In December 1926 the directors of the L.M.S. Railway Company ordered that 50 locomotives be built straight from the drawing board. It was the intention that they would be ready for the 1927 summer service. The L.M.S. workshops could not hope to build this many in such a short time, consequently the order was placed with the North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow, which had two large plants, one at Hyde Park and the other at Queen's Park. The building of the Royal Scot Locomotives, as they had been designated, was split equally between the two plants. They were allocated numbers 6100 - 6149. It is the engines built at the Queens Park plant that interest us, in particular No. 6119. This was released as per the photograph below which depicts number 6100; this would later be named Royal Scot.

"6100 brand new @ Euston in 1927"

The L.M.S. logo was positioned on the side of the drivers cab, with the engine
number on the tender sides. The tender held 3500 gallons of water and 5.5 tons of coal... The engine had a parallel cylindrical boiler; the diameter of the smokebox was larger, with a short chimney perched on top. Also on the smokebox can be seen the diamond shaped works plate. The splasher over the leading drive wheel sported a backplate that would later take the nameplate. The first noticeable difference was when it appeared with a name LANCASHIRE FUSILIER, with the number on the cabside, and the company logo making way for L.M.S. on the tender. These changes can be seen on the photograph below, and the photograph in William Daniels locker. (see the L.Fs. website)

6119 LANCASHIRE FUSILIER

In 1931 a train travelling at 55+ m.p.h. was derailed when being switched from the fast to the slow lines. This was a manoeuvre that should have been performed at no more than 20 m.p.h.. It was alleged that smoke had obscured the drivers view causing him to miss the speed warnings. This problem with smoke, due to the large boiler and short chimney on the Royal Scots, was well known. Following on from the accident it was decided to fit smoke deflectors to help in lifting the smoke out of the driver's vision.

LANCASHIRE FUSILIER shows off its new smoke deflectors, (fitted in Jan 1932) as it pokes out its nose from the shed at Perth.

The final change to the parallel boiler LACASHIRE FUSILIER was a change from flat plate to one's angled in at the top deflectors. Note also the Stanier 9 ton tender.

. LANCASHIRE FUSILIER PASSES BRINKLOW IN 1937 ON A UP EXPRESS

PULLING THE ROYAL TRAIN IN 1933

Note the three lamps on the buffer beam and one in the upper centre of the smokebox door this code was used to designate Royal Trains.

William Stanier had already made detail changes in the design of the Royal Scot Engines, since becoming Chief Mechanical Engineer of the L.M.S. in Jan. 1932, one being the introduction of a 4000 gallon, 9 ton tender in July 1936. More drastic changes were to happen.

In September 1944, 6119 LANCASHIRE FUSILIER was rebuilt with a Stanier taper boiler, double chimney and retaining the 4000 gallon tender. The photograph below shows off the aesthetic lines of the re-built engines, which would gain the reputation of becoming one of the finest 4-6-0 designs on British railways.

6103 ROYAL SCOT FUSILIER @ CREWE WORKS

We look at the final form of LANCASHIRE FUSILIER fitted with its British Railway designed smoke deflectors in Sept. 1949. Not a feature that enhanced the look of the engines.

6119 LANCASHIRE FUSILIER @ SHEWSBURY

DIARY of 6119 LANCASHIRE FUSILIER BUILT: North British Company's Queen's Park Plant. COST: £7,744 COMPLETED IN: November 1927 NAMED: April 1928 DEFLECTORS: Jan 1932 original flat. May 1933 bevelled. REBUILT: September 1944 RENUMBERED: July 1948 by adding the 4 to become 46119. DEFLECTORS: British Railway's type fitted in September 1949. ACCIDENT: August 27th. 1950 at Penmaenmawr Click here to go to the Ministry of Transport Accident Report WITHDRAWN: November 1963 CUT UP: Crewe 1963 MILEAGE: 2,142,626 approx

A number of the nameplates can be seen at the Lancashire Fusiliers Museum Bury.

The LF Museum Collection of Name Plates

This steam engine was not the only railway locomotive named in honour of the regiment. The diesel No. 45123 was so named at Manchester Piccadilly Station on Halloween 1963.

Then of course we have the recent re-naming and dedication of a Metrolink Tram. These are stories for others to write. (Over to you Norman)

Arnold Cragg
November 2006

Dedicated to Fusilier 14778048 James (Jimmy) Cragg 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers Died 8th May, 1945 in India aged 36 years from Cholera Buried in Delhi War Cemetery, India (This is Arnold's Father)