LMS Princess Coronation Class 6220 Coronation
Encyclopedia
London Midland and Scottish Railway Princess Coronation Class
No. 6220 (British Railways No. 46220) Coronation was a British
steam locomotive
.
, the first of its class of streamlined locomotives. It, along with were given a special livery of Caledonian Railway
blue with go-faster stripes
instead of the more conventional red.
On 29 June 1937, on a press run, 6220 set a new record of 114 miles per hour, beating the LNER record of 113 mph. She was driven by TJ. Clarke (driver) and C. Lewis (fireman), with Robert Riddles
(engineer) and S. Miller (inspector) also on the footplate. This prompted the record attempt a year later by the LNER with A4 Class
4468 Mallard
, which reached 126mph.
In 1939 6220 temporarily swapped identities with 6229 Duchess of Hamilton
. The new Coronation was sent on a tour to America for the World's fair. There was thus a blue 6229 Duchess of Hamilton in Great Britain and a red 6220 Coronation in the United States
. On the return of the engine from North America, their identities were swapped back again.
6220 swapped her single chimney for a double chimney in December 1944. Her streamlining was removed for maintenance reasons in September 1946 and at the same time she acquired smoke deflectors
. She was painted LMS 1946 black livery in September 1947 followed by BR standard express blue from January 1950 to April 1952. She was painted BR green in April 1952. She remained in semi-streamlined form with sloping smokebox
front until February 1957 when a round-topped smokebox was fitted. She was never painted maroon and was in BR green when withdrawn.
46220 was withdrawn in 1963 and cut up at her birthplace, Crewe Works
.
LMS Princess Coronation Class
The London Midland and Scottish Railway Coronation Class is a class of express passenger steam locomotives designed by William Stanier. They were an enlarged version of the LMS Princess Royal Class. Several examples were originally built as streamlined, though this was later removed...
No. 6220 (British Railways No. 46220) Coronation was a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
.
Overview
6220 was built in 1937 at Crewe WorksCrewe Works
Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire....
, the first of its class of streamlined locomotives. It, along with were given a special livery of Caledonian Railway
Caledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
blue with go-faster stripes
Go-faster stripes
The original racing stripes were stripes applied to the Cunningham team of racing cars to identify them in the field during races. Another purpose is to make it easier for a driver to align a spun out car with the circuit.- Cunningham racing stripes :...
instead of the more conventional red.
On 29 June 1937, on a press run, 6220 set a new record of 114 miles per hour, beating the LNER record of 113 mph. She was driven by TJ. Clarke (driver) and C. Lewis (fireman), with Robert Riddles
Robert Riddles
Robert Arthur "Robin" Riddles, CBE, MIMechE, MinstLE was a British locomotive engineer.-LNWR and LMS:Riddles was born in 1892 and entered the Crewe Works of the London and North Western Railway as a premium apprentice in 1909, completing his apprenticeship in 1913...
(engineer) and S. Miller (inspector) also on the footplate. This prompted the record attempt a year later by the LNER with A4 Class
LNER Class A4
The Class A4 is a class of streamlined 4-6-2 steam locomotive, designed by Nigel Gresley for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1935. Their streamlined design gave them high-speed capability as well as making them instantly recognizable, and one of the class, 4468 Mallard, still claims the...
4468 Mallard
LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard
Number 4468 Mallard is a London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive built at Doncaster, England in 1938. While in other respects a relatively typical member of its class, it is historically significant for being the holder of the official world speed record for steam...
, which reached 126mph.
In 1939 6220 temporarily swapped identities with 6229 Duchess of Hamilton
LMS Princess Coronation Class 6229 Duchess of Hamilton
London Midland and Scottish Railway Princess Coronation Class 6229 Duchess of Hamilton is a preserved steam locomotive.- Service :...
. The new Coronation was sent on a tour to America for the World's fair. There was thus a blue 6229 Duchess of Hamilton in Great Britain and a red 6220 Coronation in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. On the return of the engine from North America, their identities were swapped back again.
6220 swapped her single chimney for a double chimney in December 1944. Her streamlining was removed for maintenance reasons in September 1946 and at the same time she acquired smoke deflectors
Smoke deflectors
Smoke deflectors are vertical plates attached to the front of a steam locomotive on each side of the smokebox. They are designed to lift smoke away from the locomotive at speed so that the driver has better visibility unimpaired by drifting smoke....
. She was painted LMS 1946 black livery in September 1947 followed by BR standard express blue from January 1950 to April 1952. She was painted BR green in April 1952. She remained in semi-streamlined form with sloping smokebox
Smokebox
A smokebox is one of the major basic parts of a Steam locomotive exhaust system. Smoke and hot gases pass from the firebox through tubes where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. The smoke then enters the smokebox, and is exhausted to the atmosphere through the chimney .To assist...
front until February 1957 when a round-topped smokebox was fitted. She was never painted maroon and was in BR green when withdrawn.
46220 was withdrawn in 1963 and cut up at her birthplace, Crewe Works
Crewe Works
Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire....
.