Locomotives in Detail 2 - Stanier 4-6-0 Class 5 : Stanier 4-6-0 Class 5

One of the most influential of British locomotive engineers was Sir William Stanier, CME of the LMS from 1932 until 1944, whose designs, modified and developed by ivatt and Riddles, were to form the bedrock of British locomotive practice through until the construction of the last BR Standard locos in 1960.

Of the many classic designs produced by Stanier in the 1930s, the 'Black 5' 4-6-0s were perhaps his most important.

First introduced in 1934, no fewer than 842 of these mixed-traffic locomotives were constructed between then and 1951.

They were designed for a whole range of traffic from express trains to branch-line freights over the entire LMS network.

Thus it was equally possible to see the locomotives on the ex-Highland lines in the For North of Scotland as it was on the lines into Bristol and London Euston.

Moreover, with the Nationalisation of the railways in 1948 and with the redrawing of the regional boundaries during the 1950s, the class's area of operation expanded considerably, becoming, for example, regular performers on the ex-Great Central main line. With construction stretching over almost two decades, it was inevitable that there would be some experimentation with and modification to the locomotives during their career, these included alternatives types of valve gear and variations in the bearings used.

However, in all their variants, the 'Black 5s' proved themselves to be an immensely successful class and some 18 examples survive in preservation, including the pioneer, No 5000, which is now, appropriately for such an influential design, part of the National Collection.

I n the second of the new 'Locomotives in Detail' series, John Jennsion and David Clarke examine in depth the development, operation and modifications of the class from its origins before World War 2 through to final withdrawal in 1968.

Supplemented by specially prepared scale drawings and a superb selection of both mono and colour illustrations, the book is a comprehensive reference source on the class aimed both for the general enthusiast and the modeller seeking detailed reference material on the class. With the model railway market growing and with the proprietary manufacturers producing ever better and more finely-detailed models, the needs of the enthusiast and modeller for ever more detailed information grows in parallel.

This is what the new 'Locomotives in Detail' series provides, a comprehensive and detailed guide to the locomotive class featured for the modeller and historian.