LMS Black 5 5025

At last we're at the most important part of 5025's overhaul, the repaint! And what's the livery to be.......................!

 

Reading an article about the changes made to backdate 5025 to her original as built LMS condition, it strikes me that she must be the only Black Five I have seen without the middle step under the smokebox. That makes a huge difference to the look of the front end, IMO, together with the taller chimney. I really like what they've done, it's sensible and provides a USP for the railway.

 

The step definitely kicked off some chat further back in the thread. The picture I had been thinking about was 5025 and 5024 in late '34 which also shows it with so I wonder how long that lasted.

 

Who thinks there should be?

 

Surely this is a decision for those that have put the hard yards in on either fundraising or doing the work to get 5025 back in action.
Why should it be a big deal?

 

Oh no, what have I started.

It was merely an open question, no connotations attached, no aspersions cast, just an observation that EVC has one, I like it, and I wondered if it was being repeated.

Its not a big deal at all. One way or the other.

The biggest deal is that 5025 is now in the paint shop and is due to form a number of services in the coming months, which is hugely exciting and something the team can be immensely proud of.

I for one am looking forwards to seeing 5025 in the near future.

 

You've started a supplement to the livery debates: should a loco carry a plate commemorating a rebuild or major restoration.

 

And what colour should it be painted...
(I assume it is agreed it has to be brass...)

 

All I can say is that if I had a locomotive of my own, I wouldn't want to adorn it with anything it wasn't adorned with in service, be that a rebuild plate or a nameplate.
Obviously it's up to the people who have done such an excellent job on 5025 to decide if they want to have a plate fitted, and rightly so.

Richard.

 

LMS lined Black, closely-spaced lettering on the tender. Will it have a gloss or matt smokebox though? I suspect gloss...

Richard.

 

The Vulcan Foundry locos also had polished metal smokebox door hinges, straps and dart. The lining on the cab side was also different to the others with lining going around the perimeter of the cab windows.

 

That appears to be how she was presented last time she was active- looked really smart!

Chris

 

In hindsight I should really have seen this coming.

Il now have to procure a hair shirt (Thomas a Becket style) to purge myself of this egregious mis-step.

 

Like this ( Kyle on 25th Sept 1982 - Agfa CT18 transparency )

Amazing to think that in 1982 both the two earliest Black 5s, 5025 and 5000, were active on the main line.

 

Lovely photo, that! I notice a lack of a shedplate - something that 5025 shared with 92220 Evening Star for a long time during its preservation.

Richard.

 

If 5025 was trying to replicate it's 1934 condition, it would not have had a shedplate.
They were applied by the LMS from 1935

 

No. Up to some time in 1934 when Ernest Lemon's shed reforms began to take effect, the LMS used different shaped enamel plates based on LNWR and L&YR practice, at those companies' former sheds anyway, although those companies mounted them to the rear of the cab roof. They were white with black digits and used the former owners' codes, although with C (for Central Division) added to L&YR engines. I don't think any Black Fives received an enamel plate

The reorganisation recoded all sheds in a common system with an 'A' shed looking after all major maintenance and a number of 'garage' sheds under them, coded the same but with a different suffix letter. The new shed plates were cast iron, black with white digits. These were applied by the sheds after the engines arrived, and not necessarily immediately on arrival but as and when opportunity arose. So there are photos of new or nearly new engines running devoid of shed plates, but it wasn't LMS policy.

The Stanier Crabs were early enough to get the enamel plates and the photo is of 13268 so adorned at Monument Lane. '2' was her first shed, Willesden.

 

Will one adorn 29 when she is finished?

 

Yep!

 

Always thought the closely spaced LMS lettering on the tender looked a bit odd.