The Jacobite (Steam Train)
The Jacobite is a steam locomotive hauled tourist train service that operates over part of the West Highland Railway Line in Scotland. It has been operating under various names and with different operators every summer since 1984...
from Fort William to Mallaig.