# LMS Patriot Class

The Patriot Class was a class of 52 express passenger steam locomotives built for the London Midland and Scottish Railway. The first locomotive of the class was built in 1930 and the last in 1934. The class was based on the chassis of the Royal Scot combined with the boiler from Large Claughtons earning them the nickname Baby Scots. A total of 18 were rebuilt to create the LMS Rebuilt Patriot Class between 1946 and 1948; thereafter those not subjected to rebuilding were often referred to as the Unrebuilt Patriot Class. These remaining 34 unrebuilt engines were withdrawn between 1960 and 1962.

## Overview

The first two were rebuilt in 1930 from the 1912-built LNWR Large Claughton Class, retaining the original driving wheels with their large bosses, the "double radial" bogie truck and some other parts. Of the subsequent 50 locomotives of the class 40 were nominal rebuilds of Claughtons, being in fact new builds classified as rebuilt engines so that they could be charged to revenue accounts, rather than capital. The last ten were classified as new builds.
The two former Claughtons retained their original numbers until 1934, when they were renumbered 5500–1. The 40 built as replacements took the numbers of the Claughtons that they replaced; these were renumbered 5502–41 in 1934. The remainder of the class were allocated nos. 6030–9, but were numbered 5542–51 from new. The numbering of the similar LMS Jubilee Class continued on from where the Patriots left off. This was because 5552–5556 were ordered as Patriots (to be numbered 6040–4) but built with taper boilers as Jubilees on the orders of Sir William Stanier.
Naming of the class was somewhat erratic. Some retained old Claughton names, whilst others continued the military associations of the names Patriot and St Dunstans, and 13 carried names of holiday resorts served by the LMS. Seven remained unnamed, although they had been allocated names in 1943.
Many of the 52 members of the Patriot Class spent the bulk of their working careers in England, primarily on the West Coast Main Line. Most of them were stationed at the Crewe North and Carlisle Upperby, though a few were stationed at Edge Hill, Bushbury, Camden, Willesden, Carlisle Kingmoor and other locations in the area. They were primarily used as express engines, but were later tasked with occasional mixed traffic work once the diesel engines arrived on the network.

### Rebuilding

Between 1946 and 1949, eighteen members were rebuilt with Stanier 2A boiler, cab and tender, though again these were largely paper rebuilds, based on the LMS Rebuilt Royal Scot Class. Seven (Nos 5514/21/6/9-31/40) had been rebuilt by the start of 1948 when British Railways inherited the remaining 45 Baby Scots. In March 1948 BR added 40000 to their numbers to number them 45500–13/15-20/2-5/7/8/32-9/41-51. Subsequently, BR rebuilt another 11, so that the rebuilt engines were (4)5512/14/21–23/25–32/34–36/45. The two original members of the class, and the first ten of the nominal rebuilds, were not rebuilt due to their non-standard parts.
| Year | Number rebuilt | Numbers |
| 1946 | 2 | 5521/30 |
| 1947 | 5 | 5514/26/9/31/40 |
| 1948 | 10 | 45512/23/5/7/8/32/4-6/45 |
| 1949 | 1 | 45522 |
| Total | 18 | |

## Details

Note some never received BR numbers as unrebuilt engines because either they were rebuilt by the LMS. In the table below BR numbers for BR-rebuilt engines are given, but some engines may not have received BR numbers while in an unrebuilt condition as renumbering took several years (sources should indicate these).
Full stock list table :
| Pre- 1934 LMS No. | Post 1934 LMS No. | BR No. | Name(s) (dates) | Built | Works | Rebuilt | Withdrawn | Notes |
| 5971 | 5500 | 45500 | Croxteth (until 1937) Patriot (Feb. 1937) | November 1930 | Derby | | March 1961 | |
| 5902 | 5501 | 45501 | Sir Frank Ree (until 1937) St. Dunstans (1937) | November 1930 | Derby | | September 1961 | |
| 5959 | 5502 | 45502 | Royal Naval Division (1937) | July 1932 | Crewe | | September 1960 | |
| 5985 | 5503 | 45503 | The Leicestershire Regiment (1938) The Royal Leicestershire Regiment (Nov. 1948). | July 1932 | Crewe | | August 1961 | |
| 5987 | 5504 | 45504 | Royal Signals (1937) | July 1932 | Crewe | | March 1962 | |
| 5949 | 5505 | 45506 | The Royal Army Ordnance Corps (1947) | August 1932 | Crewe | | June 1962 | |
| 5974 | 5506 | 45506 | The Royal Pioneer Corps (Sep. 1948) | August 1932 | Crewe | | March 1962 | |
| 5936 | 5507 | 45507 | Royal Tank Corps (1937) | August 1932 | Crewe | | October 1962 | |
| 6010 | 5508 | 45508 | | August 1932 | Crewe | | November 1960 | Fitted with stovepipe chimney in 1956. |
| 6005 | 5509 | 45509 | The Derbyshire Yeomanry (1951) | August 1932 | Crewe | | August 1961 | |
| 6012 | 5510 | 45510 | | August 1932 | Crewe | | June 1962 | |
| 5942 | 5511 | 45511 | Isle of Man (1938) | September 1932 | Crewe | | February 1961 | |
| 5966 | 5512 | 45512 | Bunsen | September 1932 | Crewe | July 1948 | March 1965 | |
| 5958 | 5513 | 45513 | | September 1932 | Crewe | | September 1962 | 1943 name allocated: Sir W.A. Stanier. |
| 5983 | 5514 | n/a | Holyhead (1938) | September 1932 | Crewe | March 1947 | May 1961 | |
| 5992 | 5515 | 45515 | Caernarvon (1939) | October 1932 | Crewe | | June 1962 | |
| 5982 | 5516 | 45516 | The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. (1938) | October 1932 | Crewe | | August 1961 | |
| 5952 | 5517 | 45517 | | February 1933 | Crewe | | June 1962 | |
| 6006 | 5518 | 45518 | Bradshaw (1939) | February 1933 | Crewe | | October 1962 | |
| 6008 | 5519 | 45519 | Lady Godiva | February 1933 | Crewe | | March 1962 | |
| 5954 | 5520 | 45520 | Llandudno (1937) | February 1933 | Derby | | May 1962 | |
| 5933 | 5521 | | Rhyl (1937) | March 1933 | Derby | November 1946 | September 1963 | |
| 5973 | 5522 | 45522 | Prestatyn (1939) | March 1933 | Derby | January 1949 | September 1964 | |
| 6026 | 5523 | 45523 | Bangor (1938) | March 1933 | Crewe | October 1948 | January 1964 | |
| 5907 | 5524 | 45524 | Sir Frederick Harrison (until 1937) Blackpool (1937) | March 1933 | Crewe | | September 1962 | |
| 5916 | 5525 | 45525 | E. Tootal Broadhurst (until 1937) |Colwyn Bay (1937) | March 1933 | Derby | August 1948 | n/a | |
| 5963 | 5526 | n/a | Morecambe and Heysham (1937) | March 1933 | Derby | February 1947 | n/a | |
| 5944 | 5527 | 45527 | Southport (1937) | April 1933 | Derby | September 1948 | n/a | |
| 5996 | 5528 | 45528 | | April 1933 | Derby | September 1948 | n/a | |
| 5926 | 5529 | n/a | Sir Herbert Walker K.C.B. (until 1937) | April 1933 | Crewe | July 1947 | | |
| 6022 | 5530 | n/a | Sir Frank Ree (1937) | April 1933 | Crewe | October 1946 | | Name transferred from 5501. |
| 6027 | 5531 | n/a | Sir Frederick Harrison (1937) | April 1933 | Crewe | December 1947 | | Name transferred from 5524. |
| 6011 | 5532 | 45532 | Illustrious | April 1933 | Crewe | June 1948 | n/a | |
| 5905 | 5533 | 45533 | Lord Rathmore | April 1933 | Derby | | September 1962 | |
| 5935 | 5534 | 45534 | E. Tootal Broadhurst (1937) | April 1933 | Crewe | December 1948 | - | Name transferred from 5525. |
| 5997 | 5535 | 45535 | Sir Herbert Walker K.C.B. (1937) | May 1933 | Derby | September 1948 | n/a | Name transferred from 5529. |
| 6018 | 5536 | 45536 | Private W. Wood V.C. (1936) | May 1933 | Crewe | November 1948 | n/a | |
| 6015 | 5537 | 45537 | Private E. Sykes V.C. | July 1933 | Crewe | | June 1962 | |
| 6000 | 5538 | 45538 | Giggleswick (1938) | July 1933 | Crewe | | September 1962 | |
| 5925 | 5539 | 45539 | E. C. Trench | July 1933 | Crewe | | September 1961 | |
| 5901 | 5540 | n/a | Sir Robert Turnbull | August 1933 | Crewe | October 1947 | n/a | |
| 5903 | 5541 | 45541 | Duke of Sutherland | August 1933 | Crewe | | June 1962 | |
| | 5542 | 45542 | | March 1934 | Crewe | | June 1962 | |
| | 5543 | 45543 | Home Guard (1940) | March 1934 | Crewe | | November 1962 | |
| | 5544 | 45544 | | March 1934 | Crewe | | November 1962 | |
| | 5545 | 45545 | | March 1934 | Crewe | November 1948 | |
| | 5546 | 45546 | Fleetwood (1938) | March 1934 | Crewe | | June 1962 | |
| | 5547 | 45547 | | April 1934 | Crewe | | September 1962 | |
| | 5548 | 45548 | Lytham St. Annes (1937) | April 1934 | Crewe | | June 1962 | |
| | 5549 | 45549 | | April 1934 | Crewe | | June 1962 | 1943 name allocated: R.A.M.C. |
| | 5550 | 45550 | | May 1934 | Crewe | | November 1962 | 1943 name allocated: Sir Henry Fowler |
| | 5551 | 45551 | | May 1934 | Crewe | | June 1962 | Replica of original engine under construction. Replica to be named "The Unknown Warrior", original engine never named. |

## Accidents and incidents

* On 13 March 1935, a milk train, hauled by LMS Compound 4-4-0 No. 1165, was in a rear-end collision with an express freight train, hauled LNWR Claughton Class 4-6-0 No. 5946, at King's Langley, Hertfordshire due to a signalman's error. No. 5511 was hauling a freight train that collided with the wreckage. A coal train hauled by LMS Class 7F 0-8-0 No. 9598 then ran into the wreck. 1 person was killed.
* On 16 October 1939, No. 5544 was hauling a train that was in a collision with another train at Winwick Junction, Cheshire and was derailed.
* On 13 October 1940, No. 5529 was hauling an express passenger train that collided with a platform barrow obstructing the line at Wembley Central station, Middlesex and was derailed. Several people were killed and many more were injured.

## Withdrawal

All of the unrebuilt Patriots were withdrawn between 1960 and 1962 in accordance with the BR Modernisation Plan.
| Year | Quantity in service at start of year | Quantity withdrawn | Locomotive numbers |
| 1960 | 34 | 2 | 45502/08 |
| 1961 | 32 | 8 | 45500–01/03/09/11/16/39/44 |
| 1962 | 24 | 24 | 45504–07/10/13/15/17–20/24/33/37–38/41–43/46–51 |

## New Build

No Patriot in either rebuilt or unrebuilt form survived into preservation; however, a replica of no.5551 is under construction. The LMS-Patriot Project, a registered charity, is building a replica which will carry the number of the last built – LMS number 5551 or British Railways number 45551. It will be named The Unknown Warrior.

## In fiction

This class of engine forms the basis of the Big City Engine from the Railway Series of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry.

## Models

Both Hornby and Bachmann have produced OO gauge models.
Hornby first introduced an original Patriot in the 1979 catalogue that has remained in production and now forms part of the 'Railroad' budget (i.e. toy) range. The following models have been produced:
| Product Ref. | Number | Name | Livery |
| R308 | 5533 | Lord Rathmore | LMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors |
| R311 | 5541 | Duke of Sutherland | LMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors |
| R324 | 45519 | Lady Godiva | BR black, lined, BRITISH RAILWAYS lettering |
| R357 (1979) | 5541 | Duke of Sutherland | LMS crimson lake |
| R578 | 45537 | Private E Sykes VC | BR Brunswick green, early logo |
| R2182 | 45515 | Caernarvon | BR Brunswick green, late logo |
| R2182A | 5539 | E.C. Trench | LMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors |
| R2208 | 45514 | Holyhead | LMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors |
| R2633 | 45545 | Planet | BR Brunswick green, late logo |
| R2634 | 45512 | Bunsen | BR Brunswick green, early logo |
| R2726 | 45536 | Private W Wood VC | BR Brunswick green, early logo |
| R2936 | 5532 | Illustrious | LMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors |
| R3154 | 45539 | E.C. Trench | BR Brunswick green, late logo |
| R3278 | 45518 | Bradshaw | BR Brunswick green, early logo |
Bachmann Industries make a more up-to-date tooling of the original Patriot, also in OO gauge. The following models have been produced:
| Product Ref. | Number | Name | Livery |
| 31-210 | 45503 | The Royal Leicestershire Regiment | BR Brunswick green, early logo |
| 31-211 | 45543 | Home Guard | BR Brunswick green, late logo |
| 31-212 | 5541 | Duke of Sutherland | LMS crimson lake, with smoke deflectors) |
| 31-213 | 45504 | Royal Signals | BR Brunswick green with late logo |
| 31-214 | 45538 | Giggleswick | BR Brunswick green with early logo |
| 31-215 | Replica 5551 | The Unknown Warrior | Preserved LMS crimson lake with smoke deflectors, as will be preserved |