| Power Classification | 2P reclassified 2MT in 1948 |
| Introduced | 1946 – 1952 |
| Designer | Ivatt |
| Company | LMS |
| Weight | 63t 5cwt |
| Driving Wheels | 5ft 0ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 200psi superheated |
| Cylinders | Outside – 16in x 24in (later engines 16.5in x 24in) |
| Tractive Effort | 17,410lbf (later engines 18,510lbf) |
| Valve Gear | Walschaert (piston valve) |
The LMS had various elderly tank engines and the operating department required a new small class 2 locomotive to replace them. Noting that the Great Western Railway 4500 and 4575 Classes of 2-6-2T had been successful, Ivatt designed the new engine type incorporating self-emptying ashpans and rocking grates which were labour-saving devices. The side tanks have a capacity of 1,350 gallons, and the bunker, which is sloped inwards to give a clear view to the rear, has a ladder giving access to the coal space, a feature directly influenced by American practice.
In 1926, two years before nationalisation, Ivatt introduced two new lightweight designs for cross country and branch line working. The tender engine was the 46400 class and the tank engine version was the 41200 class.
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Ivatt – 2MT 2-6-2T |
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Ivatt – 2MT 2-6-0 |
These 2-6-2T engines were completely different from previous 2-6-2Ts on the LMS (the 40071 and 40001 classes), being smaller and more compact.
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3MT 40001-70 introduced by Fowler in 1930. |
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3MT 40071-209 introduced by Stanier in 1935 |
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2MT 41200-329 introduced by Ivatt in 1946 |
One hundred and thirty locomotives were built, only ten of which appeared before nationalisation. Apart from the last ten, which were made at Derby, all of the locomotives were built at Crewe. The design was later adopted as a BR standard design appearing as the 8400 class in 1953 which were built to a slightly smaller loading gauge and so have slanted cab sides. These engines also incorporate a fallplate and fittings common to many BR standard classes, such as the chimneys.
Most of the Ivatt 2-6-2T class was based on the London Midland Region but the last thirty Crewe-built engines, 41290–41319, were allocated to the Southern Region from new. On the Southern Region they worked in various locations on all three divisions, from East Kent to the Withered Arm.
Some of these engines were fitted with tall narrow tapered chimneys. These were considered ugly and later engines reverted to the traditional style of chimney.
41272 was the 7,000th locomotive to be built at Crewe in 1950.
Later engines (41290-41329) were fitted with slightly larger cylinders.
41210-21229 and 41270-41289 were motor fitted for working push-pull trains. 41222 was used on the Newport Pagnell branch until its closure in 1964.
These locomotives were employed on many areas of BR with the first withdrawals in 1962 being from the Leeds area and the last in 1967 being Southern Region based engines. They were also used on the Western Region based in the Southwest, South Wales and around Bristol amongst the areas where they were based. Most of the Eastern Region locomotives were based in Yorkshire but 41200 spent some time in 1949 and 1950 at Ipswich. The engines on the Midland Region were based in most areas but none were allocated to Scottish sheds. Four of the engines which entered service in 1947 survived in service until 1966 (two of them until December 1966).
Number in Service.
| Built | Withdrawals | No. in Service | ||
| BR Numbers | Quantity | |||
| 1946 | 41200-9 |
10 |
10 |
|
| 1948 | 41210-29 |
20 |
30 |
|
| 1949 | 41230-59 |
30 |
60 |
|
| 1950 | 41260-89 |
30 |
90 |
|
| 1951 | 41290-99 |
10 |
100 |
|
| 1952 | 41300-29 |
30 |
130 |
|
| 1953-61 |
130 |
|||
| 1962 |
21 |
109 |
||
| 1963 |
18 |
91 |
||
| 1964 |
26 |
65 |
||
| 1965 |
26 |
39 |
||
| 1966 |
31 |
8 |
||
| 1967 |
8 |
0 |
||
41200 at Amlwch in Anglesy hauling special train with Wynford Vaughan Thomas, the BBC reporter starting a journey to South Wales – 1959. 41200 was withdrawn from service in 1965 and subsequently scrapped.
Photo (c) David L Quayle |
41222 on Carlisle Upperby shed-January 1966. The locomotive had spent most of its working life based at Bletchley before moving to Carlisle Upperby in January 1965. It moved to Carlisle Kingmoor when Upperby shed closed in December 1966. It was withdrawn from service later in December 1966 and scrapped in September 1967. |
Preservation
Of the four locomotives of the class preserved three were built at Crewe as part of the batch of thirty built for the Southern Region. The exception is 41241.
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Preserved British Steam Locomotives 