FINAL ‘FIVES’ MARK END OF STEAM’S 50th ANNIVERSARY

Limelight shines on unlikely 1968 survivors after headline act ‘Black Five’ fails examination.

Fifty years after it hauled BR’s penultimate timetabled steamhauled main line service, ‘Black Five’ No. 45212 was one of only two 1968 ‘5MTs’ running on the main line on August 3.

Neither it nor ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ classmate No. 44871 were specifically commemorating the anniversary of the end of steam, but, appropriately, they were hauling main line charter specials in the form of the Fort William-Mallaig ‘Jacobite’. One 1968 ‘Black Five’ was expected to play a prominent part in commemorative events – No. 45231. The Stanier 4-6-0 was scheduled to participate in the Severn Valley Railway’s ‘Last Days of Steam’ event on August 4. However, it was unable to attend, having failed its fitness to run examination at Southall with injector problems. Peter Greenwood of Locomotive Services Ltd said: “It was rather academic as Network Rail’s ban on steam movements still applies in the Southall area, but we are still expecting to move it to the SVR when we are able to do so.” The ‘Black Five’s’ failure left two non-operational locomotives to take the limelight at the SVR’s gala – the aforementioned No. 45110 and 1968 veteran ‘8F’ No. 48773. Both locomotives were displayed at Kidderminster where they were reunited with members of the Master Neverers Association and ex-Rose Grove and Lostock Hall footplatemen.

At the Great Central Railway, 1968 celebrity Oliver Cromwell ran on August 4/5, alongside BR ‘5MT’ No. 73156 – running as No. 73069 – but ‘8F’ No. 48624 was sidelined owing to fire risk.

Bizarrely, another locomotive with 1968 credentials, ‘4MT’ No. 75027, was potentially in line for being sent to the Goodwood Revival on September 7-9. However, as the Riddles 4-6-0 is being prepared for display in the Bluebell Railway’s steam heritage centre, the line has elected to send ‘Dukedog’ No. 9017 in its place, for the event’s own tribute to the end of steam.

For more on the SVR and GCR events, see pages 82-86 and 88-91.

THOMAS BRIGHT/SR BEN POOLE THOMAS BRIGHT/SR ‘Fifteen Guinea’ star No. 45110 commemorated the role that other ‘5MTs’ played in the end of BR steam at the Severn Valley Railway’s ‘Last Days of Steam’ event on August 4. Still hauling ‘regular’ main line services 50 years after the end of steam, ‘Black Five’ No. 45212 stands at Fort William, driven by ex-BR fireman Bobby Duncan, and fired by Phil Akester. Complete with wreath and LCGB headboard to commemorate its role in the LCGB’s BlackburnCarnforth ‘Farewell to Steam’ railtour on August 4 1968, ‘8F’ No. 48773 is on display on Platform 2 at Kidderminster on the Severn Valley Railway, 50 years to the day later.

TOBY JENNINGS/SR Disguised as 1968 railtour celebrity No. 73069, BR ‘5MT’ 4-6-0 No. 73156 heads the Great Central Railway’s van train out of Loughborough past Charnwood Water during the ‘50 years since the end of BR steam’ event on August 5.