Ivatt Class 2MT Tender Locomotive
Technical Data
Introduced: 1946
Number built: 128 (20 built by the LMS, the remainder being built by British Railways)
Wheel arrangement: 2-6-0
Number built: 128 (20 built by the LMS, the remainder being built by British Railways)
Wheel arrangement: 2-6-0
In the mid-1940s, the LMS started looking at replacing pre-grouping class 2 locomotives with a more modern locomotive. Several designs were considered, but when Ivatt became Chief Mechanical Engineer on the sudden death of Charles Fairburn, he was able to push for a 2-6-0 tender locomotive design.
The class 2MT 2-6-0 (and its tank engine variant) was perhaps the most modern design of steam locomotive produced in Britain for some time. They were designed to be as easy to drive and maintain as possible, especially at a time when manpower would not be as easy to come by as it had prior to World War II, and the locomotive proved to be a success, especially on light workings. They was also economical to run; another important consideration of the time. They were sometimes nicknamed "Mickey Mouse" locomotives.
The locomotives could be found just about anywhere on the railway system, and went through several design modification during production. Ultimately, the design evolved into the British Railways Standard 78XXX class.
Number | Works Built at | Year Built |
6400-6409 | Crewe | 1946 |
6410-6419 | Crewe | 1947 |
46420-46434 | Crewe | 1948 |
46435-46449 | Crewe | 1950 |
46450-46459 | Crewe | 1950 |
46460-46464 | Crewe | 1950 |
46465-46482 | Darlington | 1951 |
46483-46494 | Darlington | 1951 |
46495-46502 | Darlington | 1952 |
46503-46514 | Swindon | 1952 |
46515-46527 | Swindon | 1953 |
Preservation
7 of the class survived into preservation:
46428 - Located at the East Lancashire Railway, under restoration
46441 - Located at the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, operational
46443 - Located at the Severn Valley Railway, on static display
46447 - Located at the East Somerset Railway, operational
46464 - Located at the Strathspey Railway, operational
46512 - Located at the Strathspey Railway, operational
46521 - Located at the Great Central Railway, under overhaul (this is the youngest LMS-designed locomotive in preservation)