Alex Coomber
Here's a story about this Steam Locomotive. This Steam Loco is a Coronation Class 4-6-2 No. 46256 Sir William A Stanier FRS. Continuing our look at the Coronation Class with this photo of one of the youngest members. 46256 Sir William A Stanier FRS. In 1938. The Second batch of locomotives was built. But they were painted in crimson lake with gilt horizontal lining. In 1939. The New Duchess of Hamilton swapped nameplates with 4-6220 Coronation for a tour of the USA. It was accompanied by a train of new articulated coaches matching the colour of the engine and was to visit the Worlds Fair. So for a while. There was a red 6220 Coronation with a large spotlight and bell on the front in the USA and a blue 6229 Duchess of Hamilton in the UK. This wasn't the first train trip to the USA. In 1893. The London and North West Railway sent the locomotive Queen Empress and 2 carriages to the Worlds Fair at Chicago. Then in 1933. The LMS Locomotive Royal Scot was taken for a tour of the USA followed by a 5 month display at the Century of Progress exposition in Chicago. But back to the Coronation Class. Later in 1938. The third batch was built. But Stanier decided to build them without streamlining due to the extra weight and accessibility. A fourth batch of 10 locomotives was built in 1939-40. But these were streamlined and now the war had started. It's also interesting to note that the names by now were those of cities and not royalty. Until that is. The planned No. 46244 City of Leeds was changed at the last minute to King George VI No. 46248 later becoming City of Leeds. Rather strangely. The batch of 4 built during the war were still built with streamlining despite the need for steel in the war effort. 46245 City of London was the first of this small batch. In 1944. Another batch of 4 was built unstreamlined. The problems with smoke hanging over the footplate was cured when smoke deflectors were fitted. Charles Fairburn took over as Chief Mechanical Engineer on Sir William Staniers retirement. But died in office leaving George Ivatt as CME to upgrade the last 2 locomotives in the class and the last one to be built before nationalisation. This was 46256 and it was named in honour of Sir William who actually named it himself. Sir William A Stanier FRS. The final member of the class was built at Crewe Works for British Railways in May 1948. 46257 City of Salford and amazingly neither of these last 2 upgraded machines was preserved. City of Salford was scrapped at Arnott Young in Troon in December 1964 and Sir William A Stanier FRS in the same year at Cashmores of Great Bridge.
