The LNER Encyclopedia

Good afternoon,

After WW2 the Ivatt Standard Class 4 was introduced with batches being built at both Doncaster and Darlington, with the rest built at Horwich. Now I've seen plenty of photos of these locomotives operating on the M&GN section with Tablet Exchange gear fitted. I've also seen plenty of photos of the locos operating on the GN in Lincolnshire. It looks to me as if the ER allocation of these moguls migrated from the M&GN to Boston and E.Lincs on the closure of the M&GN in 1959. Can anyone confirm this for me please?

If that's so then presumably these engines would not have been in use N of Boston until the 1960s?

I'm trying to sort out my layout allocation!

Regards,

Vernon

I'm a bit young to say what went north of Boston in the late 50's but they would have been seen at Broadfield Lane from Dec 1957 when Boston gained control of Spalding shed and they received a small allocation.

Having said that they would have primarily remained on M&GN diagrams but the chances of an odd stray journey north would have increased. They would have been ideal engines for an special task or two, for example beet trains in the season.

I've not seen any pictures of any north of Boston before the M&GN closed in 1959 but someone a little older than me in terms of memories of the East Lincs line may be able to give you a little bit more info.

Not sure if this helps you, notascoobie, but I'm looking at the BR 9212 forms (Safety valves, certificate of examination) for 43158 and I can see that she was a Boston engine on 15th December 1961, having previously been a Doncaster engine. She was a Yarmouth engine at one time, too

They were also shedded at 34F Grantham around 1960 so could have appeared on Skeggy Summer traffic,but thats only a could have.
Would need some proof of this so therefore what about asking the question on 61070's thread "Returning to Grantham".
Just a thought.

Regards,Derek.

Not sure if this helps but in my Locoshed Book for the summer 1960 there were 21 Flying Pigs allocated to Boston/Sleaford, quite a high count by my reckoning. There were also examples allocated to Immingham, Lincoln & Retford.

Good Morning,

Thanks for your replies. They seem to confirm that the locos didn't get N of Boston particularly until after the M&GN closed. Can anyone confirm they weren't working Honington-Lincoln or Boston-Lincoln in the mid fifties?

Regards,

Vernon

60129 GUY MANNERING wrote:They were also shedded at 34F Grantham around 1960 so could have appeared on Skeggy Summer traffic,but thats only a could have.
Would need some proof of this so therefore what about asking the question on 61070's thread "Returning to Grantham".
Just a thought.

Regards,Derek.

They certainly appeared on Grantham - Skegness/Mablethorpe weekend extra services in the summer in 60/61 because I travelled on a few of the trains with my parents.

As far as I can remember, they were mainly a summer Sunday phenomenon, although I don't have the relevant paperwork to confirm that. They stopped at all stations en-route (except possibly Hubberts Bridge) and were mostly formed of non-ganwayed stock (at least the ones that I saw and travelled on were).

However, that would only take them as far as Willoughby. I have no idea if they made it any further north than this in 1960 or before that.