The Power of the Duchesses

Derived from the earlier Stanier 'Princess Royal' Pacific design of 1933-5, the Stanier 'Duchesses' were the epitome of LMS express passenger locomotive design.Originally designated the 'Coronation' class, they first appeared from Crewe works in 1937 and commenced running on the high-speed 'Coronation Scot' services. The first examples were streamlined, but in 1938 a non-streamlined version was also built. Double chimneys were fitted from 1939, and retrospectively to those with single chinmeys. Of the 38 locomotives built between 1937 and 1948 (when the final Ivatt version appeared) 24 were streamliners.After the war the streamlining was removed and all the classes were fitted with smoke deflectors. Withdrawal of the class, which were the LMS answer to the celebrated LNER Gresley A4 class Pacifics, commenced in 1962 with the last examples being withdrawn in September 1964.

David Jenkinson is a respected railway author and enthusiast whose other books include Power of the Royal Scots.Robin Riddles was Principal Assistant in the 1930s to Sir William Stanier, and had much to do with the development of the 'Duchess' class.