The last five locomotives of Henry Fowler's Patriot class on order, 5552 to 5556, were built with William Stanier's taper boiler and so became the first of the Jubilee class. 113 locomotives were ordered straight from the drawing board. They were initially a disappointment; their moderate degree of superheating often left them short of steam. Changes to the blastpipe and chimney dimensions helped to transform them.
On 29 April 1935 no. 5552, the first of the class, permanently swapped identities with no. 5642 which had been named Silver Jubilee on 19 April 1935 in recognition of the Silver Jubilee of King George V on 6 May of that year. This change gave the name to the rest of the class, see LMS Jubilee Class 5552 Silver Jubilee. Earlier on (from summer 1934), they had been known as the "Red Staniers" (because of the crimson livery), to distinguish them from the "Black Staniers" (the LMS Stanier Black Five class).[1]
Until the late 1950s, Jubilees were the largest express engine normally found on the lines running out of St Pancras or radiating from Derby. They could nevertheless be found on main lines throughout the former LMS system.
The power classification was 5XP, in common with the earlier Patriot class.[2] In January 1951 the classification was revised to 6P and in November 1955 to 6P5F but this change was not applied to the locomotives' cabsides, which continued to show 6P.[3]
Five members of the class were fitted with a double chimney at different times. 5684 Jutland was the first, fitted with a double Kylchap in 1937.[4] The double chimney did improve the power of the locos and also improved the coal consumption. It only carried this fitment for one year. 5742 Connaught was the next, being fitted with a plain double exhaust in 1940 which it carried until 1955.[4] 5553 Canada was also fitted in 1940 but carried the double chimney for a short time.[4] 5735 Comet and 5736 Phoenix were rebuilt with a 2A taper boiler and double chimney in 1942.[5] They were to have been the prototypes for the rebuilding of the entire class but were, in the end, the only Jubilees so to be treated. (They were reclassified 6P in July 1943,[6] and 7P in 1951).[7] As part of experiments at the Rugby Locomotive Testing Station, no. 45722 Defence was fitted with a double chimney from 1956 to 1957.[8] In 1961 a double exhaust was fitted to no. 45596 Bahamas which carried it through withdrawal and into preservation.
Preservation[]
Four members of the class have survived into preservation with examples from both North British and Crewe, no Derby built examples survived. Two of the surviving engines (45593 and 45596) we're purchased direct from British Railways service and the remaining two engines (45690 and 45699) we're rescued from the Woodham Brothers Scrapyard. All four have operated in preservation and all four have run on the mainline in preservation.
As of June 2024, two members of the class: 45596 Bahamas and 45699 Galatea are operational and both are mainline certified. Following a change of ownership from Tyseley Locomotive Works, 45593 Kolhapur is now undergoing an overhaul at Carnforth MPD alongside classmate 45690 Leander. Leander was withdrawn from traffic on 12 May 2024 following the expiry of it's boiler certificate.
Note: Marked names indicate that the loco is not presently wearing them. Loco numbers in bold mean their current number.
| Image | Number (LMS) | Number (BR) | Name | Built | Withdrawn | Builder | Chimney | Owner | Livery | Home Base | Current status | Mainline Certified | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5593 | 45593 | Kolhapur | December 1934 | October 1967 | North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow | Single | West Coast Railways | LMS Crimson Lake | Carnforth Motive Power Depot | Under Overhaul, Boiler Certificate Expired: N/A. | No (to be certified) | Last to be Withdrawn.
|
|
5596 | 45596 | Bahamas | January 1935 | July 1966 | Double | Bahamas Locomotive Society | BR Lined Green, Late Crest | Keighley and Worth Valley Railway | Operational, Boiler Certificate Expires: 2027 | Yes (2019-Ongoing) | Only preserved Jubilee fitted with a double chimney. | |
|
5690 | 45690 | Leander | March 1936 | March 1964 | Crewe Works | Single | Chris Beet | BR Lined Black, Early Emblem | Carnforth Motive Power Depot | Under Overhaul, Boiler Certificate Expired: May 2024 | No (2015-2023) | Black nameplate on fireman's side and red nameplate on driver's side.
|
|
5699 | 45699
(45627) |
*Galatea
(Sierra Leone) |
April 1936 | November 1964 | Single | West Coast Railways | BR Lined Green, Late Crest | Carnforth Motive Power Depot | Operational, Boiler Certificate Expires: Jan 2033 | Yes (2023-Ongoing) | Presently running as scrapped classmate 45627 Sierra Leone. |
Trivia[]
Most members of the class have during periods in preservation operated in the disguise of scrapped classmates, scrapped engines that preserved members of the class have worn in preservation include: 45552 Silver Jubilee, 45562 Alberta, 45606 Falkland Islands, 45627 Sierra Leone, 45698 Mars, 45700 Amethyst and even fictional member of the class 45750 British Standard.
As of June 2024, 45699 Galatea since July 2021 is presently dressed up as 45627 Sierra Leone. From 2019 until 2021 following a repaint into BR lined green from BR crimson 45699 was dressed up as 45562 Alberta. During the engines debut mainline test runs in 2013 following restoration from Barry Scrapyard condition, in an attempt to trick enthusiasts 45699 wore disguise of fellow preserved classmate 5690 Leander using the Leander nameplates and 5690 smokebox numberplate (Leander herself was out of traffic undergoing an overhaul at the time).
Gallery[]
