The Locomotive

Cecil J Allen in Fifty Years of Euston-Crewe Locomotive Performance (Trains Illustrated Annual 1961) stated:

At their best, the 'George the Fifth' 4-4-0s were, with the exception of the later Southern 'Schools', the most competent engines of this wheel arrangement that have ever worked over British metals.

We have an Ambitious Target

Unfortunately, none of the LNWR 20th Century passenger locomotives survived into preservation - the final three were lined up at Crewe in 1949 for possible preservation but that was not to be. Bruce Nixon, like many people, thought this was a tragic loss of an important part of railway heritage. So a few years ago Bruce started a campaign to construct a new-build George the Fifth class locomotive - a beautiful, compact and very powerful 4-4-0 first built in 1910 that would be relatively cheap to build and run.

The construction of this locomotive to 21st century main line standards is an interesting and challenging project as whilst it will look like the original it will incorporate improvements to deal with known defects that emerged over time and it will incorporate modern materials and technologies (and other improvements) to comply with mainline use and further improve its already exceptional performance. It will be able to work both heritage and main lines to earn its keep.

George the Fifth 4-4-0 Express Passenger Engines

Charles Bowen Cooke became CME of the L&NWR in 1909, inheriting from his predecessor, George Whale, the reliable and competent ‘Precursor’ and ‘Experiment’ 4-4-0 express passenger classes. Cooke was very much aware of technical developments elsewhere, particularly in Germany, where 'Hot Steam Willy' Schmidt extolled the virtues of high temperature superheated steam.

Cooke built the first of the ‘George The Fifth' Class in 1910. The railway was keen to make the most of its connections with royalty, and indeed the Royal family embraced rail travel as the most practical way to meet the people. Hence, within weeks of King George the Fifth's accession to the throne the first locomotive of the class was named after the new King. A year later, another of the Class was named 'Coronation' to honour King George's coronation, and this locomotive was specially clean, even by the very high standards of the time.

Cooke made sure his new locomotive benefited from a good steam circuit. For a clear comparison, he built another locomotive, named Queen Mary, without superheating. Nine more of each followed, and these were carefully monitored in an extended trial. The results were spectacular; the superheated engine could average a mile a minute from Euston to Crewe, with 25% less fuel consumption.

This was the first and most comprehensive demonstration of the advantages of superheating on Britain's railways, and the George the Fifth Class became famous for its feats of haulage.

High-temperature superheat was arguably the principal development in steam locomotive design in the twentieth century. It reduced fuel consumption and made more effective use of the steam to enable high power outputs.

A small group of like-minded enthusiasts got together and began enrolling supporters and raised enough cash to start construction of a new build 'George the Fifth' in 2013. On the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first son, Prince George in 2013, the Trust was granted permission to name the locomotive 'PRINCE GEORGE' in honour of George the Fifth's great-great-great grandson, with the number 2013.

More details here on David Joy - the twentieth-century draughtsman!

LWNR No	LNWR name	Crewe Works Mo	Date built	LMS No	Date withdrawn	Notes
2663	George the Fifth	4970	Jul-10	5320	Feb-36
1294	F. S. P. Wolferstan	4971	Nov-10	5322	Dec-38	†
1725	John Bateson	4972	Nov-10	5324	Nov-38	†
2155	W. C. Brocklehurst	4973	Nov-10	5326	Dec-36	†
1059	Lord Loch	4974	Nov-10	5321	Feb-48	†
1583	Henry Ward	4975	Nov-10	5323	Sep-39	†
2025	Sir Thomas Brooke	4976	Dec-10	5325	May-37	†
228	E. Nettlefold	4977	Jan-11	5327	Sep-36
445	P. H. Chambres	4978	Jan-11	5328	Nov-35
2664	Queen Mary	4979	Jul-10	5329	Mar-36	Built as “Queen Mary” class; converted June 1913
2168	Henry Maudslay	4980	Jan-11	5339	Apr-37	†
238	F. W. Webb	4981	Oct-10	5336	Mar-36	Built as “Queen Mary” class; converted Sept 1914
896	George Whale	4982	Oct-10	5332	Feb-36	Built as “Queen Mary” class; converted Jan 1914
1195	T. J. Hare	4983	Oct-10	5337	Jul-36	Built as “Queen Mary” class; converted Sept 1914
1550	Westminster	4984	Oct-10	5330	Sep-36	Built as “Queen Mary” class; converted Sept 1913
1559	Drake	4985	Oct-10	5333	Mar-36	Built as “Queen Mary” class; converted Jan 1914
2151	Newcomen	4986	Oct-10	5334	Nov-37	Built as “Queen Mary” class; converted April 1914
2271	J. P. Bickersteth	4987	Oct-10	5331	Nov-38	Built as “Queen Mary” class; converted November 1913
2507	Miles MacInnes	4988	Oct-10	5335	Nov-35	Built as “Queen Mary” class; converted January 1914
2512	Thomas Houghton	4989	Oct-10	5338	Nov-35	Built as “Queen Mary” class; converted October 1914
956	Bulldog	4990	Apr-11	5340	Nov-35	Named Dachshund until December 1915 #
1489	Wolfhound	4991	Apr-11	5341	Mar-36
1504	Boarhound	4992	Apr-11	5342	Nov-35
1513	Otterhound	4993	May-11	5343	Apr-36
1532	Bloodhound	4994	May-11	5344	Jan-37	†
1628	Foxhound	4995	May-11	5345	Dec-33	†
1662	Deerhound	4996	May-11	5346	Feb-36
1706	Elkhound	4997	May-11	5347	Dec-40	†
1792	Staghound	4998	May-11	5353	Jun-36
2495	Bassethound	4999	May-11	5357	Jan-39	†
1800	Coronation	5000	Jun-11	5348	Jun-40	† Ran briefly as no. 5000 #
502	British Empire	5001	Jun-11	5349	Jul-36
868	India	5002	Jun-11	5350	May-48	‡
882	Canada	5003	Jun-11	5351	Feb-36
1218	Australia	5004	Jun-11	5352	Nov-35
2081	New Zealand	5005	Jun-11	5354	Jan-36
2212	South Africa	5006	Jun-11	5355	Jul-36
2291	Gibraltar	5007	Jun-11	5356	Aug-41	†
2177	Malta	5008	Jul-11	5358	Nov-36
2498	Cyprus	5009	Jul-11	5359	Dec-36
361	Beagle	5010	Jul-11	5360	Sep-37	†
888	Challenger	5011	Jul-11	5361	Nov-35
1360	Fire Queen	5012	Jul-11	5362	Mar-39	†
1394	Harrier	5013	Jul-11	5363	Feb-36
2494	Perseus	5014	Aug-11	5368	Nov-36
1623	Nubian	5015	Aug-11	5364	Nov-36
1631	Racehorse	5016	Aug-11	5365	Apr-37	†
1644	Roebuck	5017	Aug-11	5366	Nov-36
2089	Traveller	5018	Aug-11	5367	Dec-36
2220	Vanguard	5019	Aug-11	5374	Nov-38	†
1371	Quail	5020	Sep-11	5369	Sep-36	†
1417	Landrail	5021	Sep-11	5370	Dec-36
1472	Moorhen	5022	Sep-11	5371	Oct-39	†
1595	Wild Duck	5023	Sep-11	5372	Dec-36	†
1681	Ptarmigan	5024	Sep-11	5373	May-48	‡
1713	Partridge	5025	Sep-11	5375	Dec-35
1730	Snipe	5026	Oct-11	5376	Dec-47	†
1733	Grouse	5027	Oct-11	5377	Jul-37	†
1777	Widgeon	5028	Oct-11	5378	Jun-37	†
1799	Woodcock	5029	Oct-11	5379	Aug-36
82	Charles Dickens	5118	Jan-13	5380	Feb-37	†
752	John Hick	5119	Feb-13	5381	Nov-35
2124	John Rennie	5120	Feb-13	5382	Jun-37	†
1138	William Froude	5121	Feb-13	5385	Aug-36
2154	William Siemens	5122	Feb-13	5387	Feb-37	†
2282	Richard Arkwright	5123	Feb-13	5388	Apr-36
89	John Mayall	5124	Mar-13	5383	May-36
132	S. R. Graves	5125	Mar-13	5384	Feb-36
1193	Edward Tootal	5126	Mar-13	5386	Jan-36
2279	Henry Crossfield	5127	Mar-13	5395	Feb-37	†
681	St. George	5128	Apr-13	5390	Nov-35
845	Saddleback	5129	Mar-13	5391	Feb-36
1188	Penmaenmawr	5130	Apr-13	5392	Feb-41	†
1680	Loyalty	5131	Apr-13	5393	May-41	†
2086	Phaeton	5132	Apr-13	5394	Jul-36
404	Eclipse	5133	Apr-13	5389	Jun-37	†
1481	Typhon	5134	Apr-13	5396	Oct-36
2197	Planet	5135	Apr-13	5397	Dec-35
2242	Meteor	5136	May-13	5398	Oct-36
2428	Lord Stalbridge	5137	May-13	5399	Jul-36
363	Llandudno	5237	May-15	5400	Nov-35
789	Windermere	5238	May-15	5401	Feb-36
984	Carnarvon	5239	May-15	5402	Jun-36
104	Leamington Spa	5242	Jun-15	5403	Nov-35	Named Leamington until December 1915
226	Colwyn Bay	5243	Jun-15	5404	Feb-36
1086	Conway	5244	Jun-15	5405	Jan-36
2153	Llandrindod	5240	Jun-15	5406	Apr-37	†
2233	Blackpool	5241	Jun-15	5407	Nov-35
2106	Holyhead	5245	Jul-15	5408	May-37	†
2370	Dovedale	5246	Jul-15	5409	Jun-39	†

† Locomotives that had 20000 added to their number from 1934
‡ Locomotives that had 20000 added to their number from 1934, and were allocated the BR numbers 58011 (25350) and 58012 (25373 Ptarmigan). Neither survived long enough to carry them.