Wigan Album

Great pics Steven

This photo and the other two of the 4-6-2 Coronation class pacifics, City of Liverpool, and City of Edinburgh,due to their pronouced sloping front over the smoke box would suggest that their had previously been streamlined. Perhaps some railway buff can conform this or otherwise. I didn't know any of the later Coronations had ever been streamlined, but these would indicate they had.Excellent photos

Yes the sloping smokebox is a sign they were steamlined. They were converted back to 'normal' just after the war and before Nationalisation in 1947.

Thanks Steven for the explanation regarding streamlining, but the other thought I had on seeing this photo was the number, with the pre-fix 4, as in 46425. I thought the 4 was only added after nationalisation, as you stated in 1947, yet this engine has LMS on the tender, which is of course before Nationalisation.46247 City of Liverpool shown here also has LMS on the tender,wundered what you make of this.

Hello Brian - Nationalisation took effect from 1st January 1948 - the new number system took effect from that date too. The numbers were changed first, then when the engines were repainted, the old L.M.S logo disappeared. It was a very slow process - the number of engines that needed the change were in the thousands and of course, Britain was virtually bankrupt after the War - all couldn't be done quickly. In fact i've seen pictures of the more 'lower order' engines in the mid 1950's still in this B.R/L.M.S state.

Steven
Thanks for that very full explanation of the change over from LMS to BR, I can see from your answers that you are a real railway buff. Thanks again for the answers and the great photo's.

Brian & Steven:- According to the spotters bible – the Ian Allan 1948 “Combined Volume” 46226 Duchess of Norfolk and 46243 City of Lancaster were still streamlined in 1948. Somewhere, up in the loft perhaps, I have info that will tell which were originally streamlined and which were not. When I find this info I will post it for you. Exellent photos, keep them coming.

Kevin. According to a couple of books I have on Stanier Pacifics, the last Duchess to be de-streamlined was 'City Of Bradford' in December 1947. Btw, 'City Of Lancaster' was the last to have it's smokebox returned to normal in November 1958.

Perhaps the Ian Allen book may have been written in 1947 and published in '48?

Stephen, at long last, I have had a search around and have found some info relating to 46243 City of Lancaster. It was the only streamliner to carry a BR number. The date of renumbering is given as April 1948. In “The Power of the Duchesses” by David Jenkinson there is a photo taken in 1948 on a “down” Glasgow train and still streamlined
(Plate 48).