Building a Locomotive of the ‘Princess Royal’ Type in 1935

Abstract

Bigger trains, higher speeds, longer non-stop runs, more economical working — these have been the oft-repeated cries of the Railway Operating Department since railways were first created. Test runs carried out in 1934 demonstrated the capabilities of the largest type of LMS express passenger engines and gave a convincing answer to the latest demands for big loads (500 tons) to be hauled at average speeds of 60 to 70 m.p.h. The engine in this instance was the 4-6-2 Pacific type locomotive No. 6200, ‘Princess Royal’, built in 1933 (see Plate 7a), and 1935 saw the introduction of a further ten locomotives of this very successful class, all of which were built in Crewe Locomotive Works.