LNWR Claughton Class Text & Photos by Ivan Davison
These beautiful locos were built by the LNWR between 1913 and 1921 as their top express locos, there were eventually 130 of them. They were 4 cylinder locos capable of hauling the massive trains the LNWR ran on the main lines (The WCML of today). When the grouping happened in 1923 all 130 locos were absorbed into the LMS and were still regarded as that new railway's top link passenger engines. Not until the "Royal Scots appeared in 1927 were they equalled for power on the LMS passenger loco roster. When the idea of a slightly smaller version of the "Royal Scots" was contemplated for use on the major secondary routes the "Claughtons" became the test beds for and eventually two of them were rebuilt into the first "Patriot" class locos in 1933. As an experiment in 1928 18 "Claughtons were modified with a large diameter parallel boiler similar to but slightly smaller than the "Royal Scots", 10 of those gained Caprotti valve gear at the same time. Sadly the class was ousted by the arrival of William Stanier's intermediate passenger classes of the mid 1930's and all had been withdrawn by 1949. The models are examples of both the original small boiler and the 1928 large boiler versions. The small boiler model represents the first member of the class LMS No. 5900 "Sir Gilbert Claughton", the large boilered example represents LMS No. 6017 " Breadalbane" named after the home of one of the directors of the LNWR.
These beautiful locos were built by the LNWR between 1913 and 1921 as their top express locos, there were eventually 130 of them. They were 4 cylinder locos capable of hauling the massive trains the LNWR ran on the main lines (The WCML of today). When the grouping happened in 1923 all 130 locos were absorbed into the LMS and were still regarded as that new railway's top link passenger engines. Not until the "Royal Scots appeared in 1927 were they equalled for power on the LMS passenger loco roster. When the idea of a slightly smaller version of the "Royal Scots" was contemplated for use on the major secondary routes the "Claughtons" became the test beds for and eventually two of them were rebuilt into the first "Patriot" class locos in 1933. As an experiment in 1928 18 "Claughtons were modified with a large diameter parallel boiler similar to but slightly smaller than the "Royal Scots", 10 of those gained Caprotti valve gear at the same time. Sadly the class was ousted by the arrival of William Stanier's intermediate passenger classes of the mid 1930's and all had been withdrawn by 1949. The models are examples of both the original small boiler and the 1928 large boiler versions. The small boiler model represents the first member of the class LMS No. 5900 "Sir Gilbert Claughton", the large boilered example represents LMS No. 6017 " Breadalbane" named after the home of one of the directors of the LNWR.