Locomotive Class

8P Duchess Class

8P Duchess Class Class: 8P Duchess Class
Type: Steam
Designer: Sir William Stanier
Weight: 161 tons (including tender)
Purpose: Heavy Express Passenger

Information: Introduced by the LMS in 1937, the Coronation / Duchess Class remains the most powerful steam locomotives built in Britain. Early locomotives in the class were built with streamlined casings that were later removed; while later built locomotives never received the distinctive casings.

Details: Ever increasing train sizes, speed, and a very public race for prestige passenger traffic to the North were all factors leading to the highly distinctive streamlined Coronations developed for the Coronation Scot service. The named service from London to Glasgow commenced with the highly distinctive blue and silver matched locomotive and coaching stock was inaugurated in 1937.
Sir William Stanier took over as Chief Mechanical Engineer with the LMS in 1932 and is credited with the success of only Pacific locomotive designs built by the LMS. The LMS was the largest constituent of the four grouped railway companies. Prior to the Princess Class being introduced in 1933, the LMS had relied on venerable 4-6-0 Royal Scot’s and Patriot classes, plus a multitude of dated 4-4-0 designs having to be double headed in order to haul their respective services.
The first batch consisted of five locomotives being built at Crewe and entering service during 1937. Five more streamlined locomotives were turned-out between 1937 and 1940. In total 24-streamlined locomotives were eventually built as construction continued during World War 2. An additional 14-examples were turned-out with-out streamlined casings, prior to the final locomotive entering service in 1948. The last two locomotives were built under the direction of H.G. Ivatt and featured differences in design such as roller bearings and larger super-heated grating surfaces.
Locomotives fitted with streamlined casings were stripped between 1946 and 1949. The casings had little benefit and seen as a hindrance to maintenance servicing. However, the distinctive appearance of the locomotives with their matched train sets was magnificent.
A number of liveries were carried by class members, some being repainted on numerous occasions. Original streamlined locomotives were painted in Caledonian Blue with silver speed whiskers and horizontal lining. The second batch was painted in similar fashion; but in maroon and gold. During the war most were repainted utility black. After the war ended and British Railways was formed most members were repainted in the Express Blue with white lining favoured for express passenger locomotives of the period. By 1951 class members were being repainted in BR lined “Brunswick Green”. Eventually all 38-members were repainted in this livery. After 1957, a total of 16 class members all based south of the Scottish Region border were repainted in lined BR maroon livery.
The first three locomotives were with-drawn in December 1962. By October 1964 the entire class had been removed from service. Three members have survived into preservation. In May 2009 No. 6229 Duchess of Hamilton re-entered active steam preservation status re-built with the streamlined casing.

John Faulkner

8P Duchess Class Releases (33)

MODEL NO. LIVERY
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - Duchess Of Gloucester
Released: 1997 1998
46225 B.R. Maroon
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Chester
Released: 1994 1995
46239 B.R. Blue (Steam)
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Leicester
Released: 1992 1993
46252 B.R. Green
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of London
Released: 1969w 1970w 1971w 1972w
46245 B.R. Maroon
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Nottingham
Released: 1991 1992 1993
46251 B.R. Maroon
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Stoke On Trent
Released: 1970w 1971w 1972w
6254 L.M.S. Black
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - Duchess Of Atholl
Released: 1982 1983 1984 1985
46231 B.R. Green
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - Duchess Of Norfolk
Released: 1994 1995
46226 B.R. Maroon
Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Saint Albans (Royal Doulton)
Released: 1996
6253 L.M.S. Black
Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Abercorn
Released: 1980 1981 1982
6234 L.M.S. Crimson
Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Sutherland
Released: 1977 1978 1979
6233 L.M.S. Crimson
Duchess At Carlisle Train Pack (Duchess Class - Duchess Of Sutherland) - Barry J. Freeman Collection
Released: 2011
6233 L.M.S. Crimson
Duchess Class Locomotive - City Of Leicester
Released: 2008
46252 B.R. Black
Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Buccleuch
Released: 2001 2002 2003
6230 L.M.S. Crimson
Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Carlisle
Released: 2005
46238 B.R. Crimson
Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Montrose (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Released: 2011
6232 L.M.S. Crimson
Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Rutland
Released: 2001 2002 2003 2004
46228 B.R. Green
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Bristol
Released: 2006 2007 2007 2008 2009
46237 B.R. Blue (Steam)
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Chester
Released: 2003 2004
46239 B.R. Green
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Coventry (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Released: 2010
46240 B.R. Maroon
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Glasgow
Released: 2003 2004
6242 L.M.S. Black
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Lancaster
Released: 2010
46243 B.R. Crimson
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Leeds
Released: 2006
46248 B.R. Crimson
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Manchester
Released: 2009
6246 L.M.S. Black
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Nottingham (Weathered)
Released: 2004 2005
46251 B.R. Crimson
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Sheffield (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Released: 2008 2009
46249 B.R. Green
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Gloucester
Released: 2004
46225 B.R. Blue (Steam)
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Montrose (Weathered)
Released: 2005
46232 B.R. Green
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Sutherland
Released: 2011
6233 L.M.S. Black
The Caledonian (Duchess Class - City Of Bristol)
Released: 1999
46237 B.R. Green
The Caledonian (Duchess Class - King George VI)
Released: 2003 2004
46244 B.R. Green
The Mid-day Scot (Duchess Class - City Of Leeds)
Released: 1998
46248 B.R. Maroon
The Royal Train (Duchess Class - Duchess Of Sutherland)
Released: 2004
6233 L.M.S. Crimson

8P Duchess Class Images (33)

Coronation Class 8P Locomotive -  Duchess Of Gloucester
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - Duchess Of Gloucester 46225

Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Chester
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Chester 46239

Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Leicester
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Leicester 46252

Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of London
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of London 46245

Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Nottingham
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Nottingham 46251

Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Stoke On Trent
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - City Of Stoke On Trent 6254

Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - Duchess Of Atholl
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - Duchess Of Atholl 46231

Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - Duchess Of Norfolk
Coronation Class 8P Locomotive - Duchess Of Norfolk 46226

Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Saint Albans (Royal Doulton)
Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Saint Albans (Royal Doulton) 6253

Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Abercorn
Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Abercorn 6234

Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Sutherland
Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Sutherland 6233

Duchess At Carlisle Train Pack (Duchess Class - Duchess Of Sutherland)  - Barry J. Freeman Collection
Duchess At Carlisle Train Pack (Duchess Class - Duchess Of Sutherland) - Barry J. Freeman Collection 6233

Duchess Class Locomotive - City Of Leicester
Duchess Class Locomotive - City Of Leicester 46252

Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Buccleuch
Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Buccleuch 6230

Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Carlisle
Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Carlisle 46238

Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Montrose (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Montrose (DCC Locomotive with Sound) 6232

Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Rutland
Duchess Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Rutland 46228

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Bristol
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Bristol 46237

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Chester
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Chester 46239

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Coventry (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Coventry (DCC Locomotive with Sound) 46240

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Glasgow
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Glasgow 6242

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Lancaster
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Lancaster 46243

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Leeds
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Leeds 46248

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Manchester
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Manchester 6246

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Nottingham (Weathered)
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Nottingham (Weathered) 46251

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Sheffield (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - City Of Sheffield (DCC Locomotive with Sound) 46249

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Gloucester
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Gloucester 46225

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Montrose (Weathered)
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Montrose (Weathered) 46232

Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Sutherland
Princess Coronation Class Locomotive - Duchess Of Sutherland 6233

The Caledonian (Duchess Class - City Of Bristol)
The Caledonian (Duchess Class - City Of Bristol) 46237

The Caledonian (Duchess Class - King George VI)
The Caledonian (Duchess Class - King George VI) 46244

The Mid-day Scot (Duchess Class - City Of Leeds)
The Mid-day Scot (Duchess Class - City Of Leeds) 46248

The Royal Train (Duchess Class - Duchess Of Sutherland)
The Royal Train (Duchess Class - Duchess Of Sutherland) 6233


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