LMS Royal Scot Class 6115 ''Scots Guardsman''

LMS 6115 Scots Guardsman
46115 Scots Guardsman at Carlisle after working the Fellsman on Wednesday 26 August 2015
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer William Stanier Builder North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow Serial number NBL: 23610 Build date Oct 1927
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-0  • UIC 2′C h3 Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 3 1⁄2 in (1.003 m) Driver dia. 6 ft 9 in (2.057 m) Length 63 ft 0 1⁄2 in (19.22 m) Loco weight 84.90 long tons (86.26 t; 95.09 short tons) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 9 long tons (9.1 t; 10.1 short tons) Water cap 3,500 imp gal (16,000 l; 4,200 US gal) later: 4,000 imp gal (18,000 l; 4,800 US gal) Boiler G10¼S; rebuilt: 2A Boiler pressure 225 lbf/in2 (1.55 MPa) Cylinders Three Cylinder size 18 in × 26 in (457 mm × 660 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts Valve type Piston valves
Performance figures Tractive effort 33,150 lbf (147.46 kN)
Career Operators London, Midland and Scottish Railway → British Railways Power class 6P; reclassified 7P in 1951 Numbers LMS: 6115 BR: 46115 Axle load class BR: Route Availability 9 Withdrawn January 1966 Current owner West Coast Railways Disposition Undergoing overhaul

London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Royal Scot Class 6115 (later 46115) Scots Guardsman is a preserved British steam locomotive.

History

6115 was built in 1927 by the North British Locomotive Company in Springburn, Glasgow. It was named Scots Guardsman in 1928 after the Scots Guards. After receiving smoke deflectors, it starred in the 1936 film Night Mail.

6115 was rebuilt in 1947 with a new tapered type 2A boiler, and was painted in LMS 1946-style black livery. It was the first of the rebuilt engines to receive smoke deflectors and the only one to run with them as an LMS engine. It was renumbered 46115 by British Railways in 1948 and was withdrawn in January 1966.

Overview

Scots Guardsman is one of two preserved Royal Scots, the other being LMS Royal Scot Class 6100 Royal Scot.

46115 was purchased by the West Coast Railways and in 2008, it was restored to main-line running standard. Her first test run from Carnforth to Hellifield was completed on 20 June 2008. The loco was then moved back into the depot at Steamtown and repainted BR Brunswick Green, appearing in this livery at the Steamtown Open Weekend on 26/27 July 2008. The loco then hauled its first railtour called 'The Settle-Carlisle Venturer' from Hellifield to Carlisle and returned on 16 August 2008.

Allocations

The shed locations of 46115 on particular dates:

Fame in preservation

46115 Scots Guardsman at Hellifield

In the 1970s, she was based on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway during the mainline steam ban on BR (which was broken in 1971). Due to the branch being only able to operate small engines in the early days of preservation and the weight of 46115 being too much for some bridges, she didn't see that much use on the line and eventually departed from the KWVR in the mid-70s to operate on the mainline.

On 6 September 2009, 46115 worked "The Yorkshire Scot" from Liverpool Lime Street to York running via Manchester Victoria, Rochdale and Leeds. The tour was run as a special for the centenary of the Girl Guides; she was also for the occasion temporarily renamed to 46168's name The Girl Guide; she was, however, not re-numbered.

In May 2014, she made her second visit to a heritage railway ever, when she visited the Mid Norfolk Railway at Dereham for their West Coast Railways steam gala, during which she ran alongside fellow Carnforth-based engines LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 45699 Galatea and LMS Stanier 8F 2-8-0 48151. All three engines ran in Triple Headed formation from Carnforth to Dereham on Thursday 29 May. The three engines then ran during the three day gala from Friday 30 May to Sunday 1 June. The following day, Monday 2 June, the three engines returned to Carnforth along with the nine BR Mark 1 coaches which had also been provided for the gala (due to most coaches at the Mid Norfolk Railway being air braked and the three visitors only being vacuum braked).

Scots Guardsman passing through Clapham with 45699 Galatea and 48151 on her way back home to Carnforth

Over the summer, she also took turns alongside fellow Carnforth-based engines in working "The Fellsman" from Lancaster to Carlisle running via the famous Settle and Carlisle Line both ways. Other summer workings include "The Dalesman" from York to Carlisle running down the Settle and Carlisle with steam taking over at Hellifield, the Cumbrian Mountain Express from London Euston to Carlisle, with one way being worked over Shap Summit and the other traveling down the Settle and Carlisle Line, and the West Coast Railways "Scarborough Spa Express" from York to Scarborough running via Wakefield Kirkgate and Castleford.

On 16 July 2016, 46115 made her third visit to a heritage railway when she worked The Railway Touring Company's "West Somerset Steam Express" from London Paddington to Bishops Lydeard running via Reading, Newbury and Westbury. From Bishops Lydeard S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 no 53808 took over the train for the journey to Minehead and then returned the train to Bishops Lydeard where 46115 took over for the journey back to London via the outward route.

On 26 July 2016, 46115 made her first appearance on The Conwy Valley Line when she worked RTC's "Welsh Mountaineer" from Preston to Blaenau Ffestiniog running via Chester and Llandudno Junction.^[1] This was also the first time a Royal Scot had ever gone up the branch, as none of the class ran up the line in the steam era due to the fierce 1 in 47 gradient in the Blaenau direction being unsuitable for an express passenger locomotive. Because the train had to reverse at Llandudno Junction junction in order to attack the fierce gradients on the branch whilst running forward, the Chester to Llandudno Junction section was done with 46115 running tender first.^[2]

On 15 August 2017, 46115 hauled her last railtour from Hellifield to Carlisle and return via the Settle-Carlisle line before withdrawal for overhaul; the train in question was West Coast Railways' The Dalesman from Chester to Carlisle and return. 46115 took over the train from diesel traction at Hellifield and worked along the Settle and Carlisle in both directions.

Olympic torch run

Soldiers of the Scots Guards standing beside the steam locomotive Scots Guardsman in York, before the locomotive brought the Olympic torch for the 2012 Olympic Games from York to Carlisle

2012 saw the London 2012 Olympics take place and for part of the Olympic torch relay it was decided for the York to Thirsk leg of the relay that the torch would travel by steam train. This leg of the relay took place on Wednesday 20 Jun (day 33 of 70). It had been planned that the Olympic torch would be taken by LNER Class A3 60103 Flying Scotsman. However, due to the engine's overhaul over-running due to additional problems being found with the engine, which prevented it from taking the train, it was decided that 46115 would take her place on the Olympic torch train.

46115 took the Olympic torch train from York down the ECML to Thirsk where the Olympic torch party left the train to resume the torch's journey to Carlisle. Following this the train continued onto Shildon before being hauled by a diesel back down to Eaglescliffe and then 46115 took the train back to York.^[3] 46115 was one of five steam engines to be chosen to haul the Olympic torch on its journey around the UK. The others were 7812 Erlestoke Manor (SVR), 48624 (GCR), 75029 (Whitby - Grosmont, NYMR) and 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley (Grosmont - Pickering, NYMR).

References

External links

• Scots Guardsman takes on water at Appleby, Settle and Carlisle line
• Scots Guardsman at work from onboard The Fellsman