
4932 was the first of the class to be built at Horwich in September 1945. In all 120 were built at Horwich at a cost of £9,500 each for the locomotive and tender, which was £3,000 more than for the first ones built at Crewe in 1935. It became 44932 following the nationalisation of the railways in 1948.
BR motive power depot allocations since 1948.
Date Arrived | Depot |
January 1948 | Blackpool Central |
January 1952 | Accrington |
February 1957 | Agecroft |
October 1959 | Leicester Central |
January 1960 | Annesley |
January 1963 | Cricklewood |
February 1963 | Annesley |
January 1965 | Rose Grove |
July 1965 | Annesley |
December 1965 | Derby |
May 1966 | Rose Grove |
44932 was officially withdrawn August 1968 from Rose Grove but had been in store at Carlisle Kingmoor for the previous eight months. At the end of steam on BR metal it was moved to Carnforth following its purchase as part of the establishment of Steamtown museum. It made an attractive purchase as it had only run for 5,000 miles since its last intermediate overhaul.
Steamtown was established by Dr Beet with financial support from Sir Bill McAlpine who became a shareholder in 1974 and subsequently acquired a controlling interest in the company. Steamtown closed in 1997 following sale of the site to David Smith who owns the West Coast Railway Company which now has its major based there.
Whilst Steamtown was open, and once the ban on operating steam trains on the main line was lifted in 1972, Carnforth was used as a base to operate trains to York and to Sellafield. The first test run took place to Ulverston with 44871 and 44932 preceded special trains to Barrow in Furness.
At this time 44932 was painted in Brunswick green livery which it had never previously worn.
When steamtown closed 44932 moved to the Midland Steam Centre at Butterley where it was completely overhauled.
By 2010 44932 was owned by David Smith and back in operation on the main line. Since then it was continued to operate on the main line, often from the West Coast Railway Company base at Southall.
The main line certificate is valid until 2017 and the boiler certificate to 2020 but the locomotive is currently undergoing an overhaul at Carnforth.
In August 2022 the locomotive undertook a test run between Carnforth and Hellifield and back.
The locomotive is to be trial fitted with European Train Control System equipment to see if the fitment can be rolled out across other main line locomotives.
Home Base | Current Status | Owner |
West Coast Railways – Southall | Operational | David Smith |















- 44767 (LMS 4767 & BR 44767)
- 44806 (LMS 4806 & BR 44806)
- 44871 (LMS 4871 & BR 44871)
- 44901 (LMS 4901 & BR 44901)
- 45000 (LMS 5000 & BR 45000)
- 45025 (LMS 5025 & BR 45025)
- 45110 (LMS 5110 & BR 45110)
- 45163 (LMS 5163 & BR 45163)
- 45212 (LMS 5212 &BR 45212)
- 45231 (LMS 5231 & BR 45231)
- 45293 (LMS 5293 &BR 45293)
- 45305 (LMS 5305 & BR 45305)
- 45337 (LMS 5337 & BR 45337)
- 45379 (LMS 5379 & BR 45379)
- 45407 (LMS 5407 &BR 45407)
- 45428 (LMS 5428 &BR 45428)
- 45491 (LMS 5491 & BR 45491)