It’s the first Cornish ‘Princess’ after 80 years
LMS ‘Princess Royal’ No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth made history on September 17 by becoming the first of the class to venture into Cornwall. Hauling the outbound ‘Cathedrals Express’ from London Victoria to Penzance, ‘Lizzie’ followed in the footsteps of Stanier cousin ‘Princess Coronation’ No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland, which similarly became the first ‘Duchess’ to visit the county on August 7 with the ‘Royal Duchy’ to Par. Coincidentally, the event marked 60 years since ‘Lizzies’ and ‘Duchesses’ were lent to the Western Region in February 1956 to stand in for GWR ‘Kings’, which had temporarily been withdrawn at Old Oak Common with bogie frame problems. The two ‘Princess Royals’ that took over the ‘Kings’ duties were Nos. 46207/10 Princess Arthur of Connaught and Lady Patricia; the ‘Princess Coronations’ were Nos. 46254/7, City of Stokeon-Trent and City of Salford. Although the LMR ‘Pacifics’ were allocated to the ‘Cornish Riviera Express’, none travelled further west than Plymouth. Princess Elizabeth’s great length meant that it could not be turned for the return trip on the turntable at St Blazey; instead No. 6201 was taken by diesel to Plymouth on September 18 and turned on the triangle at Laira. Turning the slightly shorter No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland at St Blazey resulted in a dispute with the landowners when contractors from Cambrian Transport removed a boundary fence to prevent it fouling the Stanier 4‑6‑2’s buffers (see SR458). Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society Chairman Clive Mojonnier reported that thanks to a superb performance by both locomotive and crew, No. 6201 arrived early into Penzance on the outward run, and was only four minutes late on arrival into London Victoria on the return leg on September 20. Aside from a minor issue with the right‑hand injector on the Up ‘Cathedrals’ (resolved en route by the footplate crew) Princess Elizabeth performed extremely well. As this issue goes to press, Princess Elizabeth is being prepared for another run at the head of the ‘Cathedrals Express’, hauling the Hanwell‑ Gloucester train on October 5.