By the end of 1967 steam was concentrated in a relatively small part of the BR network. All of the Western Region steam had all gone by 1965, apart from three narrow gauge locomotives on the Vale of Rheidol, and there were no Southern Region locomotives in use after 1966. The last Eastern region locomotives were withdrawn in 1966, apart from two B1 class service engines that were based at Staveley Barrow Hill. Despite being relatively new engines only 52 standard class locomotives were still in service at the end of 1967. Of this 52, 23 were standard class 73000 locomotives, which were largely based on the Black Five, and 10 standard class 75000 engines which were a smaller version of the 73000 class.
There were still 307 locomotives operating on the Midland Region at the end of 1967. Of these 151 were Black Fives and 150 Stanier 8F 2-8-0 locomotives. The remaining 6 were Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0 locomotives (43000 class). There were no tank engines anywhere on the network. Of the 151 Black Fives still in existence 47 were withdrawn in August 1968 when steam operation ceased. The allocation and date of withdrawal of the last Black Fives is shown below.
The last timetable steam hauled passenger service was the 9:25pm train from Preston to Liverpool on the 3rd August 1968. It was hauled by 45318 which was based at Lostock Hall. The engine was formerly withdrawn from service on the 8th August 1968 and cut up at Drapers in Hull the following year.
The Fifteen Guinea Special was so named because of the high price for tickets on the railtour (15 guineas = £15 15s 0d in pre-decimal British currency). Ticket prices had been inflated due to the high demand to travel on the last BR steam-hauled mainline train.
The railtour, on the 11th August 1968, started at Liverpool Lime Street and was hauled by 45110 to Manchester Victoria. 45110 was replaced with 70013 Oliver Cromwell for the run up to Carlisle. For the first part of the return leg 44781 and 44871 double-headed the train back to Manchester Victoria. Re-joining the train at Victoria station, 45110 then worked the remainder of the journey back to Liverpool Lime Street.
45305 was allocated to the original train back in 1968 but failed the night before with a collapsed firebox brick arch and was replaced by 45110.
Of the locomotives involved in hauling the special only 44781 has not been preserved. Although 45305 was unavailable to take part it was subsequently preserved. 44781 was used for filming of the film The Virgin Soldiers at Bartlow in Essex, for which it was derailed and hung at an angle for visual effect. After filming was completed, an enthusiast purchased it, but was unable to find the amount quoted by BR to recover the engine and re-rail it. So 44781 was then sold for scrap to A.King & Sons Ltd, Norwich and cut up on site in 1968.
The end of steam-hauled trains on British Railways was a turning point in the history of rail travel in Britain. The BR steam ban was introduced the day after the railtour, on 12 August 1968, making the Fifteen Guinea Special the last steam-hauled passenger train to be run by BR on its standard gauge network (though BR would continue to operate three steam locomotives on the narrow gauge Vale of Rheidol line until it was privatised in 1989). After this point all trains in Britain would be hauled by diesel or electric power, with the exception of privately owned heritage railways and privately run charters that are now able to run on the mainline provided that the steam locomotive has received necessary certification. The only steam locomotive to which the ban did not apply was Flying Scotsman due to a clause in the contract in when it was purchased from BR in 1963.
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 