
Ivatt left Preston 16-04-18 for Haverthwaite, Lakeside Railway in Cumbria.
The LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 is a class of steam locomotive designed for mixed traffic.
A total of 218 were built between 1946 and 1953, mostly at Crewe. The LMS classified them 2F, BR 2MT.
46441 was built at Crewe in April 1950, and allocated to Lancaster, Green Ayre. It’s duties included the Lake Windermere cruise, a passenger train from Morecambe to Lakeside, via Ulverston hauling the District Engineer’s saloon. It’s last general repair was at Crewe works in 1964.
These locomotives were the cheapest to operate on BR, as 16s 6d a mile in the mid-1960’s – the same as a DMU, which replaced them.
When Green Ayre closed, the loco moved to Carnforth, where it was saved from the scrapman by Dr Peter Beet in April 1967. The loco last steamed in preservation in 2002, but takes pride of place near the entrance to the museum area at Riversway.
Elderly 0-6-0s formed the backbone of the low-powered locomotives within the LMS fleet. William Stanier had concentrated on introducing larger engines and it was left to George Ivatt to introduce a new class of low-powered locomotive. He designed a tender version of the Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T, introduced at the same time, which was inspired by the Stanier Class 3 2-6-2T, which was inspired by the Fowler Class 3 2-6-2T. The 2-6-0s had greater range: 3,000 imperial gallons or 14,000 litres or 3,600 US gallons of water and 4 long tons or 4.1 tonnes or 4.5 short tons of coal compared to the tank design’s 1,350 imperial gallons or 6,100 litres or 1,620 US gallons and 3 long tons or 3.05 tonnes or 3.36 short tons. So they were well-suited to their task and, following attention to draughting problems by both Derby and Swindon, quickly became a success. Further engines of this type were built as the BR standard class 2 2-6-0, these locomotives having BR standard fittings and a modified cab and tender profile to allow completely unrestricted route availability; both LMS and BR 2MT moguls are often referred to by the affectionate nickname “Mickey Mouse”
A total of 128 were built between 1946 and 1953, mostly at Crewe. 20 were built by LMS and given the numbers 6400–19. On nationalisation in 1948 40000 was added to their numbers to become 46400–19. The remaining 108 locomotives of the class, numbered 46420–46527 were built by British Railways, and from 46465 (Darlington, 1951) an increase in cylinder diameter of 1/2 inch (13 mm) yielded a tractive effort of 18,510 lb (8,400 kg), 1,100 lb (500 kg) greater than the original design. The LMS classified them 2F, BR as 2MT.
Seven of the class have been preserved. Two members of the class have also operated on the mainline in preservation: No’s 46441 & 46443.
46443 Became a popular mainline engine in the 1980s when she was one of the engines used during the 150th anniversary of the Great Western Railway traveling along many old branchlines including the old Bristol Harbour Railway.
46441 Was one of the smallest tender engines to operate on the former BR system during the 90’s. As well as being a regular at Carnforth and working at her home on the East Lancashire Railway she was also used for the regular steam on the met programme working trains alongside other steam engines. 46441 Is currently located at the Ribble Steam Railway in Preston and is currently on static display inside the museum awaiting overhaul. The locos current owner Chris Beet who also owns LMS Jubilee no 45690 Leander currently has no plans in overhauling the loco.
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