| Power Classification | 4MT |
| Introduced | 1952 – 1957 |
| Designer | Riddles, designed at Doncaster |
| Company | BR |
| Weight – Loco | 59t 2cwt |
| Tender | BR1B 4,725 gallon – 50t 5cwt
BR2 and BR2A 3,500 gallon – 42t 3cwt |
| Driving Wheels | 5ft 3ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 225psi superheated |
| Cylinders | Outside – 17½6n x 28in |
| Tractive Effort | 24,170lbf |
| Valve Gear | Walschaert (piston valve) |
These locomotives were built for intermediate passenger and cross-country work, and were smaller than the Standard 75000 class.
They were based closely on the LMS 43000 Ivatt 2-6-0 class which was introduced in 1947 but were still being built in 1952. The 43000 class were built at Horwich, Doncaster and Darlington. The last one built at Horwich was in January 1952 whilst at Doncaster the last one was completed in September 1952. The first engines of the 76000 class were completed at both Horwich and Doncaster in December 1952 only three months after the last 43000 class locomotive entered service. 76114 which was the last member of the Standard class to be completed in October 1957 it was also the last steam locomotive to be constructed at Doncaster. It is interesting to note that six of the 43000 class engines remained in service until 1968 whilst all of the 76000 class were gone by the previous year. Of these six three were built in 1948, two in 1949 and one in 1951.
 |
43000 class introduced on the LMS in 1947 |
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76000 class introduced in 1952 |
Although they were a BR Standard the class did not have the same design of wheels as the Swindon-built 82000 2-6-2T and 77000 2-6-0 class 3 engines which also had 5ft 3in driving wheels, yet all three locomotive classes share the same cylinder casting. The cylinder covers of engines built early in the programme of construction were fitted with screw-i” type pressure relief valves. From September 1955 revised cylinder covers were introduced for renewals incorporating bolt-on type pressure relief valves.
One hundred and fifteen engines were built at Horwich and Doncaster and they were based on all regions except the Western. They were widely used and always highly regarded. As the 76000 class engines had an axle-loading of only 16 tons 15 cwt which meant their route availability was virtually unrestricted.
Number in Service.
| Built | Withdrawals | No. in Service |
No 43000 class in Service |
||
|
BR Numbers |
Quantity |
||||
| 1947 |
3 |
||||
| 1948 |
23 |
||||
| 1949 |
50 |
||||
| 1950 |
97 |
||||
| 1951 |
155 |
||||
| 1952 | 76000-5 & 76020-23 |
10 |
10 |
162 |
|
| 1953 | 76006-19 & 76024-34 |
25 |
35 |
162 |
|
| 1954 | 76035-44 |
10 |
45 |
162 |
|
| 1955 | 76045-49 & 76053-62 |
15 |
60 |
162 |
|
| 1956 | 76050-52 & 76063-78 |
19 |
79 |
162 |
|
| 1957 | 76079-114 |
36 |
115 |
162 |
|
| 1958-62 | 115 |
162 |
|||
| 1963 | 115 |
156 |
|||
| 1964 |
7 |
108 |
141 |
||
| 1965 |
16 |
92 |
99 |
||
| 1966 |
52 |
40 |
65 |
||
| 1967 |
40 |
0 |
6 |
||
| 1968 |
0 |
||||
- 76000-76019 and 76075-76099 were built at Horwich
- 76020-76029 and 76100-76114 were built at Doncaster
- 76030-76074 were built at Derby
- 76000-76044 were fitted with BR2 3,500 gallon tenders
- 76045-76052 and 76070-76114 were fitted with BR2A 3,500 gallon tenders
- 76053-76069 were fitted with BR1B 4,725 gallon tenders for working on the Southern Region where there are no water troughs
- The six 43000 class locomotives which survived until 1968 were the last 2-6-0 engines working on BR metal.
- The 76000 class were the only standard tender engine class to be completely withdrawn from service by end of 1967 apart from the 2-8-0 Austerity locomotives built between 1943 and 1946.
- 76097 was only in service from September 1957 until July 1964.
Allocation of locomotives in service as at 1st of January.
| 1954 | 1958 | 1962 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 |
1967 |
|
| Southern Region |
20 |
37 | 37 | 42 | 37 | 26 |
17 |
| London Midland Region | 15 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 |
16 |
|
| Eastern Region |
5 |
15 |
5 |
||||
| North Eastern Region |
5 |
13 |
6 |
||||
| Scottish Region |
5 |
35 | 35 | 41 | 38 | 33 |
7 |
|
35 |
115 | 115 | 115 | 108 | 92 |
40 |
|
1954 |
1958 | 1962 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 |
1967 |
|
| Southern Region | |||||||
| Bournemouth | 1 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
5 |
|
| Eastleigh |
20 |
22 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 14 |
4 |
| Feltham |
2 |
||||||
| Guildford | 5 | 2 |
5 |
||||
| Redhill |
10 |
||||||
| Salisbury | 4 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 3 |
3 |
|
|
20 |
37 | 37 | 42 | 37 | 26 |
17 |
- Fifteen of the first batch of twenty locomotives (76005-76019) built at Horwich were allocated to the Southern Region. The other five went to the Scottish Region. The Southern Region engines started life at Eastleigh and spent most of their working lives based there or at Salisbury or Bournemouth. A number of them also spent time at Yeovil Town, Dorchester, Redhill and Guildford. They were withdrawn in service from July 1965 onwards with the last four being withdrawn in July 1967. These locomotives were equipped with BR2 3,500 gallon tenders.
- The second batch of engines allocated to the Southern Region was made up of five new locomotives (76025-76029) which were allocated to Eastleigh.
- The third batch of seventeen engines (76053-76069) were built at Doncaster and fitted with BR1B 4,725 gallon tenders and were originally allocated to Redhill and Eastleigh. The ten at Redhill moved on to similar territory to the first fifteen in 1959 and 1960.
- In 1962 a further five engines (76030-76034) were employed on Southern Region territory following being transferred from the Eastern Region. These five had initially been allocated to Stratford in 1953 before moving on to Cambridge or Norwich (4) Thorpe (1) and then Marsh in 1961. They were moved to Brighton in 1962 before moving on to Eastleigh or Guildford.
- The locomotives were used between Portsmouth, Salisbury and Cardiff, Reading to Redhill, Brighton to Bournemouth and over the Swanage branch. Their most celebrated duty was the London Waterloo to Lymington boat train. However, this had nothing to do with the engines’ capabilities; it was simply that among tender engines only a 2-6-0 or 4-4-0 could fit on the turntable at Brockenhurst.
| 1954 | 1958 | 1962 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | |
| London Midland Region | |||||||
| Bescot | 4 | ||||||
| Chester | 4 | 3 | |||||
| Colwick | 1 | ||||||
| Crewe South | 1 | ||||||
| Cricklewood | 11 | ||||||
| Croes Newydd | 2 | ||||||
| Heaton Mersey | 3 | ||||||
| Lancaster | 2 | ||||||
| Leicester Midland | 1 | ||||||
| Lower Darwen | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |||
| Neasden | 11 | ||||||
| Oxley | 1 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| Saltley | 2 | 6 | 13 | 4 | |||
| Stoke | 2 | 4 | 5 | ||||
| Stourbridge | 2 | ||||||
| Sutton Oak | 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 7 | |
| Trafford Park | 2 | 4 | |||||
| Uttoxeter | 3 | ||||||
| Willesden | 5 | ||||||
| Woodford Halse | 1 | ||||||
| 15 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 16 |
- Neasden was Eastern Region until February 1958 when it transferred to London Midland Region. The depot closed in June 1962 and its allocation of 76000 class engines moved to Cricklewood, Cricklewood closed in December 1964.
| 1954 | 1958 | 1962 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | |
| Eastern Region | |||||||
| March | 4 | ||||||
| Neasden | 10 | ||||||
| Stratford | 5 | 5 | 1 | ||||
| 5 | 15 | 5 |
- The eastern Region received five 76000 class engines (76030-76034) in 1953 which were allocated to Stratford and another ten (76035-76044) the following year which were based at Neasden. The Stratford engines moved to the Southern Region in 1962 after spending a few months at Cambridge, Norwich and Marsh after leaving Stratford in 1960. The ten based at Neasden became London Midland Region owned when Neasden depot became part of the London Midland Region in February 1958.
| 1954 | 1958 | 1962 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | |
| North Eastern Region | |||||||
| Alnmouth | 1 | ||||||
| Darlington | 1 | ||||||
| Hull Dairycoates | 1 | ||||||
| Kirkby Stephen | 7 | ||||||
| Malton | 1 | ||||||
| West Auckland | 6 | 5 | |||||
| Sunderland | 1 | ||||||
| York | 1 | ||||||
| 5 | 13 | 6 |
- The North Eastern Region were allocated five engines (76020-76024) in 1952 and eight locomotives (76045-76052) during 1955 and 1956.
- The first five were initially spread around the region (Darlington, York, Hull Dairycoates, Sunderland and Gateshead) but by July 1956 three of them were based at Kirkby Stephen which was transferred to London Midland Region control in February 1958 a month after diesel multiple units were employed on the line over Stainmore.The other two moved around North Eastern region depots before going to the Scottish Region at Hurlford in October 1963.
- The second batch of eight started life at Gateshead (5), York (2) and Darlington (1). Half of this batch were transferred to Kirkby Stephen in 1956 and later transferred to the London Midland Region. The other four moved around the North Eastern Region and all were based at West Auckland from 1956 before going to Scottish Region depots in 1963.
- Five from Eastern Region moved to the Southern Region in December 1962 – going first to Brighton then Guildford in August 1963.
| 1954 | 1958 | 1962 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | |
| Scottish Region | |||||||
| Aberdeen Ferry Hill | 3 | 2 | |||||
| Ardrossan | 2 | ||||||
| Ayr | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| Bathgate | 5 | 3 | |||||
| Beattock | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |||
| Carstairs | 2 | ||||||
| Corkerhill | 10 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| Dalry Road | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Dawsholm | 2 | 3 | 5 | ||||
| Dumfries | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Dunfermline Upper | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||
| Eastfield | 1 | ||||||
| Fort William | 1 | ||||||
| Grangemouth | 2 | 3 | 7 | ||||
| Greenock Ladyburn | 3 | ||||||
| Hawick | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Hurlford | 3 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| Kittybrewster | 5 | ||||||
| Motherwell | 5 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Parkhead | 2 | ||||||
| Polmadie | 3 | 4 | 1 | ||||
| St Margarets | 1 | ||||||
| Stranraer | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| St Rollox | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Thornton Junction | 3 | 1 | |||||
| 5 | 35 | 35 | 41 | 38 | 33 | 7 |
- The Scottish Region based locomotives were made up of a number of batches.
- 76000-76004 were delivered in December 1952 to Motherwell where three remained for their entire working lives which lasted to 1966 and 1967.
- 76070-76074 were delivered in 1956 to Motherwell (2), Dumfries (2) and Eastfield (1).
- 76090-76114 were delivered in 1957 to Corkerhill (10), Dawsholm (2), Parkhead (2), Kittybrewster (5), Thornton Junction (3), Dumfries (1) and St Rolox (2).
- Another six were transferred to the Scottish Region in 1963 from the North Eastern Region.
- Two of the Corkerhill engines moved south to Saltley after being reinstated in August 1964.
Allocation of 43000 and 76000 class locomotives in service as at 1st of January.
| Region | 1958 | 1962 | 1965 | 1967 | ||||
| 43000 | 76000 | 43000 | 76000 | 43000 | 76000 | 43000 | 76000 | |
| Southern | 0 | 37 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 17 |
| London Midland | 47 | 15 | 54 | 32 | 59 | 33 | 37 | 16 |
| Eastern | 58 | 15 | 56 | 5 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North Eastern | 47 | 13 | 43 | 6 | 42 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Scottish | 10 | 35 | 9 | 35 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 7 |
| 162 | 115 | 162 | 115 | 141 | 108 | 65 | 40 | |
Accidents and Incidents
- On 23 September 1954, locomotive 76017 was hauling a freight train from Banbury to Eastleigh that overran signals and was derailed by trap points at Whitchurch Town station, Hampshire. The locomotive rolled down the embankement.
- In December 1957, locomotive 76016 was hauling a freight train that overran signals and was derailed by trap points at Woodhay station, Hampshire.
- On 12 February 1960, locomotive 76026 was hauling a freight train that overran signals and was derailed by trap points at Whitchurch Town station.
 |
76074 at Ayr-July 1965. The locomotive was based at Scottish depots for all of its working life. It was based at Dumfries when I took this Photograph but was transferred to Ayr in February 1966 from where it was withdrawn from service in October 1966 |
 |
76114 on Corkerhill shed-July 1965. This was the last member of the class and enterred service at St Rollox (Glasgow) in October 1957. It was withdrawn from service at Beattock in December 1966 |
 |
76050 takes the Waverley route (towards Hawick where it was based from October 1963) out of Carlisle. This locomotive started its working life at Darlington in August 1956 before moving to West Hartlepool a month later. The photograph was taken in August 1965 and the engine was withdrawn from service the following month. |
 |
76073 at Carlisle-August 1965. 76073 was based at Dumfries from new in October 1956. It stayed there until April 1966 when it was moved to Ayr from where it was withdrawn in June 1966. |
 |
76102 on Dumfries shed-April 1966. It was based at Dumfries at the time before being moved to Hurlford the month after I took the photograph. It was withdrawn from service in December 1966. |
 |
76040 at York-February 1966. |
 |
76091 leaves Hurlford shed-July 1966. It was based in Scotland for all of its working life.It was withdrawn from service at Hurlford in December 1966 when the shed was closed. |
 |
76092 at Ayr-July 1966. This locomotive was allocated to Corkerhill when new in June 1957 . Its only other base was Hurlford from May 1964 until August 1966 |
 |
76101 at Ayr-July 1966. Another locomotive based entirely in Scotland. It was withdrawn from service at Ayr in December 1966 when the shed closed. |
Preservation
Although building of this class of 115 locomotives was split between Horwich (45) and Doncaster (70) all four of the preserved engines were built at Horwich.
Three of the locomotives (76077, 76079 and 76084) were all withdrawn from Wigan Springs Branch in December 1967.
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 