BR Standard 7MT 4-6-2

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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.
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Number Name New To Shed First Reallocation Next To Carlisle Withdrawn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)
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~
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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

External Photo Links


External Links