Power Classification	4P reclassified 4MT in 1948
Introduced	1934
Designer	Stanier
Company	LMS
Weight	92t 5cwt
Driving Wheels	5ft 9ins
Boiler Pressure	200psi superheated
Cylinders	Three – 16in x 26in
Tractive Effort	24,600lbf
Valve Gear	Walschaert (piston valve)

This class of 37 locomotives was designed by Stanier and built at Derby for working on the London, Tilbury & Southend (LTS) section between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness. They were developed from Fowler’s engines and they were fitted with taper boilers and had sloping tops to the tanks.

The engines differed from the other classes of 2-6-4 tank engines in that they had three cylinders with independent sets of Walschaert valve gear. The outside cylinders were noticeably smaller than the other classes and they had shorter smokeboxes and domeless boilers. The third cylinder was provided to allow increased acceleration between the many stops on the LTS. Originally it was planned to produce 45 engines of this class but the last seven were completed with two cylinders only.

	Stanier 2 cylinder  – 1935 42425-94 and 42537-672
	Stanier 3 cylinder – 1934 42500-36

The engines spent their whole lives on the LTS section until they were replaced by electric multiple units in 1962. They were consistently good performers, and they were well liked by their crews.

They were all withdrawn between 1960 and 1963.

Stanier 2cyl 42664 next to Fairburn 2-6-4T 42074 on Low Moor shed-May 1966. 42664 was withdrawn from service in November 1966 and scrapped in March 1967. 42664 had spent part of its working life in Scotland whilst 42074 was based on the Southern Region for the first nine years of its life.

Preservation

• 42500 (LMS 2500 & BR 42500)

Back to LMS

Back to Locomotives