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Robin Barr [first published in LMS News No. 63 June, 1978]
I had intended to head these notes "LMS Built Derby 1947; Works No. XXX", but with that erudite recorder of steam over and around Belfast Lough, Mac Arnold, in hospital, none of the present owners of LMS NCC WT no. 4 seems to have this piece of information. Does it exist? Largely as a result of the NIR spoil contract (digging their own graves!) 2-6-4 tank no. 4 became the last main-line steam locomotive to continue in operation in the British Isles. Now, by its virtual monopoly of operation of the "Portrush Flyers" each summer it gives the nearest approach to a public service with "full-size" steam on the main-line.
If not quite up to the best of LMS standards when the "Portrush Flyer" was first introduced between the wars, running is decidedly brisk. Possibly, a result of a liberal redundancy scheme (a contradiction in terms if ever there was one) of its predecessor UTA, NIR has a number of keen ex-steam drivers who were promoted at a relatively early age. These men had nursed the ageing fleet of 2-6-4 tanks through the last of summer Saturday steam specials, and the end of the crippling spoil contract. Now with a well maintained "Jeep", and a completely relaid main-line these drivers can enjoy themselves, and the steam enthusiast can once again savour speeds in the seventies, and marvel at hand exchange of tablets at well over fifty. The use of the Manson "Catcher" on the NCC, and now the practice of hand exchange, should be a compulsory study for aficionados of the Great Way Round who think that company's exchange techniques were anything other than antediluvian.
For me no. 4 tends to be overshadowed by the even more glamorous stable-mate - 4-4-0 Slieve Gullion, resplendent in sky-blue and scarlet. There was talk when the RPSI first purchased the Jeep of a crimson lake livery, but this has been shelved. The moguls which came, some from Derby, and some from York Road, sported first all the glory of full LMS livery, as interpreted by the NCC; now to be seen in Ireland only in Belfast Museum on NB built (1924) U2 "Dunluce Castle".
The only departure from black livery for the tanks was during the interregnum when the LMS (NCC) had become BR (NCC) and before the absorption of the latter fifteen months later. In "NCC Saga", Mac Arnold recounts how J. H. Houston, in charge of York Road works at that time and realising that his beloved crimson lake was no more, carried out some interesting experiments. Mac, who knows Mr Houston well, surmises that he worked on the theory that the UTA was merely the NIRTB under a different guise and, since they had a large fleet of green buses, would like green locomotives too!
Therefore in August 1948 the first 2-6-4 to be overhauled, 5, was given a coat of apple green. It was not to be; the fleet livery became black lined vermilion. Mac does go on to record that mogul 90 "Duke of Abercorn" appeared in a shade similar to 5 in September 1948, whilst as a contrast tank no. 7 appeared in November in unlined black. Finally 4-4-0 no. 80 "Dunseverick Castle" was tried out in olive green, lined in yellow and red! I do have a CCQ slide of the "Duke of Abercorn" in the green livery, and very fine (s)he looks. However I find the thought of the 4-4-0 in olive green even more difficult to comprehend than the idea of its three quasi-sisters LMS 633- 635 in ex S&D blue! I have yet to see the Castle in photographic record . . . perhaps fortunately, or another longsuffering LI body would undergo metamorphosis under the spray. It is an interesting thought that some eighty years after Derby gave up painting engines green a U2, that most Derby of engines, should be painted green.
Again in "NCC Saga" Mac Arnold records that apart from mogul 101 "Lord Masserene" repainted crimson lake in 1945 for the Royal Train, the only coat of red paint applied to an engine during the emergency was to 4-4-0 81 "Carrickfergus Castle" when that engine was overhauled by the Great Northern at Dundalk. As Mac said, it had been a friendly gesture. If one accepts that the painting of Jubilee 5594 "Bhopal" in 1946 was purely an experiment, and of W class 2-6-0 101 "Lord Masserene" was purely for the Royal Train, then one is left with the conclusion that the last "normal" company application of the crimson lake livery was by an "alien" works, and in an alien country at that! I do not yet know the NCC equivalent of (40)934 - the last locomotive to carry the old livery.
So far as Dundalk was concerned, if the NCC got shabby treatment from Stormont, the Great Northern fared infinitely worse. Even if its Chairman - Lord Glanavy (Patrick Campbell pere) - was a pillar of the aristocracy, its locomotive works was in the republic, as was the boardroom, though latterly the board met alternately in Dublin and Belfast, and a high price was paid for this political deviation.
Whilst an unashamed admirer of 171 both now and when still in service - those 28 blue engines, and the red 2-6-4 tanks of that other Midland outpost, the County Donegal - were magnets which kept me shuttling across the Irish Sea in the fifties; I am not blind to the potential of no. 4. Considering the restrictions BR place on steam operations, this 2-6-4 tank must offer the best main-line steam operation in these islands.
This is not only in the hands of ex NCC drivers, but also on CIE. Ex GS&W men find 4 a dream to drive, to fire and especially to ride on: all "mod-cons" which they only experienced on their own three big 4-6-0's, the Queens.
1978 is likely to be the last year when 4 monopolises the "Portrush Flyers" since next year should see the return to service of Great Northern Compound 85 "Merlin", at present being overhauled by Harland & Wolff. "Merlin" may be named for the bird of prey, but there is something magical in this "return to steam". Presumably "Merlin" will emerge in 1979 in the well known blue livery, as is "Slieve Gullion", but in neither case will this be the original livery. 171 came out in green, which became black during the war; the blue was only applied in the late thirties after renewal (sic) at Dundalk works. The compounds came out black, lined red, and got the blue treatment about three years later. As "Merlin" is now, with a Belpaire boiler, the black would be incorrect, since all five only received the new type of boiler after the war (but before the 5 3-cylinder simples appeared also with the new design of boiler).
So, LMS Society members, make the most of no. 4 in 1978. Three "Portrush Flyers" on 22/7, 5/8 and 19/8, and the grand steam extravaganza of 22-23-24 September: NO.4 Belfast-Derry (twice), 171 Belfast-Dublin and return, and 0-6-0 186 Mullingar=Dublin=Bray , and all connecting. I intend to go, and would be pleased to hear from anyone interested in making up a party. As for 1979 - well - 1 3-cylinder compound pulling 11 coaches up the 1 in 76 out of Portrush will be an even stronger attraction than the Flyers were when re-introduced in 1973. Even if it is a GNR engine, there is still a great deal of LMS interest about these railways of the north-east. Someone once remarked that after the Midland took over the B&NC it became even more "Northern Counties", when the LMS took over, the NCC became more and more like the Midland, whilst finally the UTA was just like the LMS; what would he say to NIR? At least there is plenty of maroon (hardly crimson lake) in the coach livery, though this may just be an excuse to run red, white and blue trains to Dublin!
At the risk of expulsion from the society only two years after election I admit to anticipating defection to the Great Northern when "Merlin" returns to the Dublin run. The prospect of the big 4-4-0 blasting its way up past Father Murphy's chapel, that landmark, welcome regardless of the religious persuasion of the enginemen, which heralds mile-post 650, the state border, and the end of 80 miles at 1 in 100, is irresistible. Care to join me?
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June 4th, 2026
Site contents Copyright © LMS Society, 2026