BR Standard 7MT 4-6-2
Welcome to scot-rail.co.uk, Scotland's online railway community. The group is for any rail enthusiast interested in the railways and trains of Scotland. It not only consists of the wiki that you're reading now, but a busy online forum and mailing list, which was accessible to registered users. From April 2024 the forum has closed, with a replacement started on Groups.io.
Breadcrumb navigation
The British Railways Standard 'Britannia' Class 7 steam locomotives, with 4-6-2 wheel arrangement, were built from 1951 to 1954 primarily for use on express passenger trains.
Fifty-five of these engines were built, 70000-70054, and all but one were named.
Fifty-five of these engines were built, 70000-70054, and all but one were named.
70013 Oliver Cromwell arriving into Glasgow Central with the 1Z60 Preston to Glasgow leg of the Great Britain III tour, on April 9th, 2010 Photo by class47man
- 5 members of the class were delivered new to the Scottish Region in 1954.
- The pair reallocated to Holbeck MPD worked the 'The Thames-Clyde Express' north of Leeds to Glasgow St Enoch.
The 'Firth' named Locomotives
Number | Name | New | To Shed | First | Reallocation | Next | To Carlisle | Withdrawn |
70049 | SOLWAY FIRTH | 07/54 | (6J Holyhead) | ~ | ~ | ~ | 10/64 (12A, 12B) | 12/67 (at 12A) |
70050 | FIRTH OF CLYDE | 08/54 | 66A Polmadie | 04/62 | 67A Corkerhill | 12/62 to 6J | 01/66 (12A) | 08/66 (at 12A) |
70051 | FIRTH OF FORTH | 08/54 | 66A Polmadie | 04/62 | 67A Corkerhill | 12/62 to 6J | 01/66 (12A) | 12/67 (at 12A) |
70052 | FIRTH OF TAY | 08/54 | 66A Polmadie | 04/62 | 67A Corkerhill | 10/62 to 5A | 01/66 (12A) | 04/67 (at 12A) |
70053 | MORAY FIRTH | 09/54 | 66A Polmadie | 11/58 | (55A Holbeck) | 08/62 to 5A | 01/66 (12A) | 04/67 (at 12A) |
70054 | DORNOCH FIRTH | 09/54 | 66A Polmadie | 11/58 | (55A Holbeck) | 08/62 to 5A | 01/66 (12A) | 11/66 (at 12A) |
- The 'Firth' namplates were fitted soon after the locos entered service at Polmadie. The exception was 70049, never allocated to a Scottish shed, but named in May 1960 when it was a Newton Heath based loco.
- Another loco with a Scottish name was 70006 'Robert Burns', initially operating on the Great Eastern section, but transferred to 12A in December 1963.
- By 1965 most of the class had lost their nameplates and were turned out in unlined BR green livery.
- From December 1963, the class began to be transferred to the Carlisle area, with Kingmoor (12A) gaining 9 locos, and Upperby (12B) with 6.
- From the Summer of 1965, the class were used on boat trains from Carlisle to Stranraer (via Annbank)
- At the end of December 1966, Carlisle Upperby (12B) closed and it locos moved to Kingmoor, giving 12A an allocation of 38 Brits.
- In 1967, Britannia class locos based at Carlisle Kingmoor (12A) were the last BR owned steam locomotives to operate into Scotland.
- Kingmoor steam shed closed on 31/12/67 with .
- 42 of the class were broken up in Scottish scrap yards.
Preservation
- Two of the class were preserved, 70000 'Britannia', and 70013 'Oliver Cromwell.
- In April 2010, 70013 came to Scotland on the Railway Touring Company's 'Great Britain III' railtour.
- Friday 9th it worked Preston to Glasgow Central via Beattock, then stabled at Cadder Yard.
- Sunday 11th it worked Springburn to Inverness via Stirling, Dundee, Aberdeen and Elgin.
- Tuesday 13th it worked double headed with K4 61994 from Inverness to Perth, then solo Dundee to Edinburgh via Tay and Forth Bridges.
- 70013 then ran to Bo'ness.
- Sunday 18th, 70013 worked morning and afternoon 'Forth Circle' SRPS railtours, from Linlithgow & Dalmeny, via Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline, Alloa, Stirling and Falkirk.
- Friday 23rd, the loco work the southbound leg of RTC's 'The Auld Reekie' tour from Edinburgh to Manchester Victoria, via Beattock.
- March 17th 2012, 70013 hauled RTC's 'The Heart of Midlothian' tour from York to Edinburgh via the ECML. Then ran light Thornton Yard.
- March 24th 2012, 70013 hauled RTC's the southbound leg of 'The Auld Reekie' tour from Edinburgh to Manchester Victoria, via Beattock.
- April 21st 2012, 70013 hauled RTC's 'The Great Britain V' tour on Day 1 from York to Edinburgh via the ECML. The following day the loco ran south from Joppa to Carnforth via Beattock.
See Also
- The end of BR steam in Scotland?
- Charter Trains 2010, 2012
- BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0
External Photo Links
- Railphotoprints - 70037 at Lockerbie on a milk train, July 1965
- Railphotoprints - 70052 at Glasgow Central, 1962
- Railphotoprints - 70014 at Perth MPD, July 1965
- Rail-online - 70051 at Polmadie MPD, 1950s
- SmugMug - 70052 at Carstairs on a down express, 1950s
- SmugMug - 70053 at Corkerhill MPD, January 1961
- SmugMug - 70051, northbound at Motherwell 11-8-1967
- RailScot - 70000 at Hawick on a Goods train, no date.
- RailScot - 70037 at Hawick on a Ruggex, Feb 1965
- Flickr - 70049 at Beattock Summit, August 1960
- Flickr - 70031 leaving Perth with a fish train, June 1965
- Flickr - 70006 arriving at Larbert, March 1966
- Flickr - 70051 in Edinburgh Waverley, April 1966
- Flickr - 70023 at Aberdeen Ferryhill MPD, May 22, 1967
- Flickr - 70024 at Gretna Junction, July 1967
- Flickr - Scottish Steam 1947-1967 group
- Flickr - Railways and trains of Scotland group
- Flickr - Britannia Class Locos in Scotland (Gallery).